The Cell C Sharks and DHL Stormers kick-started 2022 in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) on a victorious note on January 22 as they secured a valuable away victories against the Emirates Lions and Vodacom Bulls, respectively.
The Cell C Sharks registered a 47-37 win against the Emirates Lions in Johannesburg, outscoring the hosts by six tries to five, which included a hat-trick by Springbok flyer Makazole Mapimpi, while a try in the closing minutes by DHL Stormers’ replacement scrumhalf Paul de Wet sealed a 30-26 victory for the Capetonians against the Vodacom Bulls in Pretoria, where flyhalf Manie Libbok’s goal-kicking proved to be the difference on the scoreboard.
The Durbanites’ victory marked their third in six matches so far this season, while the DHL Stormers edged through in the dying minutes to earn their second victory, which left these teams as the top-placed South African franchises on the overall standings, in 10th and 12th place, respectively.
The Cell C Sharks lead the charge in the South African Shield with 14 points from their six games, followed by the DHL Stormers and Emirates Lions, both of whom are on 12 points, with the Capetonians’ points’ difference slightly better. The Vodacom Bulls have seven points.
Mapimpi and Senatla share 12 position on the try scorers’ list with Madosh Tambwe (Vodacom Bulls) and Leolin Zas (DHL Stormers), as well as 15 other players from European teams.
Boeta Chamberlain of the Cell C Sharks is the top-placed South African player on the list for points’ scorers, in joint-fifth position with Stephen Myler (Ospreys) on 51. Libbok is in the ninth spot with 36 points.
The local action will continue in the next few weeks as the sides face one another in a further three rounds of the derbies.
