A world to play for in both hemispheres as URC nears climax

With 11 of the 16 teams still in contention and juts two weeks to go, tournament organisers are justified in their positivity around this season

Tight and tense: Dan McFarland and Ulster could be the ones left sweating this weekend such is the competition for playoff places in the URC. Photo: Manuel Blondeau/Sportsfile

Two rounds to go and everything still to play for for 11 of the 16 teams that make up the United Rugby Championship. It’s no wonder that competition organisers are calling it one of the most dramatic regular season finishes in league history.

So tight is the scramble for the top eight and top four places on the URC table that the play-off draw will not take shape until after the final round on the weekend of May 20-21. But plenty can be decided this weekend with the penultimate Round 17 of games kicking off this evening in Cork and Pretoria.