State of the URC: Bulls, Sharks break on a high
12/02/2024 01:53 AM
The Vodacom Bulls continued their winning run as the Sharks beat the DHL Stormers for the first time in the Vodacom URC heading into a two-week pause in the competition.
All four South African teams were in action on Saturday after a four-week break due to the November internationals, the Sharks and Bulls returning with a bang.
The Herd delivered another impressive performance to defeat Connacht 28-14 in Galway, while John Plumtree’s charges held off a determined challenge by the Stormers in Durban for a 21-15 victory in a thrilling coastal derby.
The Lions, meanwhile, suffered their second defeat in six matches as they went down 17-10 against Munster in a tight encounter in Limerick.
These results saw the Bulls complete round 7 in third place on the table with 24 points – trailing leaders Leinster by 10 – while the Sharks are now in sixth position with 19 points.
The Sharks and the fifth-placed Lions are tied on log points, but the Pride have a better differential. The Stormers are 13th after their fourth defeat of the season.
The teams will now switch into Champions Cup and Challenge Cup mode until the URC resumes on the weekend of 20-22 December.
The action will resume with a series of festive derbies in Round 8, with the Stormers and Lions set to lock horns in Cape Town before the Sharks host the Bulls at Kings Park.
Round 7 results:
Glasgow 17-15 Scarlets
Ulster 20-27 Leinster
Sharks 21-15 Stormers
Cardiff 31-23 Dragons
Connacht 14-28 Bulls
Edinburgh 50-33 Benetton
Munster 17-10 Lions
Zebre 22-17 Ospreys
Round 8 fixtures:
Friday, 20 December
Ulster vs Munster (9:35pm)
Saturday, 21 December
Benetton vs Zebre (3pm)
Stormers vs Lions (3:45pm)
Sharks vs Bulls (6pm)
Ospreys vs Scarlets (6:45pm)
Leinster vs Connacht (7:30pm)
Sunday, 22 December
Glasgow vs Edinburgh (5pm)
Dragons vs Cardiff (7:15pm)
Photo: Tyler Miller/Gallo Images
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