There may be an element of novelty to the quarterfinals of the inaugural United Rugby Championship (URC), but it also offers more than a passing sense of familiarity for the three South African franchises involved.
By winning the SA Shield, the Stormers – who host Scottish side Edinburgh in Cape Town on Saturday, having blasted their way up from the lower reaches of the table – have won their fourth South African conference, the catch being that the first three didn’t lead to the competition title itself.