Round 13 of the United Rugby Championship (URC) was a pleasing one for South Africans overall. The Sharks, Stormers, and Bulls were all victorious at the weekend, with only the Lions falling short in Cardiff.
With just five rounds of United Rugby Championship (URC) regular-season action remaining, those in prime positions will desperately aim to stay there. Those outside of the play-off spots will try their utmost to crack into the top eight.
We look at what went down in round 13 on the South African front.
Cardiff 20 vs Lions 17
Opinions on this URC game will differ greatly, depending on who you ask.
The Welsh would say that the Lions were their enemies and blew their chances. Those in Johannesburg would be more of the opinion that their team got a bit of a raw deal from the referee. And both would be right.
The Lions sure didn’t do themselves any favours at a wet Arms Park as they failed to make proper use of the 75% possession they enjoyed in the first half. They were guilty of a plethora of errors throughout the match. They were also on the wrong side of some dubious calls by Italian referee Federico Vedovelli, notably in the yellow carding of Gianni Lombard and the non-awarding of a late try.
Ivan van Rooyen’s team gained a solitary point from the outing. They will be kicking themselves for not making better use of their chances and gaining more points from the game. The fact that they’re travelling to face defending champions Glasgow in Round 14 will only add to that lament.
The defeat saw the Lions lose their top-eight spot and slip down the points table to 13th.
Sharks 35 vs 34 Zebre Parma
It was a nervy affair at Kings Park, and it’s safe to say that nobody would have expected it to be so tight. The hosts had to come from behind twice to secure the win and cement their place in the top four.
It was a nine-try thriller in Durban, and the Sharks had to bank on a late converted try by Ethan Hooker with five minutes to time to sneak a victory. While the Sharks had the upper hand for most of the opening half, the Italians were absolutely relentless in their onslaught after coming out of the shed. Zebre – who led by six points in the final quarter, took control of almost every area after switching sides as the Sharks’ errors were rife.
The game was the ultimate contrast – while Zebre thrived with their unstructured play, the Sharks relied heavily on the Springbok-laden pack, with the front row of Vincent Koch, Bongi Mbonambi and Ox Nche particularly destructive.
The Sharks simply weren’t clinical enough. However, their tactical changes towards the end ensured that they sealed the deal as their reinforcements injected some much-needed energy.
The Sharks next face Leinster at Kings Park.
Scarlets 17 vs 29 Stormers: Stormers Up to Eighth in URC
While the Stormers (1.67) were perhaps lucky to win the game given their second-half slump, they produced some stunning moments that almost made up for their errors in Llanelli.
The Cape side was 12th on the URC log going into the fixture. The victory in Wales bumped them up to eighth spot on the standings.
Tries from Ben Loader, Deon Fourie, Leolin Zas, and Andre-Hugo Venter, along with nine points from the boot of the returning Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu steered the visitors to a bonus-point victory. In the first half, the Stormers’ attacking zest paved the way for their tries in the opening 40. There were also other noteworthy contributors to their sixth win in 13 games.
The Cape side scored two stunning first-half tries. They’ve had their fair share of struggles this season. However, those five-pointers were the perfect advertisement for the kind of magic John Dobson’s unit can produce. On the individual front, skipper Salmaan Moerat led the charge on defence. He put his physicality on full blast with a good dose of bone-crunching tackles.
Man-of-the-Match Feinberg-Mngomezulu was also a brilliant sight in his first performance back from an injury lay-off. While the Stormers held a 15-7 lead at the break, things unravelled in the second.
The Stormers’ game management in the second half was questionable. Their execution – their passes and kicks in particular – didn’t do them any favours either.
The fact that they couldn’t capitalise on their numerical advantage was another whiteboard-worthy point. Not only did they manage only three points while Scarlets were down to 14 men, but they also conceded a try.
Getting the last two tries was a scramble. It will have to be a much more polished performance from the Stormers if they are to beat Ulster in Belfast.
Bulls 21 vs 20 Leinster: Bulls Beat URC Dominant Force
It was a good weekend for the Bulls as they ended Leinster’s 12-match winning run in this season’s URC. The team from Pretoria held onto third on the log. Jake White’s men are one point ahead of the Sharks and four behind Glasgow, who are in second spot.
While toppling Leinster is always a feat, it didn’t always look like the hosts would emerge as winners in the contest. The Bulls were on the back foot for most of the game and trailed 17-6 early in the second half.
Their error rate is no doubt a point that needs addressing following their victory as the Bulls conceded unnecessary penalties and produced a series of knock-ons. Their decision-making, at times, was dubious, too.
Still, the home side overcame a red card to wing Sebastian de Klerk for taking out a Leinster player in the air and produced a monster of a scrum to emerge victorious.
The replacement front row of Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Johan Grobbelaar, and Mornay Smith stole the show at the end of the game to win a penalty between the 10- and 22-metre lines.
Centre David Kriel – who had missed an earlier kick – then kicked the Bulls to victory. He sent the oval right through the uprights. The Bulls will host Italian side Zebre at Loftus next week.
