Six Nations fallow weeks often carry a feeling of dread for European Rugby fans. Gone is the excitement of high-level, edge-of-your-seat rugby that solidifies why the sport is unparalleled in entertainment value. 

Fortunately for rugby aficionados, the sport does not stop as the United Rugby Championship returns to our screens for round 15 of the 2023 season. 

Headlining this weekend's action is the battle of arguably South Africa's two best hopes for the title, as the Cell C Sharks travel to Cape Town to tackle the defending champions DHL Stormers.

With Play-Offs, Shields & European Qualification all to play for… ?

Here are your Round 15 fixtures as we enter the business end of the season ?#URC | @QatarAirways pic.twitter.com/ScA4h4ZbBM

— BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) March 1, 2023

Key Match-Up 

Whilst the old saying goes, the battle is won in the trenches. It is the intelligence of the general that wins the war. 

Calling the shots this weekend are two Springbok flyhalf hopefuls, Manie Libbok and Curwin Bosch. 

Both men have already capped internationals, with Bosch making his debut in 2017. Since then, it has been five lean seasons for the Sharks star, who has quite frankly not been on the radar since the arrival of Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber in the national set-up. 

At just 25-years-old, the versatile Bosch has begun somewhat of a renaissance and is undoubtedly playing the best rugby of his career. 

Hailed as a future superstar at the time of his debut, Bosch looked to be following the path travelled by many a would-be star. At times Bosch was so far removed that he was struggling to break into the Sharks team that he took somewhat of a sabbatical in 2018 to play in the Japanese Top League. 

Now firmly positioned as the Sharks' first choice pivot, Bosch must surely be in line to break back into the Springbok set-up. His reliable kicking, calming presence and exceptional running game make him an ideal option for the national team heading to the World Cup. 

Facing Bosch is a man just three weeks his junior and a former Eastern Province teammate who was never quite the heralded young star coming out of Hoerskool Outenique in Libbok. 

Having begun his rugby career in the southern cape, Lbbook would bounce around South Africa for five seasons before finally finding his true home in Cape Town. 

Following stints at the Bulls and Sharks, Libbok was at the last chance saloon to ignite his career when he arrived at the Stormers.

Where have we seen this before… ?

Manie ‘Drop Goal’ Libbok ?@Vodacom #URC | @TheStormers pic.twitter.com/rXgwIp5uzA

— Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial_RSA) February 23, 2023

What has followed has been miraculous as Libbok has gone from afterthought to possibly the best flyhalf in South African rugby. 

Like Bosch, Libbok is an exceptional goal-kicker who possesses an immaculate attacking game and operates as a field general.

Surrounded by some of the best attacking talents in world rugby at the Stormers, Libbok has shown under head coach John Dobson. 

Making three appearances for the Boks in 2022, Libbok looks nailed on to be in the South African World Cup squad, all things being equal. 

Just how these two fair against one another will go a long way to deciding the outcome of this clash. Neither player are renowned for their defensive prowess, and whilst they are by no means liabilities, expect both men to shine in the attacking phases of the game. 

Prediction 

Currently, on different trajectories, a victory is crucial for both sides for various reasons. 

Starting with the hosts, for Dobson's side, a loss, whilst not catastrophic, would put immense pressure on the final three rounds with Ulster just five log points behind, closely followed by Glasgow and Munster. 

Having hosted a home final in 2022, Dobson knows how crucial home advantage is in the playoffs. Squeaking by Ulster with the last kick of the game, deep into overtime, the Stormers faithful acted as the proverbial 16^th man, ultimately proving to be the difference. 

Neil Powell's Sharks, on the other hand, have squandered several opportunities over the past five rounds losing three of their five fixtures. 

How'd your team performing? ?

All rescheduled fixtures are now complete ✅ #BKTURC #URC pic.twitter.com/3LyhxoSert

— BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) February 27, 2023

Another loss to their arch-rivals this weekend could see the side from Durban drop to 8^th on the combined table. Finishing 8^th would ensure a playoff berth, but crucially could see them fall out of an all-important Champions Cup qualification spot. 

Thus, the pressure is on the Sharks this weekend to produce a stellar performance against a side who have already comprehensively beaten them this season. 

As is the case with just about anything in life, history is instructive. The Stormers have been uber-consistent over the past two seasons and are indeed the class of the South African challengers. 

For all of their bluster and big signings, the Sharks have not entirely lived up to their preseason hype. 

Adding further difficulty to the Sharks' task is that they are travelling to the mother city to the fortress that is DHL Stadium. 

Given the difference in the two sides' run of form and the hometown advantage for the Stormers, they will prevail by a margin than many would expect. Likely to be close for the first half, the Stormers will explode in the second forty to pick up a bonus point in a 12-point victory.

Written by Philip Bendon