Bulls and Stormers excel in Vodacom URC derbies

The Vodacom Bulls and DHL Stormers delivered dominant performances on Saturday, October 12, 2023, outclassing the 10bet Lions and Hollywoodbets Sharks in a gripping round of Vodacom United Rugby Championship local derbies. These victories ended the Sharks’ and Lions’ two-match winning starts in the competition while allowing the Bulls and Stormers to overtake them in the standings.

The Vodacom Bulls showcased their strength with a resounding 57-15 win over the 10bet Lions at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria. They controlled the match, scoring nine tries compared to the two scored by the visitors. Harold Vorster opened the scoring for the Bulls in the 10th minute after gathering a chip kick, but the Lions responded quickly, taking a 7-5 lead with a try from Siba Qoma, which was converted.

However, the balance swung in favor of the Bulls soon after as Johan Grobbelaar scored from a pick-and-go, followed by a sin-bin for Morne van den Berg of the Lions. The Bulls capitalized on their numerical advantage, with Cameron Hanekom scoring two tries in quick succession, and Jeandre Rudolph adding a fifth try just before halftime, giving the Bulls a commanding 31-10 lead.

In the second half, Canan Moodie quickly extended their lead to 36 points, though the Lions pulled back a try through Morne Brandon at the 50-minute mark. The Bulls maintained total control, with additional tries from JF van Heerden, Cheswill Jooste, and Sebastian de Klerk, concluding the match at 57-15.

Match Scorers:
Vodacom Bulls 57 (31) – Tries: Harold Vorster, Johan Grobbelaar, Cameron Hanekom (2), Jeandre Rudolph, Canan Moodie, JF van Heerden, Cheswill Jooste, Sebastian de Klerk. Conversions: Curwin Bosch (3), Handre Pollard (3).
10bet Lions 15 (10) – Tries: Siba Qoma, Morne Brandon. Conversion: Chris Smith. Penalty goal: Smith.

Meanwhile, the DHL Stormers triumphed over the Hollywoodbets Sharks, winning 39-22 in a thrilling Coastal derby at the DHL Stadium. The Stormers, rebounding from a prior loss to Edinburgh, were eager to showcase their capabilities on home ground, and they did just that.

Seabelo Senatla opened the scoring for the Stormers in the 6th minute, and they continued to build on that with a penalty goal from Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. The Sharks responded, scoring through Manu Tshituka to level the match. However, with key players sin-binned, the Sharks fell behind as the Stormers capitalized on their extra numbers, with Hacjivah Dayimani scoring two tries.

The Stormers surged into a 27-8 lead shortly after halftime with Leolin Zas adding another try. Despite a brief comeback effort from the Sharks, the Stormers sealed their fate with a sixth try from JJ Kotze, ultimately finishing the match at 39-22.