The first weekend of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) saw mixed results for the South African franchises.
The first weekend of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) saw mixed results for the South African franchises, with the two Gauteng-based teams – the Emirates Lions and Vodacom Bulls – securing home victories. At the same time, the DHL Stormers and Hollywoodbets Sharks stumbled on their away trips in Europe.
The Lions opened their campaign with a commanding 35-22 win over Ulster at Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg. This victory marked the first time in four encounters that the Lions had beaten the Northern Irish side.
The Lions, bolstered by strong early possession, scored five tries, earning a bonus point. Kade Wolhuter’s 15 points were pivotal in the win, while Ulster managed a bonus point of their own for four tries.
Scorers:
Emirates Lions 35 (15): Tries: Rabz Maxwane, Francke Horn, Franco Marais, Henco van Wyk, Kade Wolhuter. Conversions: Wolhuter (2). Penalty goals: Wolhuter (2).
Ulster 22 (5): Tries: John Cooney, Aidan Morgan, Werner Kok, Corrie Barrett. Conversion: Nathan Doak.
Just four teams unbeaten after two rounds 👊
Who do you think will be the last team standing?#BKTURC #URC pic.twitter.com/ohROnj7mcL
— BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) October 1, 2024
At Loftus Versfeld, the Bulls clinched a hard-fought 22-16 victory over Edinburgh. Despite an early lead by the Scottish side through Ross Thompson’s penalty, the Bulls responded with tries from Jannes Kirsten, Jaco van der Walt, and Springbok wing Canan Moodie. Boeta Chamberlain’s reliable kicking sealed the victory.
Edinburgh earned a losing bonus point, but their hopes of a comeback were dashed when Ewan Ashman was shown a second yellow card.
Scorers:
Vodacom Bulls 22 (12): Tries: Jannes Kirsten, Jaco van der Walt, Canan Moodie. Conversions: Van der Walt, Chamberlain. Penalty goal: Chamberlain.
Edinburgh 16 (10): Try: Ewan Ashman. Conversion: Ross Thompson. Penalty goals: Thompson (3).
The Stormers faced a tough challenge in Bridgend, where the Ospreys outscored them 37-24, with four tries earning the Welsh side a bonus point. Despite a solid first half that saw the Stormers score two tries and a drop goal from Damian Willemse, they struggled against contestable kicks and the Ospreys’ relentless attack.
Ospreys fly-half Dan Edwards was a standout, contributing 27 points in the victory.
Scorers:
Ospreys 37 (13): Tries: Jac Morgan, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Dan Edwards, Penalty try. Conversions: Edwards (3). Penalty goals: Edwards (3). Drop goal: Edwards.
DHL Stormers 24 (16): Tries—Leolin Zas, JD Schickerling. Conversion: Jurie Matthee. Penalty goals: Matthee (3). Drop goal: Willemse.
In a dramatic match in Galway, the Sharks squandered a 20-point halftime lead to lose 36-30 against Connacht. The Sharks led 27-7 at the break thanks to two tries from Springbok centre Andre Esterhuizen and two long-range penalty goals from Jordan Hendrikse.
However, Connacht’s second-half resurgence, with four tries, left the Sharks struggling to keep up. A late penalty goal from Siya Masuku salvaged a losing bonus point, but it was not enough to prevent the Irish side from taking control.
Scorers:
Connacht 36 (7): Tries: Dave Heffernan (2), Cathal Forde, Shane Jennings, Oisin Dowling. Conversions: Josh Ioane, Forde (3). Penalty goal: Forde.
Hollywoodbets Sharks 30 (27): Tries: Andre Esterhuizen (2), Gerbrandt Grobler. Conversions: Siya Masuku (3). Penalty goals: Hendrikse (2), Masuku.
Elsewhere in the URC, Zebre Rugby made headlines with a stunning 42-33 bonus point win over Munster in Italy, while Leinster and Cardiff remain unbeaten after two rounds of play.
This opening weekend delivered excitement and unpredictability, setting the stage for what promises to be a thrilling Vodacom United Rugby Championship season.
