Race to the Play-offs:
With one round left to play, the top eight teams that will contest the play-offs have already been confirmed. However, the top four rankings are still up for grabs, with those teams earning the all-important home advantage for the Quarter-Finals.
Ulster currently lie in 5th place in the URC table, with 55 points and 11 wins out of 17 games; their 10-16 victory over Edinburgh on 30 April guaranteeing their place in the end-of-season play-offs.
Round 18 Fixtures:
Benetton (14) v Cardiff Rugby (13)<br>
Fri 20 May, 6pm
Ulster (5) v Cell C Sharks (3)<br>
Fri 20 May, 7.35pm at Kingspan Stadium<br>
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Ospreys (9) v Vodacom Bulls (6)<br>
Fri 20 May, 8.10pm
Dragons (15) v Emirates Lions (11)<br>
Sat 21 May, 3pm
Connacht (12) v Zebre Parma (16)<br>
Sat 21 May, 5pm
Scarlets (10) v DHL Stormers (4)<br>
Sat 21 May, 5.10pm
Edinburgh (8) v Glasgow Warriors (7)<br>
Sat 21 May, 6.30pm
Leinster (1) v Munster (2)<br>
Sat 21 May, 7.15pm
Ulster v Sharks
The Cell C Sharks will bring their star-studded squad to Kingspan Stadium for the first time next Friday 20 May, with both teams aiming to secure a top four ranking.
Permutations:
With a win...
A win for Ulster over the Sharks would guarantee a top four ranking and a home Quarter-Final at Kingspan Stadium.
A number two ranking (which would secure home advantage for both a Quarter-Final and potential Semi-Final) is possible but would likely require a try-bonus point win for Ulster over Sharks and losses for Munster (away v Leinster) and Stormers (away v Scarlets), who boast a lead in many of the tie-breakers.
With a loss...
Should Ulster lose to Sharks, only a bonus-point loss coupled to a heavy defeat for either Munster or Stormers would see Ulster sneak into the top four.
It is possible for Ulster to drop as low as seventh in the rankings, should other results conspire against them.
Ulster v Sharks head-to-head:
Cell C Sharks: Ones to Watch
Lukhanyo Am
The centre was a key figure in South Africa’s Series win over the British and Irish Lions last summer, and he has made a return to the Sharks from his stint with Kobelco Kobe Steelers sooner than planned. Cell C Sharks will be glad to have their captain back in the fold ahead of the URC play-offs. The prolific midfielder has scored four tries in six games for the Sharks this season, as well as 3 tries in 6 games during his time in Japan.
Makazole Mapimpi
The Springbok winger was the first-ever player to score for South Africa in a World Cup Final in an incredible campaign in 2019. He currently tops the Cell C Sharks’ URC tables for tries scored (6), successful carries (45) and clean breaks (13), so Ulster will need to be switched-on in defence to keep him out.
Thomas Du Toit
The tighthead prop has been integral to Cell C Sharks’ defence in the URC, as the 26-year-old has made the most tackles (133) and won the most turnovers (11) for the South African side this season.
URC Play-off Dates:
URC Quarter Finals: 3/4/5 June
URC Semi-Finals: 10/11/12 June
URC Final: 18 June