Bulls and Sharks Set for Home Matches in Vodacom URC Quarter-Finals; Stormers Ready for Glasgow Excursion
The Vodacom United Rugby Championship quarter-finals are set to take place in two weeks across Pretoria, Durban, Dublin, and Glasgow, concluding an exhilarating final pool round that determined the top eight teams and their playoff venues.
The Vodacom Bulls secured the second position in the standings before the final pool round, maintaining their winning streak with a commanding 55-15 victory over the Dragons in Pretoria. They will face Edinburgh in the quarter-finals. Meanwhile, the Hollywoodbets Sharks, crowned South African shield winners, clinched third place after a close 12-3 win against the Scarlets in Durban, as Glasgow struggled in Dublin. The Sharks will take on Munster at Hollywoodbets Kings Park, with both matches scheduled for Saturday, 31 May.
The DHL Stormers solidified their fifth position with a 34-24 win over Cardiff in Cape Town on Friday, setting up a playoff clash against the Glasgow Warriors in Scotland on Friday, 30 May.
The other quarter-final will see league leaders Leinster face off against the Scarlets in Dublin on Saturday, 31 May.
In the meantime, the Emirates Lions put up a fierce fight against the Ospreys in Johannesburg, clinching a last-minute try for a narrow 29-28 win, despite finishing the pool stages in 11th place and being eliminated from the Race to Eight in recent weeks.
The teams will take a week off for the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup finals, after which they will return for these pivotal matches.
Stormers Display Resilience in Thrilling Clash Against Cardiff
The DHL Stormers showcased their talent with a 34-24 victory over Cardiff in a thrilling match at DHL Stadium on Friday night, during which both teams received red cards. The home team’s five tries overshadowed the visitors’ four, earning them a well-earned triumph.
A key late penalty by Springbok back Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu hindered Cardiff’s chances of earning two points for four tries and finishing within a seven-point margin as the match approached its end.
From the outset, the Capetonians made a strong impact, with Leolin Zas scoring their first try in the ninth minute following some dynamic play, though Cardiff took the lead with a converted try five minutes later.
Suleiman Hartzenberg added the Stormers’ second try in the 24th minute, celebrating his 50th match in style, and Cardiff’s prospects faded when they went down to 14 men after Danny Southworth received a red card.
This allowed Zas to score his second try, increasing their lead to 19-7, although Cardiff managed a response just before halftime, trailing 19-12 at the break.
The DHL Stormers secured their bonus-point try six minutes into the second half through Hartzenberg, quickly answered by Cardiff’s third try, narrowing the margin to 24-17. Both teams were down a player after Damian Willemse received a red card for a tackle deemed dangerous.
With nine minutes remaining, Connor Evans’ fifth try extended the Stormers’ lead to 31-17, but Cardiff struck back with their bonus-point try, tightening the scoreline before a final penalty from Feinberg-Mngomezulu sealed the 34-24 win.
Despite the uplifting result, the home side seeks to capitalize on scoring opportunities as they head into the playoffs, having missed several chances that could have led to a more comfortable victory.
Scorers:
DHL Stormers 34 (19) – Tries: Leolin Zas (2), Suleiman Hartzenberg (2), Connor Evans. Conversions: Damian Willemse (2), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. Penalty Goal: Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
Cardiff 24 (12) – Tries: Danny Southworth, Gabe Harmer-Webb, Harri Millard, Daffyd Hughes. Conversions: Callum Sheedy (2).
Bulls Honor Cornal Hendricks with Convincing Win Against Dragons
The Vodacom Bulls paid tribute to their late teammate Cornal Hendricks, who passed away this week due to a heart attack, with an impressive performance that led to a 55-15 victory over the Dragons at Loftus Versfeld.
The Pretoria squad displayed remarkable cohesion between forwards and backs, highlighted by first-half tries from David Kriel, Cobus Wiese, Sebastian de Klerk, and Akker van der Merwe, resulting in an overwhelming 26-0 halftime score.
However, the Dragons responded strongly in the second half with two tries in quick succession, narrowing the gap to 26-10.
This prompted the home side to react, culminating in Van der Merwe’s second try, followed by two consecutive tries from Sergeal Petersen, and additional scores from Marcell Coetzee and Devon Williams, extending the lead to 55-10.
Although the Bulls conceded a late try with six minutes left, their dominant win positions them well heading into the knockout stages, with the prospect of a home quarter-final and potentially a home semi-final if they progress.
Scorers:
Vodacom Bulls 55 (26) – Tries: David Kriel, Cobus Wiese, Sebastian de Klerk, Akker van der Merwe (2), Sergeal Petersen (2), Marcell Coetzee, Devon Williams. Conversions: Keagan Johannes (5).
Dragons 15 (0) – Tries: Huw Anderson, Rhodri Williams, Lewis Morgan.
Last-Minute Try Delivers Lions Win Over Ospreys
A last-minute try by Lubabalo Dobela secured a thrilling 29-28 victory for the Emirates Lions against the Ospreys in their final Vodacom United Rugby Championship match at Emirates Airline Park on Saturday.
The match was fiercely competitive from the start, with both sides giving their all, as the Johannesburg team took the lead with a try from Springbok Edwill van der Merwe in the ninth minute, shortly after having a try disallowed for a knock-on.
The Ospreys answered back with a try of their own two minutes later, briefly taking the lead. After a territorial struggle, the Emirates Lions regained the advantage with Jaco Visagie’s second try, making it 12-7.
As halftime approached, both teams missed scoring opportunities, leading to a five-point lead for the hosts at the break.
The intensity continued in the second half as the Ospreys registered their second try, momentarily putting them ahead, but Visagie’s brace restored the home side’s lead.
The last quarter featured dramatic exchanges, with the Ospreys scoring twice to earn their bonus point, while Henco van Wyk added a try for the Lions, giving the Welsh side a 28-24 lead with just two minutes remaining.
However, in a thrilling conclusion, the Lions found Dobela wide on the flank, sealing a 29-28 victory in the dying moments of the match.
Scorers:
Emirates Lions 29 (12) – Tries: Edwill van der Merwe, Jaco Visagie (2), Henco van Wyk, Lubabalo Dobela. Conversions: Dobela (2).
Ospreys 28 (7) – Tries: Will Griffiths, James Ratti, Jack Walsh, Sam Parry. Conversions: Dan Edwards (4).
Image courtesy of Steve Haag Sports
