Opinion: South African sides must turn up the heat against northern foes in United Rugby Championship

The South African franchises must lift the tempo and exploit the altitude and summer conditions when they host the northern hemisphere sides in a series of historic fixtures this week, writes Jon Cardinelli.

The inter-hemisphere battles of the United Rugby Championship have been largely one-sided affairs. The Bulls, Lions, Stormers and Sharks have combined for just eight wins in 20 matches against European clubs since the tournament commenced last September.

The situation is far worse than those overall win-loss statistics suggest. Three of those eight wins have been achieved against Italian clubs. Collectively, the South African franchises haven’t won a single game against clubs hailing from Ireland or Scotland.

What’s important to note is that all of those fixtures were staged in the United Kingdom and Europe. It remains to be seen how the northern teams will fare when they travel to Durban, Pretoria, Johannesburg and Stellenbosch for a series of historic fixtures this weekend.

Fans of the PRO14 may recall when the European clubs faced the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein and the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth between 2017 and 2020. They might remember some of the results and performances, and may be inclined to believe that the better European teams will continue to succeed in this part of the world.

This tournament has changed in more than name, though, over the past six months. The Cheetahs and Kings – the weakest of the six South African franchises – are no longer part of the picture. The Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers have joined a revamped competition and have brought the best South Africa-based players with them.

The inclusion of the “Big Four” franchises has altered the competition in other ways. Visiting teams