Stormers, Bulls gear up for North-South IX
Today at 03:51 AM
Get your heart pounding as the Stormers prepare to host the Vodacom Bulls on Saturday in the ninth instalment of the URC’s North-South derby.
South Africa’s fiercest URC rivals have battled eight times since the competition launched in 2021, with the Stormers winning the first seven – including the 2021-22 Grand Final – while the Bulls clinched the most recent clash at Loftus Versfeld in March.
The Herd lead South Africa’s charge in third place on the URC table with a 6-2 record, and the 4-5 Stormers are in 12th spot, but it is the Cape side that currently tops the SA Shield, having won two of three matches against SA rivals while the Bulls lost to the Sharks and beat the Lions.
State of the URC: SA giants collide in Cape Town
The 37-22 win against the Lions made it two in a row for the Bulls who have gathered momentum after a four-game slump, while the Stormers’ 36-12 reverse at Leinster has them staring at the possibility of three losses on the trot.
Regardless of who comes out the tunnel at Cape Town Stadium for North-South IX, spectators are in for another no-holds-barred showdown that is contested with Test-level intensity.
2023-24 URC round 11: Bulls 40-22 Stormers
2023-24 URC round 8: Stormers 26-20 Bulls
2022-23 URC quarter-finals: Stormers 33-21 Bulls
2022-23 URC round 14: Bulls 19-23 Stormers
2022-23 URC round 10: Stormers 37-27 Bulls
2021-22 URC Grand Final: Stormers 18-13 Bulls
2021-22 URC round 13: Stormers 19-17 Bulls
2021-22 URC round : Bulls 26-30 Stormers
Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
The post Stormers, Bulls gear up for North-South IX appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
