JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - MARCH 21: Fidelity SecureDrive Lions celebrate the Shiled during the United Rugby Championship match between Fidelity SecureDrive Lions and Edinburgh at Ellis Park on March 21, 2026 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Gallo Images)
The Lions confirmed their place in the United Rugby Championship (URC) playoffs for the first time ever, ahead of their final pool match against Munster in Limerick on Saturday night, after Glasgow Warriors beat Ulster in Belfast on Friday night.
To ensure the match against Irish giants Munster wasn’t a straight knockout to see who would make the playoffs, the Lions needed one of three results to go their way on Friday night, and in the end it did curtesy of Glasgow.
The Stormers for the second time, after their defeat at home to Connacht last month, failed to do the Lions a favour as they went down 22-16 to Cardiff in Wales.
The other game that the Lions hoped would go their way was between Edinburgh and Connacht in Scotland, but the Irish side did what they needed to, to lift themselves into the knockouts with them currently in sixth place.
Glasgow made sure they would finish top of the URC log thanks to their bonus point 26-22 win over Ulster at the Affidea Stadium, with the result leaving the Irish side hanging by a thread at eighth on the log, needing the Lions to do them a favour by beating Munster and not allowing them any bonus points.
The Stormers disappointing loss to Cardiff is a hammer blow to their hopes of home ground advantage until at least the final, as they sit second, now just two points ahead of Leinster, and if the defending champs beat Ospreys as expected on Saturday, they will leapfrog them on the table.
Cardiff’s win lifts them into fourth place temporarily, but they will be unseated by the Bulls who should secure a home quarterfinal if they beat Benneton at Loftus on Saturday afternoon.
Lions drop
Due to Friday nights results the Lions have dropped from fifth to seventh, but they will likely be very relieved that they have officially qualified for the knockouts, regardless of what happens in their clash against Munster.
It is still a very important match for the Johannesburg side, as they will be eager to win to lift themselves back up to fifth to give them a more favourable playoff.
If the beat Munster and move back to fifth, that could set them up for a possible, and incredibly tasty, cross-Jukskei derby quarterfinal against the Bulls.
But if they finish seventh or eighth it could see them possibly travelling to Dublin to face Leinster, or Glasgow, for their quarterfinal.
Additional incentive for the Lions is also the fact that their place in next seasons Champions Cup isn’t secure yet, as if they finish eighth on the URC log, and Ulster win the Challenge Cup final against Montpellier next weekend, they will replace the Lions in the biggest franchise competition in the world.
For Munster they have now dropped out of the top eight and have to win to get back above Ulster and into the playoffs, so they will be desperate to pick up a positive result.
