State of the URC: Stormers, Lions reignite campaigns

The Stormers and Lions boosted their Vodacom URC playoff hopes with crucial derby wins on Saturday, while the Bulls chose a good week to slip up.

The competitive balance of the tournament was evident as five of the top six teams on the log lost, while there are just five log points separating the teams ranked seventh and 15th.

The STORMERS snapped a three-match losing streak in the competition with a 19-16 victory against the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus after kick-off was delayed by more than an hour due to torrential rain and a water-logged field. The Cape franchise achieved the rare feat of winning and dropping two spots on the table, though that’s due to tiebreakers as they are level with four other teams on 28 log points. Next up for the Stormers is a two-match tour against Scarlets (22 March) and Ulster (28 March).

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In the buildup to the North-South derby, lock Cobus Wiese said the BULLS wanted to make Loftus intimidating again for visiting teams. However, a second loss in their last three home matches underlines the fact that it’s no longer a fortress for Jake White’s side. Fortunately, second-placed Glasgow also slipped up over the weekend so the Bulls are just three log points behind them, with another home match, against unbeaten Leinster, to come on 22 March.

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The LIONS‘ impressive 38-14 bonus-point win against the Sharks at Ellis Park briefly moved them from 12th to eighth on the log, before other results saw them drop to ninth. But Cash van Rooyen’s team are just one point behind Connacht (8th) with a game in hand which they will catch up this week when they face the Sharks in a rescheduled round 1 match at Kings Park on Saturday. A bonus-point win could move them into fifth on the log.

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Coach John Plumtree lamented the SHARKS’ inconsistency after they followed a gutsy win against the Bulls at Loftus with a woeful performance at Ellis Park. Plumtree said his players didn’t pitch up mentally for the match, that the Lions wanted it more and that he would expect a “big response” from his team at Kings Park this Saturday. The Sharks are seven log points behind the third-placed Bulls – with a game in hand – and can cut that to two or three if they do bounce back in front of their home fans. There’s also the added incentive of winning the SA Shield for the first time – a fourth derby victory of the season would take the Sharks above the Stormers.

SA Shield (matches played, log points)
Stormers (6, 18)
Bulls (6, 17)
Sharks (5, 14)
Lions (5, 9)

PLUM: The Lions wanted it more

Round 12 results:
Munster 28 Edinburgh 34
Zebre 31 Dragons 21
Lions 38 Sharks 14
Bulls 16 Stormers 19
Leinster 42 Cardiff 24
Ulster 30 Scarlets 28
Connacht 38 Benetton 30
Glasgow 31 Ospreys 32

Round 1 fixture (rescheduled):
8 March
Sharks vs Lions (2pm)

Round 13 fixtures:
21 March
Cardiff vs Lions (9.35pm)
Glasgow vs Munster (9.35pm)
22 March
Sharks vs Zebre (2.45pm)
Benetton vs Edinburgh (5pm)
Bulls vs Leinster (5pm)
Scarlets vs Stormers (5pm)
Dragons vs Ulster (7.15pm)
Ospreys vs Connacht (7.15pm)

 Photo: Gordon Arons/Gallo Images