United Rugby Championship: Stormers go top of South African Shield while Bulls beat Lions again

Stan Wilson

The Stormers climbed to the top of the United Rugby Championship’s South African Shield with a 20-10 victory over the Sharks in Cape Town.

After handing a 20-10 defeat to the Sharks in Cape Town, the Stormers have reached the top of the United Rugby Championship‘s South African Shield.

The Stormers previously held second place, with just a two point margin between themselves and the Sharks, but now it is Sean Everitt’s side who trail them by the same margin.

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Both sides struggled to take their chances in the first half, but Seabelo Senatla produced a piece of individual quality as half-time approached to send the Stormers in with a 7-3 lead at the interval.

Adre Smith powered over after the break, with Manie Libbok adding 10 points from the tee for the home side.

The below-par Sharks were restricted to three points from the boot of Tito Bonilla until Grant Williams touched down shortly after the hour and Boeta Chamberlain added the conversion.

Bulls make it two in a row against Lions in the United Rugby Championship

It’s back-to-back wins for Bulls in the United Rugby Championship, after they took down the Lions for the second successive week, courtesy of a 21-13 win in Pretoria.

Jake White’s side claimed a 34-10 win when these sides met in Johannesburg last weekend and rarely looked like surrendering the lead this week after first going in front in the 25th minute.

The Bulls were unlucky to miss out on securing a bonus point as Marcell Coetzee and Johan Grobbelaar scored in the first half, with Kurt-Lee Arendse contributing early in the second half of play.

The Lions had to make do with a late consolation try from Ruben Schoeman and eight points from the boot of Tiaan Swanepoel, leaving them rooted to the bottom of the South African Shield and two places off the foot of the overall table.

Morne Steyn kicked all three conversions for the Bulls as they made it three wins from eight matches this season – and their first at home.

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