IMIDLALO yale mpelasonto ye-United Rugby Championship izocacisa ukuthi yimaphi amaqembu azomela iNingizimu Afrika emidlalweni yomkhumulajezi.
IVodacom Bulls neDHL Stormers sebezibekisele izindawo emzuliswaneni olandelayo kodwa basanethuba lokuqeda isigaba samaqoqo endaweni engcono kwi-log. La maqembu asabanga nokuba yiqembu elizokhonya kuleli, elizophakamisa indebe yeSA Shield.
I-Emirates Lions ayikayiqinisekisi indawo yayo kweyomkhumulajezi kanti iHollywoodbets Sharks yona izobe idlala umdlalo wayo wokugcina kule sizini kwazise ngeke isakwazi ukudlulela phambili kulo mqhudelwano.
ISharks izodudulana neBulls eHollywoodbets Kings Park kusasa ngo-4.10 ntambama, kuthi iStormers ibhekane neLions eKapa ngo 1.45 ntambama.
IBulls isendaweni yesibili kwi-log ngamaphuzu angu-63. Isele ngamabili eqenjini eliqhwakele, iMunster yase-Ireland.
Uma leli qembu lasePitoli liyinqoba iSharks lizoqinisekisa ukuthi yilona iqembu elihamba phambili kuleli, liphinde lizibeke ethubeni lokuhlala esicongweni kwi-log, okuhambisana nokudlala imidlalo yomkhumulajezi ekhaya.
Nakuba iSharks isiyisonga isizini futhi ingenzanga kahle kwi-URC kodwa izongena kulo mdlalo izethemba njengoba isanda kunqoba isicoco seChallenge Cup.
Umdlali weBulls, uJohan Grobbelaar, uthe balindele ukubhekana neqembu leSharks elingeke livume ukuhlulwa ekhaya.
“Uma ufuna ukunqoba indebe kufanele uwine imidlalo efana nalena, kufanele unqobe amaqembu afana neSharks. Uma besebenzisa iqembu labo elingcono sizokwazi ukuhlola ukuthi sikuliphi izinga. Asiwufuni umdlalo olula, sifuna inselelo,” kusho uGrobbelaar.
“Siyayihlonipha iSharks. Lesi yisikhathi esinzima sokubhekana nabo ngoba sebeqala ukudlala umbhoxo osezingeni eliphezulu. Angicabangi ukuthi benelisekile ngesizini yabo, yize benqobe isicoco.”
IStormers isendaweni yesihlanu kwi-log ye-URC kanti yize ingeke ikwazi ukuqeda endaweni engcono kwi-log ephelele, isabanga isicoco se-SA Shield neBulls, ehamba phambili ngamaphuzu amabili.
Umdlalo wakusasa eKapa uzobe ubaluleke kakhulu kwiLions, esendaweni yesishiyagalolunye ngamaphuzu angu-49. Iyalingana ngamaphuzu neBenetton yase-Italy, esabambelele endaweni yesishiyagalombili, okuyindawo yokugcina ehambisana nethikithi lokudlala esigabeni somkhumulajezi.
Lokhu kusho ukuthi uma iLions inganqoba iStormers, bese iBenetton ilahla amaphuzu emdlalweni wayo wokugcina ne-Edinburgh yaseScotland, elakuleli lizobe limelwe amaqembu amathathu esigabeni somkhumulajezi kwi-URC.