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This past weekend, the Hollywoodbets Sharks and DHL Stormers made a notable impact in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, with both coastal teams achieving home victories in exciting local derbies.
The DHL Stormers triumphed with a 29-10 win against the Emirates Lions in Cape Town, marking their third victory in the competition this season. Meanwhile, the Hollywoodbets Sharks surprised fans by defeating the third-placed Vodacom Bulls in Durban, securing a 20-17 win after breaking a tense 17-all deadlock in the closing quarter, much to the excitement of the packed stands.
In light of these results and others over the weekend, the Vodacom Bulls maintained their third position on the standings, just two points behind the Glasgow Warriors, while the Hollywoodbets Sharks advanced to fourth place with 23 points, only two points shy of the team from Pretoria.
The Emirates Lions currently occupy seventh place with 19 points, whereas the DHL Stormers sit further down in 13th position with 16 points.
With the Gauteng teams taking a short break during the festive season, the DHL Stormers and Hollywoodbets Sharks are set to meet next Saturday in an exciting coastal derby in Cape Town for their final match of the 2024 season.
DHL Stormers bounce back with crucial win over Emirates Lions
The DHL Stormers made a significant recovery from a challenging period, securing a morale-boosting bonus-point victory of 29-10 against the Emirates Lions before an enthusiastic home crowd at the DHL Stadium. They established a 15-0 lead by halftime.
The Lions kicked off strongly, applying pressure on the Stormers’ defense. However, once the Stormers found their groove, they dominated the Johannesburg team throughout the match, especially after Ruben Schoeman was shown a red card for the Gauteng side in the 21st minute, leaving them with a numerical disadvantage for most of the game.
Springbok hooker Joseph Dweba tallied two tries from powerful rolling mauls within the first 34 minutes, with Suleiman Hartzenberg contributing another try from an impressive cross kick, resulting in a 15-0 lead for the Capetonians at halftime.
The Gauteng side made a determined effort in the second half, culminating in a try by Edwill van der Merwe just four minutes after the interval. However, they faced another blow when Manuel Rass received a yellow card shortly afterward, putting them down to 13 players for the next 10 minutes.
Seizing their numerical advantage, the DHL Stormers had Leolin Zas score another try before Franco Marais managed a second try for the Emirates Lions in the 64th minute.
Despite the visitors’ desperate efforts to narrow the scoreline in the closing moments, the DHL Stormers confirmed their victory with Neethling Fouche scoring their fifth try, concluding the match at 29-10.
Scorers:
DHL Stormers 29 (15) – Tries: Joseph Dweba (2), Suleiman Hartzenberg, Leolin Zas, Neethling Fouche. Conversions: Manie Libbok (2).
Emirates Lions 15 (10) – Tries: Edwill van der Merwe, Franco Marais.
Hollywoodbets Sharks fend off Vodacom Bulls in Durban thriller
The Hollywoodbets Sharks delivered an outstanding performance to clinch a 20-17 victory over the Vodacom Bulls in a thrilling encounter at Hollywoodbets Kings Park.
Springbok flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse initiated the scoring with a penalty goal in the sixth minute, followed by his brother Jaden Hendrikse scoring the Sharks’ first try 12 minutes later, establishing a 10-0 lead for the hosts.
The Vodacom Bulls responded decisively, quickly registering two tries through Cobus Wiese and Harold Vorster, which, alongside successful conversions, granted them a 14-10 lead.
If not for pivotal errors by the Bulls just before halftime, they could have extended their advantage further. Nevertheless, the Sharks’ resolute defense effectively prevented any additional points.
The second half morphed into an intense contest, culminating in a penalty try awarded to the Hollywoodbets Sharks after the Vodacom Bulls committed an infringement over the goal line, resulting in Sebastian de Klerk being sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes. This tied the score at 17-17 with 28 minutes remaining.
Jordan Hendrikse ultimately secured the win with a penalty in the 69th minute, granting the Sharks a narrow three-point lead with 10 minutes to play. They mounted a fierce defense as the Vodacom Bulls sought a winning score until the final whistle.
Scorers:
Hollywoodbets Sharks 20 (14) – Tries: Jaden Hendrikse, Penalty try. Conversion: Jordan Hendrikse. Penalty goals: Jordan Hendrikse (2).
Vodacom Bulls 17 (10) – Tries: Cobus Wiese, Harold Vorster. Conversions: Johan Goosen (2). Penalty goal: Goosen.
