Stedman Gans of the Vodacom Bulls was tackled by Mike Lowry of Ulster during the United Rugby Championship at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Saturday.
Image: BackpagePix
The Vodacom Bulls stood tall as the only victorious South African side in Round 14 of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC), delivering a commanding 63-24 win over Zebre Parma at Loftus Versfeld.
Meanwhile, the DHL Stormers, Hollywoodbets Sharks, and Emirates Lions endured tough defeats, adding pressure as the competition nears its knockout stages.
While the Pretoria-based Bulls displayed dominance, the Stormers suffered a 38-34 heartbreak against Ulster in Belfast, the Sharks fell 10-7 to Leinster in Durban, and the Lions endured a heavy 42-0 defeat at the hands of the Glasgow Warriors in Scotland.
Following these results, the Bulls retained third place in the standings with 50 points, trailing defending champions Glasgow (54 points) and log leaders Leinster (62 points). The Sharks held onto fourth place (45 points), while the Stormers slipped to 10th (35 points), just one point shy of the playoff zone. The Lions, now in 14th place (30 points), face an uphill battle to remain in contention for the knockouts.
With only four pool matches left, the Bulls and Sharks will aim to secure home quarterfinals, while the Stormers and Lions must fight for every point to keep their playoff aspirations alive.
The Stormers looked promising after racing to a 17-0 lead in the opening minutes, thanks to tries from Evan Roos and Ben Loader, along with a Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu drop goal. However, Ulster fought back to level the scores at halftime (17-17), with the visitors already down to 14 men following a yellow card for Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
Things went from bad to worse for the Stormers as Neethling Fouche saw red for a dangerous tackle early in the second half. Despite a resilient effort that included another Roos try and two more drop goals from Feinberg-Mngomezulu, the South Africans ultimately fell short in a 38-34 loss. They did, however, walk away with two valuable bonus points for losing within seven points and scoring four tries.
Scorers: Ulster 38 (17): Tries: Rob Baloucoune, Andrew Warwick, Jack Murphy, Jacob Stockdale, Zac Ward, and Stewart Moore. Conversions: John Cooney (2), Jack Murphy, Nathan Doak. DHL Stormers 34 (17): Tries: Evan Roos (2), Ben Loader, Willie Engelbrecht. Conversions, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (4). Drop Goals: Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2).
The Bulls delivered a masterclass against Zebre Parma, crossing the try line nine times to secure a crucial 63-24 victory at Loftus Versfeld. By halftime, the Bulls had already secured the bonus point, leading 28-10 after tries from Sergeal Petersen, Zak Burger, Stravino Jacobs, and Jan-Hendrik Wessels.
The second half saw the Bulls pile on the points with five more tries, as Marco van Staden, Marcell Coetzee, Harold Vorster, Petersen (again), and David Kriel all added to the tally. Flyhalf Keagan Johannes contributed significantly with seven conversions, keeping the scoreboard ticking throughout.
Scorers: Vodacom Bulls 63 (28): Tries: Sergeal Petersen (2), Zak Burger, Stravino Jacobs, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Marco van Staden, Marcell Coetzee, Harold Vorster, David Kriel. Conversions: Keagan Johannes (7), Boeta Chamberlain (2). Zebre Parma 24 (10): Tries—Jacopo Trulla, Giovanni Montemauri, Tommaso Di Bartolomeo. Conversions: Montemauri (2), Giacomo Da Re. Drop Goal, Alessandro Fusco.
The Sharks were their own worst enemies in a tightly contested 10-7 loss to Leinster in Durban. The hosts dominated possession but failed to capitalise on key opportunities, including a crucial decision in the final moments to kick for touch instead of attempting a penalty for a draw.
Despite a late try from Bongi Mbonambi that cut the deficit to three points, the Sharks’ handling errors and ill-discipline proved costly. They remain in fourth place but will need to deliver consistent performances in the remaining rounds to secure a home quarterfinal.
Scorers: Hollywoodbets Sharks 7 (0): Try—Bongi Mbonambi. Conversion: Jordan Hendrikse. Leinster 10 (5): Tries – Henry McErlean, Scott Penney.
The Lions endured a tough outing against the Glasgow Warriors, who ran in six first-half tries en route to a dominant 42-0 victory. The Lions’ defence struggled to contain Glasgow’s attacking threats, with Jamie Dobie scoring twice in quick succession.
Despite a more solid defensive effort in the second half that prevented further damage, the Lions were unable to register any points, marking a forgettable performance in their URC campaign.
Scorers: Glasgow Warriors 42 (42): Tries: Jamie Dobie (2), others unlisted. Emirates Lions 0.
As the Vodacom URC heads into the final stretch of the pool stage, the Bulls and Sharks will aim to cement their top-four positions, while the Stormers and Lions must fight for every possible point to keep their playoff hopes alive. With just four rounds remaining, every game is now a must-win for South Africa’s teams chasing URC glory.
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