Stormers shine as South Africa’s only bright spot in tough URC round

It was a weekend of mixed emotions for South African rugby fans, as the DHL Stormers delivered a commanding 34-0 victory over the Scarlets in Llanelli to remain unbeaten, while the Vodacom Bulls, Hollywoodbets Sharks, and Lions all suffered heavy defeats in the third round of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC).

The Stormers’ win was not only their third consecutive triumph of the season but also enough to lift them to the joint top of the standings on 14 points alongside Munster, the only other unbeaten team in the competition. Meanwhile, the Vodacom Bulls slipped to sixth place after a disappointing loss to Ulster, and the Sharks and Lions languish near the bottom of the log after another round without victory.

Stormers Deliver a Statement Win

The Cape side put on a clinical display on Friday night, outplaying the Scarlets five tries to none in a dominant 34-0 bonus-point win. It was a complete performance built on disciplined defence and attacking flair, despite both teams receiving two yellow cards.

Evan Roos opened the scoring early, while Paul de Villiers, Ruben van Heerden, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Imad Khan also crossed the whitewash. Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Damian Willemse contributed from the kicking tee as the Stormers shut out the hosts completely.

With Springboks Willemse and Feinberg-Mngomezulu back in the mix and both on the scoresheet, coach John Dobson’s men look well-poised to continue their momentum on tour when they face Zebre Parma next weekend.

Lynagh runs riot as Lions fall in Treviso

The Lions endured another tough outing, going down 41-15 to Benetton in Treviso. The Italians’ Louis Lynagh was unstoppable, scoring four tries to sink the visitors, who have now lost all three of their opening games.

Despite an early penalty from Chris Smith and a try from prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye, the Lions were overpowered in the first half, trailing 24-10 at the break. Their defensive frailties continued to cost them, with Lynagh’s pace and finishing exposing gaps throughout the match. Conraad van Vuuren added a late try, but it was too little, too late.

Leinster punish struggling Sharks

In Dublin, the Hollywoodbets Sharks were outclassed by a resurgent Leinster side, which cruised to a 31-5 victory. The Irish giants crossed for five tries, three of them in the first half, as their attack finally clicked after a slow start to the season.

Ethan Hooker scored the Sharks’ only points from an intercept try, but handling errors and defensive lapses ensured they couldn’t capitalise further. Still winless after three rounds, the Sharks will hope that a return to Durban helps them reset and regroup.

Bulls undone by costly yellow card

The Vodacom Bulls’ unbeaten run came to an abrupt end in Belfast, where they fell 28-7 to Ulster in a physical encounter. After a tight first half, the Pretoria outfit were undone by a yellow card to Jeandre Rudolph in the 47th minute, a moment that proved disastrous as Ulster ran in three tries during his absence.

Wilco Louw scored the Bulls’ lone try, converted by Handré Pollard, but the momentum swing after Rudolph’s sin-binning left the visitors with too much to do. The loss drops them to sixth on the table as they prepare to face Connacht in Galway next weekend.

Mixed fortunes ahead

As the competition heats up, the DHL Stormers continue to fly the South African flag high abroad, while their domestic rivals face mounting pressure to bounce back. The Lions and Sharks will be eager to turn their fortunes around at home, while the Bulls and Stormers aim to steady their campaigns on European soil.

With several rounds still to play, one thing is certain: the Vodacom URC is proving as unpredictable and unforgiving as ever.