"Best team in the world" - Andy Goode on the benefits that South African clubs have brought to the URC

That win at Loftus Versfeld, one of the toughest venues in world rugby, underlined just how far the Scottish side has come under Franco Smith. But for pundit and former Leicester Tigers fly-half Andy Goode, it also highlights the depth and intensity the South African teams have brought to the URC since joining in 2017/18.

“The Springbok team is the best team in the world, so you're playing against the best teams internationally,” says Goode. “The funny thing is, the Sharks had 13 Springboks in their team last week and Ulster went over to them and did an excellent job. The likes of Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi were playing, Makazole Mapimpi on the wing, they had a lot of their frontline Springboks playing for them.”

Goode believes that the inclusion of South African teams has raised the overall standard of the competition, both technically and physically. The URC’s blend of European and southern hemisphere rugby has made for a more unpredictable, high-quality league.

“People moan about the travel, but it's a great experience going over to South Africa for a mini tour to get a few games in and see the country, and test yourself against what are the best players internationally in the world,” he explains. “I think they've added huge value to the competition.”

It’s a perspective informed by experience. Goode spent part of 2010 playing for the Sharks in Durban, making eight appearances during his brief stint in Super Rugby. “I played there in 2010 when they were playing in Super Rugby and for me it was a fantastic experience to travel to Australia, New Zealand and around South Africa and it was very different back then,” he recalls.

“I noticed when I was there, it's a religion, rugby, in South Africa and you get treated unbelievably well. There's an expectation that you do well and win but to the locals in Durban when I was there, it is their number one sport and with that there is a massive drive to be successful.

"It's so important and integral to the nation how well the rugby sides are going and I think they've added real value being in the Champions Cup and the URC.”

Away from the pitch, Goode has become a familiar face for rugby fans as part of the Premier Sports pundit team covering the URC, the Investec Champions Cup, the EPCR Challenge Cup, and France’s Top 14. This season, Premier Sports has been experimenting with a lighter, more informal presentation style — something Goode has embraced.

“It's good fun,” he says. “I did the first game when John (Barclay) and Ryan (Wilson) had their first Friday night lights show up in Glasgow, against the Sharks for round one and then their second one got cancelled because of Storm Amy, when Ulster were going up there.

"They're basically a couple of good guys, a couple of idiots, call them whatever you want! But, it's just a more relaxed, looser kind of 'let's have some fun with it' idea.”

Looking ahead to Friday’s clash between Glasgow and the Bulls, Goode expects another fiercely competitive contest between two teams with recent history. “A lot of it will depend on the availability of the Scottish players,” he says.

“Glasgow, they had a great start against the Sharks, then they were disappointing. They are formidable at Scotstoun, they play a great brand of rugby, they're very settled under Franco Smith, with him extending his deal. They lost a fair bit of experience in the summer but they've not skipped a beat.”

He also points out that for the Bulls, their success this season will hinge on improving their record away from home.

“The interesting thing with the Bulls is that ordinarily they're so brilliant at home, at altitude, at Loftus, but with this league we've seen how important it is to be in the top two to getting the home draws through the play-offs. To do that, you've got to win big away games.”