SA URC weekend: Stormers stay perfect as Bulls edge through and Sharks stumble again

SOUTH Africa’s United Rugby Championship sides endured a weekend of contrasting fortunes — from the unbeaten Stormers extending their flawless start, to the Bulls scraping through in Galway, the Lions finally finding their footing at home, and the Sharks’ struggles continuing despite the return of several Springboks.

Stormers maintain their charge

The Stormers continued to look every inch a title contender, making it four wins from four after a gritty 31-13 victory over a “dogged” Zebre Parma side. The performance came a week after their 34-0 demolition of the Scarlets, but this time John Dobson’s men had to work harder for the result.

Fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu was the standout, producing a confident, composed display in the absence of Manie Libbok. The 23-year-old scored twice and created another try, taking charge when the side appeared short of its usual killer instinct. Flanker Evan Roos also impressed with another Man-of-the-Match performance, consistently breaking the gain line and carrying the physical battle from the back of the scrum.

With their defence and set-piece again forming the backbone of success, the Stormers looked increasingly complete — but Dobson’s side were not flawless. The win was described as “far from perfect,” with uncharacteristic lapses and missed chances keeping the Italians in contention. Zebre were repeatedly able to repel the Stormers' attacks, and the Cape side only secured the bonus-point score in the final play through a Ruhan Nel intercept.

Their defence, normally watertight, also showed cracks: Zebre’s 13 points were more than Leinster, Ospreys and Scarlets combined had managed in their previous three matches. Seven of those came from a Warrick Gelant loose pass, a reminder that even top sides can lose focus.

Bulls cling on in Galway

In contrast to the Stormers’ smooth start, the Bulls had to fight to the end for a narrow 28-27 win over Connacht at Dexcom Stadium. It was their third victory in four matches, a welcome rebound after a deflating second half the week before against Ulster.

The Bulls crossed for three tries, two of them by scrum-half Paul de Wet, with winger Sebastian de Klerk playing a starring role as provider. His speed tore holes in the Connacht defence, creating both of De Wet’s scores. Veteran full-back Willie le Roux added polish with a clever interchange of passes with De Klerk to score himself, while fly-half Keagan Johannes contributed 13 points from a drop goal, two conversions and two penalties.

Despite the result, the Bulls’ defence leaked four tries, and their control of territory was inconsistent. Victory ultimately came down to fine margins, sealed only when Connacht’s replacement fly-half missed a late conversion in the 79th minute.

Lions find their rhythm at last

Back home in Johannesburg, the Lions finally ended their losing streak with a 29-18 win over the Scarlets. After defeats to Cardiff, Zebre Parma and Benetton, the result offered relief as well as a first taste of momentum.

The Lions were driven by a powerful second-half surge, with their replacements making the difference. Hooker Morne Brandon scored two quick tries, while fly-half Gianni Lombard — a late addition to the match-day squad — landed two penalties and tested the Welsh defence with sharp tactical kicks.

Their scrum dominance was crucial, as the front row of Asenathi Ntlabakanye, SJ Kotze and Franco Marais repeatedly forced penalties. The platform held even after substitutions, but discipline remains an issue: Darrien Landsberg was yellow-carded for collapsing a drive, leading to a penalty try for Scarlets.

Sharks slump despite Bok return

In Durban, the Sharks’ wait for a first win continued as they fell 26-34 to Ulster. It was a disappointing outcome given the return of five Springboks to the line-up.

Their scrum was a major weapon, with Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi and Vincent Koch repeatedly overpowering the Ulster pack. Andre Esterhuizen was among the best performers, muscling through defenders to score his first try of the season, while Siya Kolisi also crossed from a maul.

Yet discipline and cohesion let the Sharks down. Koch and Makazole Mapimpi were both sin-binned for dangerous lifting tackles on Michael Lowry, with Mapimpi’s upgraded to a 20-minute red card. 

Errors in lineouts, defensive reads and loose handling compounded the problems. The side looked disjointed — a reflection, perhaps, of many returning players having last featured for the club in May.

As their frustrations mount, the Durban faithful are demanding answers after another disjointed display.