The DHL Stormers got their Vodacom United Rugby Championship campaign back on track on Saturday as they recovered from a three-match losing streak to outplay the Vodacom Bulls 32-19 in Pretoria in their rescheduled round eight fixture.
This victory – the Capetonians’ 10th in 12 matches against their foes from Pretoria – saw them leap into second position on the standings and remain firmly in the race for a home playoff spot.
With three wins in a row and home ground advantage counting in the Vodacom Bulls’ favour, they entered the match as favourites, but they battled to build on their impressive form in the last few rounds as the DHL Stormers rediscovered the grit that saw them top the table for a large part of the competition this season.
It was an entertaining encounter in which both teams were in control at different stages and were reduced to 13 men apiece for a few minutes, but the Capetonians thoroughly deserved the victory.
With all the rescheduled matches now completed, the DHL Stormers are currently in second place on the table (41 points) – four behind log-leaders, the Glasgow Warriors and level on points with Ulster and Leinster – while the Fidelity Securedrive Lions are in seventh place (33 points), the Vodacom Bulls in eighth position (30 points), and the Hollywoodbets Sharks in 11th place (24 points), with six pool rounds remaining.
The competition will be back in full swing next weekend with the Six Nations now wrapped up.
