The Sharks won by fewer than seven points in eight games – more than half their victories – while the Stormers are proving that late-season form is everything.
From the regression of the Lions to the sensational change in fortune at the Stormers, this United Rugby Championship (URC) season has seen it all.
But time will tell if consistency seen at the Bulls will pay off, while the Sharks, who have received scathing criticism from fans for a relatively mediocre season, may yet go on to win it all.
Here are some of the things South African teams have taught us this URC season.
Late-season form changes everything
The Stormers’ six wins from their final seven games in the league phase plucked them out of obscurity to climb from 12th on the log in March to finish in a comfortable fifth place and seven points clear of a playoff spot.
The run included four winning bonus points and a losing bonus point. More importantly, it has singled them out as the in-form team to beat. Where they were once a dark horse, they are now title contenders whom no other side will wish to face in a knockout.
Their incredible resurgence, fuelled by the return of flyhalf Sacha Fainberg-Mngomezulu and other in-form backline players, could perhaps make the Stormers favourites in their quarter-final away against Glasgow, who are on a three-game losing streak.
Sometimes you just need to get across the line
While Sharks head coach John Plumtree has spoken of how the manner of a team’s win is important, he will be grateful for every victory that gave them their third-place finish on the table.
After a hugely disappointing EPCR campaign where they won one match out of five games, the Sharks upped the ante to climb the table in the URC and win the SA shield for the first time. All while battling injuries to star players.
The Sharks won by three points or less in six matches this URC season. These came against Ulster, Edinburgh, Zebre, the Lions, the Bulls and Dragons.
They also once won by four points (Glasgow) and once won by six points (Stormers). That means the Sharks won by fewer than seven points in more than half their victories.
The Sharks finished with only 10 bonus point wins, fewer than Cardiff and Connacht, who didn’t make the top eight. But they’ll be playing a home quarter-final while those two sides won’t feature.
Set-piece dominance sucks the life out of opponents
Bulls director of rugby Jake White said recently he didn’t want his side to be known only for their unbeatable scrums and mauls.
But it has been these that have won them momentum time and again and demoralised their opponents. Their victory over Leinster would only have been possible due to their extra-time scrum turnover that gave them the match-winning penalty kick.
Bulls players have throughout the season highlighted this set-piece dominance as a driving force, saying they need to stick to what works for them – while still improving what needs work – to go the distance.
‘Small margins’, poor form or lack of squad depth?
Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen said small margins cost them a playoff spot after they could not build on their great start to the season.
The Lions won their first four games to sit near the top of the table, before securing only four of their last 14 games and missing a playoff spot by eight points.
While small margins played a role, the form of the Lions and the impact of injuries to their best players perhaps made a greater impact on their URC campaign.
