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Marco van Staden. (Gallo images)
Even if they lose to him Cougars at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, it is highly unlikely that the Bulls you will be denied the Super Rugby Unlocked Title.
Heading into the final round of action, Jake White’s players top the rankings with 19 points, followed by the Stormers and Sharks with 17 each.
The two coastal teams were due to meet in Durban this weekend, but after the game was canceled due to a Covid-19 outbreak at the Sharks’ camp, they will now receive two registration points each.
The Bulls’ home game against the Pumas has been tentatively moved to Saturday as long as the Lowvelders, who have seven players in quarantine as of Thursday, do not perform positively on Thursday.
The Stormers and Sharks were the only teams that could still catch the Bulls, and even if the Bulls lost to the Pumas without claiming a losing bonus point, they would likely lift the unlocked title.
This is due to the fact that the Bulls have a much higher point difference compared to the Stormers and Sharks.
Pretoria men are at a healthy +70 in this regard, while the Stormers are at +28 and the Sharks at +6.
If all three teams finish with 19 record points, then the point difference will determine the champions and for the Stormers to clinch the title, the Pumas would have to beat the Bulls by 43 points at Loftus Versfeld.
Super Rugby Rankings Unlocked
The unlocked title is awarded to the team that finishes at the top of the leaderboard after a single round of action.
It will be the Bulls’ fourth Super Rugby title – they are the only South African team to have won the regular Southern Hemisphere event, having done so in 2007, 2009 and 2010.
Starting next week, teams will compete in the Currie Cup where the points obtained during Super Rugby Unlocked will be transferred.
