As the United Rugby Championship (URC) season nears its end, the Sharks are in a solid position, sitting in fourth place on the log and looking almost certain to secure a playoff spot.
However, the situation is far less stable for the Stormers and Lions, who are both facing uphill battles to make it to the postseason.
Sharks Secure Playoff Spot but Stormers and Lions Struggle
The Stormers are currently in 10th place, just one point behind three teams ahead of them: Cardiff, Edinburgh, and Benetton.
This tight race means that every point counts for the Cape Town side, and they’ll need to make some headway in their remaining matches if they hope to climb up the table.
Meanwhile, the Lions find themselves in a much more precarious situation, sitting in 14th place.
With a six-point gap to the eighth-placed Edinburgh, the Johannesburg side faces an uphill struggle if they’re to make a playoff push.
Key Fixtures Ahead for Sharks, Lions, and Stormers
Looking ahead to this weekend’s action, the Sharks will travel to Edinburgh for an important away fixture on Friday night, with kickoff set for 20:35 SA time.
The Lions will host Benetton at 13:45 on Saturday, before the Stormers take on Connacht later in the day at 16:00 in Cape Town.
With all three South African teams in action, the stakes are high, and these games could have a significant impact on their playoff hopes.
Bulls Have a Bye but Watch Closely as Sharks Aim to Close the Gap
The Bulls are in third place, just ahead of the Sharks, but they have a bye this weekend.
As such, they’ll be watching closely to see how the results unfold, particularly as the Sharks look to close the gap on their South African rivals.
Sharks Tour Squad
Ahead of their match against Edinburgh, the Sharks have announced their touring squad.
Here’s a look at who will be representing the team:
Forwards: Bongi Mbonambi, Eben Etzebeth, Emile van Heerden, Ethan Bester, Fez Mbatha, Hanro Jacobs, James Venter, Jason Jenkins, Emmanuel Tshituka, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Ox Nche, Phepsi Buthelezi, Ruan Dreyer, Siya Kolisi, Vincent Koch, Vincent Tshituka.
Backs: Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi, Bradley Davids, Ethan Hooker, Grant Williams, Jaden Hendrikse, Jordan Hendrikse, Jurenzo Julius, Lukhanyo Am, Makazole Mapimpi, Siya Masuku, Yaw Penxe.