Stormers v Bulls: Five takeaways as Springboks stars and hopefuls light up heart-racing North-South derby

Following the Stormers’ 26-20 victory over the Bulls in a thrilling United Rugby Championship (URC) fixture, here are our five takeaways from the clash in Cape Town.

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Another heart-racing match involving South African sides, as if the public needed more of those in 2023, saw the Stormers and Bulls go toe-to-toe in what was a classic addition to the long history of the North-South derby.

The South African powerhouses entered the fixture after a loss and win in the Champions Cup apiece and looked hellbent on producing a statement performance before Christmas.

In the end, the boots of Manie Libbok and Damian Willemse proved crucial, as did tries from Jean-Luc du Plessis – playing his 50th game – and Ruhan Nel as the Stormers held on for victory.

The Bulls broke through the Stormers’ defence on more occasions as the rising star Reinhard Ludwig, try addict Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie all grabbed tries in the six-point defeat and will rue their missed opportunities.

🔥 He only knows one way! Kurt-Lee Arendse, what a try! pic.twitter.com/ZXGtYcVdQN

— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) December 23, 2023

Christmas came early for the Stormers’ faithful

It’s been an erratic start to the season for the Stormers on the whole, as the inaugural URC champions and last season’s finalist won just three of their opening seven games in the URC.

However, there is no doubt that Dobson’s side is on an upward trajectory, a fact made crystal clear today and in the Champions Cup as they defeated defending back-to-back winners La Rochelle.

Perhaps a return to the Cape Town Stadium has done the trick or perhaps the injection of World Cup-winning Springboks has made all the difference. Regardless, it was a fabulous treat to see two South African giants going hammer and braai tongs at one another in a truly spectacular encounter as the hosts ground out a 26-20 victory against their fiercest foe.

The thought of rugby during the festive season is still somewhat foreign to the South African public, but with about 40,000 fans piling in to catch a glimpse of the iconic North-South derby just days before Christmas, one cannot help but feel that this is catching on.

While the Capetonians will be celebrating, it is another tough pill to swallow for the men from the Highveld, who have now lost seven on the trot to the Stormers.

The Bulls certainly had their chances today and were never really out of the game, but the hosts’ ability to capitalise and keep the scoreboard ticking over proved pivotal.

Bulls finding playmaking balance with Le Roux and Goosen

The Bulls have been the South African team to beat this season, and much of that has to do with Jake White finally finding an effective playmaking balance, with Springbok veteran Willie Le Roux making all the difference.

Johan Goosen’s best years in France saw him link up with the likes of Pat Lambie, Francois Trinh-Duc and the All Blacks great Dan Carter, and by luck or design, White is seemingly getting the Bok to pivot back to his best since Le Roux’s arrival.

The double World Cup-winning fullback can be a dictator-esque general in the backline, which can often lead to a mix-up or clash with his fly-half, but today, the Bulls looked sharp and effective when following Le Roux’s direction and Goosen and later on, Chris Smith were happy to relinquish control.

Perhaps the one area of concern in the playmaking duties and game management for the Bulls was at scrum-half, where Embrose Papier went rogue. It was not often enough to be completely detrimental for the Bulls, but going forward, it could be the difference of silverware or a semi-final exit.

In the end, Damian Willemse and Manie Libbok kept the scoreboard ticking over just enough to see Dobbo’s charges over the line, and while the Bulls have certainly improved from last season, they are not quite the finished product yet, but they are getting there.

🙌 Out of nowhere, Damian Willemse! pic.twitter.com/bwjHLmwXPV

— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) December 23, 2023

Fourie feasts on the fountain of youth

No one would blame Deon Fourie for slowing down after the 37-year-old’s heroics helped the Springboks seal a fourth Rugby World Cup title, with the veteran producing one of his all-time best performances in the final, slotting in at hooker.

However, that has not been the case as he continues to not only perform at the highest levels of the game but dominate, and today was no different. He seemingly has unprecedented access to the fountain of youth and makes good use of it.

He was unlucky to have a try chalked off in the first half but made a brilliant break in the build-up to the Stormer’s first try of the game for Jean-Luc du Plessis. He charged around the pitch like a child on a sugar high but with the accuracy and aggression of a lion hunting its prey. His all-action display included double-digit tackles, a handful of lung-busting breaks, and a turnover, and he was a nuisance at so many rucks.

It’s no wonder that John Dobson, and even the Bok coaching staff, entrust the experienced forward with the captaincy as he is seemingly willing to run through walls for his teammates, literally, and sets an incredibly high standard few can meet.

Christmas celebrations

So all in all, who will be the most relaxed around the Christmas braai/spit on Monday?

Well, Manie Libbok will be resting easy after another match-winning kicking display in an all-important game. It’s been a whirlwind year for the mercurial playmaker who was the Springboks’ first-choice fly-half before being unceremonially hooked in the semi-final against England. But as his coaches and teammates explain, he has the ability to forget his mistakes and keep moving forward and silencing doubters with each passing game.

Meanwhile, Dobson may well be a little more inclined to sit back and enjoy an extra glass of his preferred Stellenbosch finest after a shaky start to the season. He will be well aware of the task at hand as his charges still have plenty to do in the new year, but today’s result, paired with the win over La Rochelle, feels like a turning point in the season.

As for the Bulls, they are done and dusted for 2023, and while they will look back with a ton of regret as the wheels fell off during the latter stages of the 2022/23 season, the future looks blindingly bright. In a narrow defeat today, White was still able to rest experienced campaigners like Marcell Coetzee and workhorse Ruan Nortjie, to name just two.

The men from Pretoria are in a good space and have a healthy mix of youth and experience in their squad, and White and his coaching staff are letting none rest of their laurels. Elrigh Louw is thriving with the captaincy and looks more and more like a 50+ Test cap Springbok with each passing game, while Mpilo Guemede is lapping up live at the Bulls after struggling in Durban. It’s not just the back-rowers as Stedman Gans continues to impress, so does the Janko Swanepoel, and who knows, there may be a few more Springboks in the Bulls squad by next July.

READ MORE: Springboks shine as Stormers continue their North-South dominance over the Bulls