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Round 12 of the United Rugby Championship (URC) delivered fireworks and some cracking results and left much to be desired for the Stormers and Sharks.
The two coastal sides were humbled in altitude as the Lions and Vodacom Bulls put on season-defining performances.
The Lions pipped the Stormers 24-10, while the Bulls ran rampant and scored seven tries to thump their counterparts 41-12.
ATR highlights some of the key things we learned from the round and how these results will shape the rest of the season.
Mahashe (21'), van Wyk (24'), Cronje (44')
Tries
Schickerling (54')
Smith (22', 25', 45')
Conversions
Feinberg-Mngomezulu (54')
Smith (57')
Penalties
Feinberg-Mngomezulu (42')
The Lions are a sleeping giant:
The Lions made it back-to-back victories against the Stormers after beating the Sharks at Ellis Park a week earlier.
The hosts were clinical in almost every facet of the game and punished a lacklustre-looking Stormers side. They played the aerial game brilliantly and benefitted early when youngster Siba Mahashe ran in for the game’s opening try.
The Lions had an 80% kick success rate and retained four of their own kicks compared to the Stormers’ three. They had to defend a lot as well in the game, making over 150 tackles and winning eight turnovers.
The Lions dominated the key battles and restricted the Stormers to one try and a penalty, which both came in the second half. It was a top performance by the Lions, who clinched the SA Shield in the process. If they continue their good run of form, the Lions could trouble more teams in the competition.
The Stormers look disjointed:
The Stormers have now suffered three losses on the trot, and there are common trends to pick up from all the defeats.
Their defence, which was hailed earlier this season, has plummeted, and they look vulnerable. Discipline has cost them in several matches, and the Stormers are giving away penalties uncharacteristically.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s inaccuracies with the boot are also costing the side heavily. The flyhalf missed a penalty and drop kick earlier in the game – points that could’ve been crucial for his side.
The Cape side looks like a shadow of the team that was unbeaten in eight matches at some point. There’s a lot to look into, and several questions to be answered before their next match in two weeks against the Bulls.
Bulls seniors are starting to step up:
If you had told Bulls fans a couple of months ago that their team would be on a good run of form, they probably would’ve laughed.
That’s because there was almost no glimmer of hope when the side went on an eight-match winless run. However, they’ve turned their fortunes in recent weeks and are playing with more intent, purpose, and clarity.
What’s driven the Bulls is their senior players. The likes of Handre Pollard, Canan Moodie, Harold Vorster and Kurt-Lee Arendse have been in top form of late.
Sebastian de Klerk has also continued his prolific run, while Embrose Papier continues to go from strength to strength. The forwards have been immense as well, and we’ve seen the resurgence of players like Marcell Coetzee and Ruan Vermaak, while Ruan Nortje and Elrigh Louw are peaking at the right time.
JP will need time:
It hasn’t been the greatest of starts for JP Pietersen as head coach of the Sharks. He’s lost his first two matches in charge, and reality has struck.
The Sharks are in even more danger of missing out on a playoff spot and currently linger in 11th place on the log with six matches to play.
They are six points behind the Bulls, who are in eighth position, so it’s not all doom and gloom for the Durban outfit. Pietersen will be confident that they can turn things around, just like they did when he took over on an interim basis.
The Sharks have been plucky in their last two encounters, and you just wonder whether Pietersen is selecting inconsistent teams weekly. They will need to build momentum in the coming weeks and avoid losing “winnable” games as the playoffs loom.
