Charlie Elliott: Best head-to-head matchups in the Premiership and URC semi-finals

The Premiership and URC semi-finals are taking place this weekend, pitting the best of the best against each other. 

Bath hosts Bristol Bears and Leicester Tigers hosts Sale Sharks in two mouthwatering Prem ties. 

Meanwhile, in the URC, Leinster face Glasgow Warriors, and Bulls play against Sharks in an all-South African semi. 

The season has now reached crunch time, and as a result, the best players in each league will be involved. 

Here, Charlie Elliott goes through the best matchups from each game. 

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Will Stuart v Ellis Genge 

A British and Irish Lion at tighthead against a British and Irish Lion at loosehead, it isn’t hard to see why this is such an exciting matchup on the front row. 

Bath’s Will Stuart has been one of the in-form players in the Prem all season and has worked extremely hard for his Lions call-up. 

Genge has been one of the best props in England for quite a while now and has had a strong season that has shown that he is still at the top of his game. 

A recent knock saw him rested for Bristol Bears’ last game of the season against Harlequins, which saw them win and secure their place in the play-offs. 

Pat Lam insisted that it was precautionary, which seems to have been proven to be true, given that he is starting this weekend. 

This injury could hamper his quality, which may give Stuart an opening to overcome the Bears man. 

Ben Spencer v Harry Randall 

Spencer and Randall are two of the best scrum-halves in the league, with both expected to tour with England to the Americas this summer. 

Both are extremely quick players who are always looking to play on the front foot, and Spencer’s kicking game sets him apart from most. 

Randall seems to have been playing with plenty of confidence this season and loves making things happen through any means possible. 

While Spencer is five years older and therefore more experienced, Randall has often shown game intelligence beyond his years. 

Handre Pollard v George Ford 

Two absolutely brilliant operators are going to go at it at fly-half when Leicester Tigers face Sale Sharks. 

So much of both teams’ attack relies on these two, as they are just so good at dictating play and creating chances. 

This will be the most important matchup for this very reason, as both will go toe-to-toe physically, but will need a creative spark to make things happen. 

Formerly of the Tigers, Ford will also be playing in front of his former supporters and will want to prove a point that he’s still got it. 

It will also be a final Welford Road game for Pollard, who heads back to South Africa to join up with the Bulls next season. 

Plenty at stake, and these two will be key to it all. 

Hanro Liebenberg v Ben Curry 

While the fly-halves are important, what is equally important, given the way these two play, is winning the physical battle. 

Every forward will need to play their part, but the back row is arguably the position with the highest level of quality on both sides. 

Ben Curry and Hanro Liebenberg have both been outstanding flankers this season, albeit Curry tends to play at seven and Liebenberg at six. 

Both bring an extremely high work rate, great physicality, great tackling and are dangerous going forward. 

These are two to look out for. 

Jordie Barrett v Sione Tuipulotu 

Reigning URC champions Glasgow Warriors go into their game away at Leinster as outsiders, given the Irish side’s evident quality across the pitch. 

Their team was already top-class, and then they brought in All Blacks legend Barrett to make it even better. 

He faces a tough battle in the centres, coming up against Scotland international and British and Irish Lion Sione Tuipulotu. 

These two represent two of the best centres in the world and could end up being match-winners. 

Barrett is more of a playmaker, while Tuipulotu is more of a runner, but both are great all-round. 

Sam Prendergast v Adam Hastings 

Prendergast has been under a lot of pressure recently, with many still questioning his defensive abilities, and there has been a lot of hyperbole about him. 

The reality is that he is an extremely talented, albeit raw, youngster who has heaps of potential. 

This semi-final represents a great opportunity to stamp his mark on the URC and prove that he is a big-game player. 

He is up against Adam Hastings, an established Scotland international who is much more experienced than the Leinster man. 

Prendergast’s quality could shine through, but he needs to step it up a level for this game. 

Cameron Hanekom v Siya Kolisi 

Hanekom and Kolisi both playing at eight in Bulls v Sharks means that we get to see a glimpse of the future of the Springboks against the present in this position. 

Kolisi is one of the most recognisable names in rugby due to his quality performances for the Boks, which has seen him captain two World Cup wins. 

Now 33 years old, he is reaching the end of his career, and Hanekom looks to be a potential future replacement. 

Only 23, Bulls back row Hanekom is a quick runner, huge tackler and unbelievable over the ball, making him a perfect number eight in many ways. 

Voted in the URC Team of the Season, Hanekom has an extremely bright future and has been delivering great performance after great performance this season. 

Could Kolisi’s experience show? Or will there be a new kid on the block taking his crown? 

Canan Moodie v Makazole Mapimpi 

In a similar fashion to the last matchup, a young Bulls star will go up against a seasoned Springbok, this time out on the wing. 

Moodie has established himself at Test level and has made 12 appearances, a good number considering he is still only 22 years old. 

34-year-old Mapimpi has been there and done it, with two World Cups on his CV and has been a great performer for a number of years now. 

Mapimpi is pure pace and try-scoring guile, while Moodie is a more balanced player who has shown plenty of game intelligence both offensively and defensively. 

READ MORE: Premiership and URC Semi-Finals Key Talking Points – Sharks without Eben Etzebeth