The DHL Stormers hung on for dear life during the second half to continue their unbeaten streak. A late try by Ntuthuko Mchunu secured a deserved 13-08 win for the Stormers.
The match started at a frenetic pace, with both teams attacking and defending with pace and physicality normally seen at the test level.
After thirty minutes of play, a quick tap by Handre Pollard from five meters out gave him the edge to crash over for the first points of the match.
Four minutes later, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu cut the Bulls' lead to just two points with an easy penalty conversion.
The Stormers set up camp in the red Zone of the Bulls following a yellow card to Willie le Roux, and following several penalties conceded by the Bulls, Evan Roos broke off a lineout-maul and scored the Stormers' first try of the match to edge the Bulls 08-05 with time up on the clock.
The Bulls got their first scrum penalty in the opening minutes of the second half, and Handre Pollard levelled the scores at 08-08.
The following thirty minutes can only be described as a war with both sides absolutely leaving everything on the field.
With two minutes left on the clock, the Stormers declined a second opportunity to convert a penalty; however, they opted for the lineout, off which Ntuthuko Mchunu scored the Stormers second try to secure a hard-fought 13-08 win.
Scorers:
DHL Stormers: Tries: Evan Roos, Ntuthuko Mchunu. Penalty: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
Vodacom Bulls: Try: Handre Pollard. Penalty: Handre Pollard.
Teams:
DHL Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Damian Willemse, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Ruan Ackermann, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Salmaan Moerat (c), 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Ali Vermaak. Replacements: 16 Lukhanyo Vokozela, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Adré Smith, 20 Ruben van Heerden, 21 Paul de Villiers, 22 Stefan Ungerer, 23 Jurie Matthee.
Vodacom Bulls: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Sebastian de Klerk, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 David Kriel, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje (c), 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp. Replacements: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Khuta Mchunu, 19 Ruan Vermaak, 20 Reinhardt Ludwig, 21 Nizaam Carr, 22 Keagan Johannes, 23 Devon Williams.
