URC result: Stormers beat Bulls at packed Cape Town Stadium

The Stormers continued their dominance over the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship (URC) as they clinched a solid 26-20 win, their seventh in a row over their Highveld rivals, in a hard fought North-South derby at a jumping Cape Town Stadium on Saturday night.

It was a very entertaining game in front a partisan crowd of just under 40000 fans that cheered on the home side to an impressive win.

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 The Stormers got off to a solid start in the match with a fifth minute penalty to flyhalf Manie Libbok, followed by a smart snap drop goal in the 10^th minute from fullback Damian Willemse to give them an early 6-0 lead.

Straight from the restart the Bulls hit back as they earned a few penalties to set a lineout deep in the Stormers 22m, set up the maul and lock Reinhardt Ludwig then burst through the middle to go over for an unconverted score.

In the 16^th minute the Bulls took the lead as they attacked from a ruck near the halfway, scrumhalf Embrose Papier sniped down the blindside and put in a superb grubber for wing Kurt-Lee Arendse to chase, kick ahead and grab to score, with flyhalf Johan Goosen again off target leaving the score 10-6.

Three minutes later Libbok reduced the deficit to a point with his second penalty, before the hosts retook the lead in the 24^th minute as flank Deon Fourie made the break, scrumhalf Paul de Wet was tackled short and centre Jean-Luc du Plessis went over for the converted score and a 16-10 lead.

Similar second half

Both sides had chances over the rest of the half but neither was able to add to the score, as the Stormers led at the break.

The second half started similar to the first with an early Libbok penalty extending the Stormers lead to nine points in the 44^th minute.

The Bulls however hit back seven minutes later as they attacked into the Stormers 22m and then swung the ball for fullback Willie le Roux sending a long pass to wing Canan Moodie to go over in the corner, with Goosen nailing the touchline conversion to make it 19-17.

In the 60^th minute the Stormers scored the decisive try as a Willemse up and under was regathered allowing the home side to attack, with replacement loose forward Willie Englebrecht fed down the line and the offload to outside centre Ruhan Nel seeing him go over for the converted try and 26-20 lead.

Bulls replacement flyhalf Chris Smith slotted a 73^rd minute penalty to bring them within seven, but despite a frantic end to the match the visitors were unable to snatch a win and break their duck against the Stormers in the competition.

Scorers

Stormers: Tries – Jean-Luc du Plessis, Ruhan Nel; Conversions – Manie Libbok (2); Penalties – Libbok (4)

Bulls: Tries – Reinhardt Ludwig, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Canan Moodie; Conversion – Johan Goosen; Penalty – Chris Smith