The Fidelity Securedrive Lions claimed the SA Shield for the first time in a gripping round of local Vodacom United Rugby Championship derbies on Saturday as they defeated the DHL Stormers in a dramatic match in Johannesburg, while the Vodacom Bulls made a strong statement against the Hollywoodbets Sharks in Pretoria, which saw both Gauteng sides hold onto their spots in the top eight.
The Fidelity Securedrive Lions stunned the DHL Stormers at Ellis Park as they registered a 24-10 victory despite playing with 13 men for several minutes in the dying stages of the match, and the Vodacom Bulls completed the double for the Gauteng-based teams as they outclassed the Hollywoodbets Sharks at Loftus Versfeld for a well-deserved 41-12 bonus-point victory.
These results steered the Johannesburg side to their second home win in a row, with four more to look forward to, while the win for the Pretoria outfit marked their third successive victory, with the latter result dashing the Hollywoodbets Sharks’ hopes of claiming the SA Shield despite entering the round at the top of the local table.
In stark contrast to their rise in form, the DHL Stormers – who were unbeaten and leading the Vodacom URC after the first eight rounds – suffered their third defeat on the trot and now find themselves in fifth place with 36 points, nine points behind log-leaders the Glasgow Warriors.
The seventh-placed Fidelity Securedrive Lions, meanwhile, trail them by only three points (33 pts), while the Vodacom Bulls are in eighth place (30 pts), and the Hollywoodbets Sharks in 11th position (24 pts).
The Lions and Sharks have six league matches remaining, while the Bulls and Stormers, whose rescheduled round eight clash takes place in Pretoria on 14 March, still have seven encounters in hand.
