The DHL Stormers’ unbeaten run and flawless home track record in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship came to a grinding halt on Saturday, as the Hollywoodbets Sharks stunned them with a fine display of rugby in Cape Town, while the Vodacom Bulls registered a valuable away win in Scotland, and the Lions were forced to settle for a draw against in Wales in what proved to be a fair weekend for SA’s teams.
On Friday, the Vodacom Bulls scored a late try to register a rewarding 19-17 victory against Edinburgh in Scotland, while the Lions will be gutted about a missed opportunity on the stroke of full-time against the Ospreys in Wales, which saw them finish the match tied at 24-24.
The DHL Stormers were outplayed 30-19 by a determined Hollywoodbets Sharks team in Cape Town on Saturday, in what was a bit of an upset as the visitors turned on the style to record a bonus-point victory.
The DHL Stormers’ defeat saw them drop into second place on the standings for the first time in the competition, still on 36 points, with the Glasgow Warriors now topping the table on 39, although the Capetonians have a game in hand, while the Lions’ draw was enough to see them cling onto seventh position (24 pts).
The Vodacom Bulls’ win in Scotland means they are in ninth spot on the log (20 pts), just outside the playoff places, and the Hollywoodbets Sharks’ victory saw them leap up three places from 14th to 11th on 19 points, while the DHL Stormers were replaced at the top by Glasgow Warriors; however, the Stormers did play one match less than any of the other top five Clubs.