Coastal sides win low-scoring derbies

The Cell C Sharks and DHL Stormers were victorious on a weekend where all five South African Vodacom Super Rugby franchises were involved in low-scoring matches.

In all three matches involving teams from the Republic, the most points the different teams on the winning side in any of the encounters could score were 19. Only five tries were scored in these matches.

The Vodacom Bulls lost to the Waratahs for the first time since the 2005 semi-final, when they were beaten by 19-12, with a try in the opening minute by Israel Folau the difference between the two sides in Sydney.

Vodacom Bulls lock Flip van der Merwe was cited after the match. He is alleged to have contravened Law 10.4 (a) Punching or striking, when he made contact with the Waratahs’ Paddy Ryan in the 75th minute of the match.

In Durban, the Cell C Sharks ground out a victory in a tough derby for the second successive week, when they beat the Toyota Cheetahs by 19-8, with each side scoring only one try each.

The final match of the weekend saw the DHL Stormers end a five-match losing streak, when they beat the Lions by 18-3 after leading 18-0 at the break in Cape Town.

Following this match, DHL Stormers lock Michael Rhodes was issued with an off-field yellow card for contravening Law 10.4 (j) Lifting Tackle in the 27th minute. After the referee for the match did not act upon the incident and upon further review, the Citing Commissioner deemed an off-field yellow card was appropriate.

DHL Stormers 18 (18) Lions 3 (0)

Two first half tries, coupled with a great defensive display, were enough for the DHL Stormers to record their second win of the Vodacom Super Rugby season, when they beat the Lions by 18-3 at DHL Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday April 19.

The home team played some of their best rugby of the season before half-time, which allowed Damian de Allende and Nizaam Carr to score the only two tries of the match.

Their defence was also very good against a Lions team that is never shy to run with the ball. It took the visitors from Johannesburg 44 minutes to get on the score board, when Marnitz Boshoff slotted his first and only penalty goal.

Those three points were the only which were scored in the entire second half, as both teams started to make mistakes. But this victory was enough to lift the DHL Stormers from the bottom of the log, after they lost their last five matches.

For the Lions, who started the season pretty well, this was their third successive defeat. They have a bye next week before their Australasian tour kicks off against the defending champion Chiefs in Hamilton on May 3.

Scorers:

DHL Stormers – Tries: Damian de Allende, Nizaam Carr. Conversion: Peter Grant. Penalty goals: Demetri Catrakilis, Grant.

Lions – Penalty goal: Marnitz Boshoff.

Other results – Round 10:

Hurricanes 39 Blues 20 (Wellington)

Rebels 22 Force 16 (Melbourne)

Chiefs 17 Crusaders 18 (Hamilton)