URC wrap: Sharks make their move, Stormers back to winning ways

The Sharks made their move up the United Rugby Championship (URC) table with a breathtaking derby win over the Bulls in Durban, while the Stormers returned to winning ways with a comfortable victory over the Lions in Cape Town.

The Sharks and the Bulls was always going to be a terrific contest and it lived up to the hype with a deafening roar celebrating the hosts after they defended their line at the death, before hoofing the ball out to seal a nailbiting 20-17 win.

Sharks coach John Plumtree cut a relieved figure after the game and admitted that it had been an incredibly difficult build-up, so he was stoked with the effort of his players.

“It’s been such a tough week, with what happened (heavy loss) at Leicester (Tigers in England) last weekend. It was a tough week with guys failing HIA’s, Siya (Kolisi) pulled his calf late in the week and there was a bit of sickness in the squad that had guys pulling out late,” said a beaming Plumtree.

“The coach (Plumtree) didn’t get much sleep last night. There was a massive crowd turning up today. We want to bring back the love in Durban with our rugby and win at home for the people here.

“So I am just so proud of the boys. That game was always going to be an ugly one. But I loved the way we hung in there and found belief in other ways.”

Sharks v Bulls

In the match the Sharks got off to a quick start with the Hendrikse brothers in full flight, as flyhalf Jordan slotted an early penalty, followed by scrumhalf Jaden diving over for a converted score for a 10-0 lead.

The Bulls however came tearing back, with two fantastic tries from lineout moves in the Sharks 22m, as loose forward Cobus Wiese and centre Harold Vorster crashed over, both converted by flyhalf Johan Goosen, to put them ahead, followed by an early second half penalty move them 17-10 up.

However the Sharks to dramatically equalised with a contentious penalty try, as Ethan Hooker and Sebastian de Klerk jostled for the ball, before the Bulls winger slapped the ball away from Makazole Mapimpi trying to dot down, leading to a yellow card and penalty try.

Jordan Hendrikse then missed two penalties, before slotting a third to put the hosts into the lead, while Goosen missed two penalties of his own which proved costly as they fell just short.

The Sharks jumped from sixth on the URC log to fourth, while the Bulls have held onto third place with just their second defeat in seven games in the competition.

Stormers v Lions

In the Stormers and Lions match the hosts were assisted by a red card to visiting lock Ruben Schoeman, for a dangerous clean out on Manie Libbok in the 22^nd minute, as they cruised to a 29-10 win.

Two first half maul tries to hooker Joseph Dweba and a score in the corner to wing Suleiman Hartzenberg from a Libbok cross kick gave them a 15-0 lead at the break with the flyhalf missing all his conversion attempts.

A back and forth second half then saw the Lions score twice through a chip and chase from wing Edwill van der Merwe and sneaky lineout move from replacement hooker Franco Marais, either side a converted score to Stormers wing Leolin Zas.

The hosts then closed out the win with a stunning attack that finished with grinning replacement prop Neethling Fouche diving over under the sticks to secure the game late on.

The win broke a four game losing streak for the Stormers but kept them at 13^th on the URC log, although they are now just two points of Edinburgh in eighth, and with a game in hand on all four teams above them.

For the Lions it is a third straight loss in the competition, against Leinster and Munster away in Ireland and then this weekend in Cape Town, as they slip from fifth to seventh on the log, and they will hope to get back to winning ways when they return home.