South African sides are only getting started, says former Springbok Skinstad

The Bulls, Stormers, Sharks and Lions have been close to unbeatable on home turf so far in the URC and the first three of those sides will take on Heineken Champions Cup duty next term

On the charge: DHL Stormers' Warrick Gelant is too strong for Edinburgh in last weekend's URC quarter-final in Cape Town. Pic: INPHO/Thinus Maritz

South African sides made up three of the top five in this year’s URC. Two of them contest semi-finals this weekend while ten of their players were chosen on the competition’s ‘Dream Team’.

This all makes for a more than solid bedrock, not least given the slow start the franchises made at the start of the domestic season when they were operating without many of their Springboks and adapting to European rugby and the conditions.