Bulls and Stormers move a step closer to Champions Cup knockouts

The Bulls and Stormers both took a big step towards the Champions Cup knockouts after they picked up wins over Bristol Bears and Sale Sharks respectively in the competition over the weekend.

A Springbok-less Bulls team produced a superb performance to claim a 31-17 win over Bristol in England, while the Stormers were given a stern test but comfortably prevailed 31-24 over Sale at the Cape Town Stadium.

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For the Bulls it was a tight affair in the first half with them leading 10-7 at the break thanks to a converted try from wing Sergeal Petersen and a penalty from the boot of fyhalf Johan Goosen against a converted try to the hosts.

However an 11 minute blitz in the second half powered the Bulls into a 31-7 lead after 66 minutes as they ran in three converted tries to prop Khutha Mchunu, flank Elrigh Louw and hooker Jan-Hendrik Wessels.

A 73^rd minute yellow card to Louw meant the Bulls finished the game with 14-men and Bristol took the chance to dot down two unconverted tries in the final six minutes to make the scoreline look slightly better.

The win leaves the Bulls in third place in pool A on 10 points and means they only need a losing bonus point in their final pool match against Bordeaux-Begles at Loftus on Saturday to seal their place in the last 16.

Wasteful Stormers

For the Stormers, they were wasteful but never looked in danger of losing against a fighting Sale in Cape Town.

The hosts led 21-14 at halftime after eighthman Hacjivah Dayimani, outside centre Suleiman Hartzenberg and wing Leolin Zas dotted down, all converted by flyhalf Manie Libbok, while the visitors responded with two converted scores.

The Stormers then led 31-17 after 61 minutes thanks to a second converted Zas try and a penalty to Manie Libbok, but a converted score from Sale with eight minutes left made it a slightly uncomfortable finish that the home side saw out easily in the end.

The bonus point win moves the Stormers up to third in the so-called ‘pool of death’, that also features Leinster, Leicester Tigers and La Rochelle, on nine points, however they aren’t yet out of the woods.

They will need at least two losing bonus points in their final pool match against Stade Francais in Paris on Saturday to make sure of their place in the knockouts, however even if they don’t manage that if other results go their way they could still make it through.