The United Rugby Championship moves into Round 2 this weekend, but South Africa’s four franchises may not all receive the same Springbok boost.
The Springboks have returned from their Rugby Championship campaign after Sunday’s narrow 42-38 defeat to Australia in Perth, opening the door for several internationals to rejoin their provincial teams.
However, not every player involved against the Wallabies is expected to be available immediately.
With the international window now paused for a month, the Stormers, Lions, Bulls and Sharks will turn their attention back to the URC.
All Four South African Teams Won Round 1
South Africa enjoyed a perfect opening weekend in the competition.
The Stormers started their campaign with a 29-15 victory over Connacht in Galway, while the Lions produced one of the biggest results of the round by edging defending champions Leinster 27-26.
The Sharks also impressed, beating Ospreys 41-24 in Durban, while the Bulls made a statement with a convincing 47-13 victory over Zebre in Parma.
Round 2 now brings another demanding set of fixtures.
The Stormers travel to Edinburgh on Friday, 2 October, before the Lions host Ospreys in Johannesburg the following day.
The Sharks face Leinster at Kings Park later on Saturday, while the Bulls conclude the South African franchises’ Round 2 programme with a trip to Munster.
Stormers Won’t Get Their Perth Springboks
The Stormers appear unlikely to benefit from the immediate return of players who featured in Perth.
Zachary Porthen, Paul de Villiers, Wilco Louw and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu were among those involved with the Springboks but are not expected to join the Stormers for their European trip.
There is also considerable interest around Siya Kolisi.
According to reports cited by IOL, the experienced loose forward had been training with Ben-Jason Dixon and Ntuthuko Mchunu following the All Blacks tour.
Stormers coach JP Pietersen therefore faces an interesting balancing act as he manages his squad while trying to maintain the momentum created by the impressive opening-round victory.
Bulls Face a Major Selection Blow
The Bulls could also be without a significant group of Springboks for their trip to Munster.
Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Johan Grobbelaar, Elrigh Louw, Marco van Staden, Handre Pollard and Canan Moodie all featured in Perth and are not expected to travel for the URC fixture.
That leaves the Bulls needing to rely on the depth that helped them produce such a strong start against Zebre.
Their 47-13 win provides plenty of confidence, but Munster represents a substantially different challenge.
Sharks Could Have Extra Firepower
The Sharks could potentially have some Springbok reinforcements available as they prepare to face Leinster.
Eben Etzebeth, Ethan Hooker, Andre Esterhuizen, Edwill van der Merwe and Ox Nche are among the players who could potentially feature, with the possibility of some being used from the bench.
For coach John Plumtree, the challenge would be integrating returning internationals without disrupting the momentum generated by the Sharks’ impressive 41-24 victory over Ospreys.
Leinster, meanwhile, will arrive in Durban looking to respond after their narrow loss to the Lions.
Lions Look to Build on Leinster Upset
The Lions have already shown they can compete with the best after edging Leinster in their opening fixture.
Their next challenge is turning that result into sustained momentum.
The Johannesburg side may not have Morne van den Berg available, but Quan Horn could provide another attacking option as the Lions prepare to host Ospreys.
The Round 2 clash gives the Lions an opportunity to address some of the defensive weaknesses exposed against Leinster while maintaining the attacking energy that helped them secure victory.
Springbok Returns Could Shape Round 2
The timing of the international break creates an intriguing situation for South Africa’s URC franchises.
Some teams could benefit from the experience and quality of returning Springboks, while others will have to wait longer before their internationals are back in contention.
With all four South African sides winning in Round 1, the competition is already off to a strong start from a local perspective.
Now the question is how much the Springboks’ return from international duty will change the picture in Round 2.
Which Springboks would you most like to see back in the URC this weekend?
