The two best South African club teams have booked semi-final trips to Europe, with the Bulls and Stormers set to head to Scotstoun and Dublin next weekend.

It’s been four years since the Stormers became inaugural champions of the URC, kicking off a new era of South African club rugby with an 18-13 win over the Bulls in Cape Town.

It was the first year since the transition to greener European pastures for the big four, breaking a 12-year championship drought that extended back to 2010 when the Bulls won their third Super Rugby title.

Lions scrum coach Julian Redelinghuys previews the URC quarterfinal face-off against Leinster

Lions scrum coach Julian Redelinghuys previews the URC quarterfinal face-off against Leinster

The South African teams suffered greatly in Super Rugby, consistently falling short of the New Zealand clubs who dominated the competition. Only the Bulls made it to the mountain top, and their three titles were the only championships in 24 years of Super Rugby.

They claimed the travel demands left them disadvantaged and jet lagged. Europe offered a friendly timezone and less time in the air. An exit ramp was found and the big four abandoned the Super Rugby ship in 2021.

Moving to the northern hemisphere seemed like a masterstroke at first. South Africa was ready to claim the URC as their own stomping yard, where championships would flow year-in, year-out to whatever South African club came out on top.

The first year certainly promised that future, with the Stormers and Bulls duking it out for glory.

Who could forget the video of Stormers hooker Joseph Dweba and the rest of the team filming themselves shouting with joy at the news they’d host the 2023 URC final at home after the top seed Leinster were toppled?

It sent the message that the Stormers were set to coast to back-to-back titles. They were celebrating already. Only Munster came to town and gatecrashed the party, stunning them 19-14 for a gritty championship win.

The Bulls built a strong team in 2024 under Jake White, finishing second overall behind defending champions Munster.

When Munster fell to Glasgow in the semi-finals, South Africa once again were handed a home final. There weren’t any arrogant social media videos this time around, the Bulls weren’t cocky like the Stormers.

But at altitude at Loftus, they were expected to bring home the title only to end in a state of shock with the Warriors claiming a 21-16 win after a final goal-line stand against the Bulls’ maul.

The Bulls earned another chance in 2025, but this time went on the road to face a dominant Leinster side. They were dispatched 32-7 at Croke Park.

It’s been three straight years of finishing runners up for South African clubs, despite shunning their involvement in the Champions and Challenge Cups to put all their eggs in the URC basket.

They sandbagged Europe, sent B teams and cannon fodder squads, making a mockery of the grandest stage in club rugby. It was a strategic decision they said, in order to manage their squads effectively. They went all-in on bringing home URC championships. It has failed.

In 2026 it’s been a similar story. Lip service towards the European competitions followed by early exits, saving their squad for a push towards the home URC playoffs. It’s a ploy that has potentially cost a lot, in reputation and reward.

The final URC four have now been determined and it is up to the Bulls and the Stormers to end the growing title drought and prove that this squad management strategy, and the Super Rugby exit, was worth it.

Of the two, the Bulls are better placed to do it, despite the Stormers coming out on top in both of their fixtures this season.

The Stormers were flying at the start of the season, undefeated through the first half and looking like favourites. Back-to-back losses to the Sharks followed by another loss to the Lions derailed their season, costing them the top seed in the end.

Much of this Bulls squad has been to the previous two finals, some even from the first URC final loss to the Stormers, bringing necessary experience and motivation.

They will have to overcome their horrendous away record this time around, but there is good reason to believe they can.

Their best player was not on the field over the first half of the season when they copped some serious hidings away in both the URC and Champions Cup pool stages.

No.8 Cameron Hanekom is the difference maker. His absence in 2025 final was massive, the serious knee injury in the semi-final robbed the Bulls of firing their best shot at Leinster.

His return two months ago has lifted the Bulls. They ran Glasgow close in April in the Champions Cup, who they will play in the semi-final.

The power and front foot ball that Hanekom provides is next level. One man really does transform that side, and it’s Hanekom. They can tip over Glasgow and qualify for a third straight final and fourth in five years.

If Feinberg-Mngomezulu is out with an ankle injury, the Stormers are done. The world’s best playmaker is worth at least 14 points on a good day. Trying to score closer to the posts may have just cost the Stormers any chance of a championship.

When Jake White left the Bulls he wanted more firepower on the roster to compete with the likes of Leinster. In 2026, the Bulls arguably have that, with a much better backline then the team that lost the 2024 final.

Are they going to finally deliver a second URC South African title? Or continue to be left staring at the altar empty handed.

A fourth final loss for the Bulls would be heartbreaking.