The Sharks and Stormers both grabbed crucial URC wins at the weekend, the Brumbies go top of Super Rugby Pacifica and away wins galore in the Champions Cup!
Sharks, Stormers come out trumps in SA derbies
The Sharks thumped a red-hot Lions side 37-20 at a wet Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Saturday to rise to sixth on the URC standings. The Durbanites’ game management was spot on, with halfbacks Jaden Hendrikse and Curwin Bosch delivering standout showings at nine and 10. Phepsi Buthelezi was also instrumental for the hosts, who have a tough run-in to the playoffs with games against Leinster, Connacht and Ulster still to come.
For the Stormers, their hard-fought 19-17 win over the Bulls at Cape Town Stadium saw them go fifth, with the SA Shield now theirs to lose. John Dobson’s men will be favourites to beat Glasgow in their next encounter but must also contend with the might of Leinster and an away trip to Scarlets ahead of the playoffs. The eighth-placed Bulls have an easier run-in with fixtures against Benetton, Glasgow (both home) and Ospreys (away), but can’t afford to drop points if they are to make the knockouts.
The DHL Stormers edge the Vodacom Bulls by two points to cement their position as the top SA team in the Vodacom #URC 🔝 pic.twitter.com/ZZ5UQM06ZF
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) April 9, 2022
Six away wins in Champions Cup weekend
With the Champions Cup round of 16 first legs having kicked off on the weekend, the majority of the wins came for the away teams. In the pick of the round, Ulster saw off 14-man Toulouse 26-20 at the Stade Mayol with Ireland winger Robert Baloucoune bagging a hat-trick. The hosts had as many as 10 France Grand Slam winners in their side but were reduced to 14-men for 70-odd minutes after the sending off of Argentina winger Juan Cruz Mallia.
On Friday, Leinster beat Connacht 26-21 in their Irish derby in Galway, while there were more away wins for La Rochelle over Bordeaux (31-13), Bristol over Sale (10-9), Racing 92 over Stade Francais (22-9) and the Tigers over Clermont (29-10). Exeter beat Munster 13-8 at Sandy Park and Montpellier brushed Harlequins aside 40-26 at the GGL Stadium in the other results of the weekend.
Gotta love an intercept @Rob_Baloucoune pic.twitter.com/98JxXdGfgo
— UlsterRugbySP 🏉 (@UlsterRugbySP) April 9, 2022
Brumbies go top of Super Rugby
The Brumbies’ 33-12 defeat of Fijian Drua at the Suncorp on Saturday propelled them to the summit of the Super Rugby standings. In what was veteran Wallabies prop James Slipper’s 150th cap, Dan McKellar’s side were too good for the Drua boys and are now four-points clear of the Blues and Crusaders at the top of the log. It must be noted though that the trans-Tasman phase of the competition only begins this weekend, and it’s unlikely that things will remain as they are once the Aussie teams travel to New Zealand.
In other results, the Highlanders brushed Moana Pasifika aside 37-17 in Dunedin, the Rebels beat the Force 22-21 in Perth, the Crusaders edged the Hurricanes 24-21 in Wellington and the Blues blanked the Chiefs in a 25-0 thumping in Waikato.
🕰 Like clockwork from @BrumbiesRugby #DRUvBRU #SuperRugbyPacific pic.twitter.com/4xrj2I7dBl
— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) April 9, 2022
Stunners of the Week
Hendrikse no-looker sets up Sharks’ first
Jaden Hendrikse is slowly beginning to rediscover the form that made him a Springbok last year after working his way back to full fitness following a spell on the sidelines. His performance for the Sharks on the weekend was phenomenal and this no-look pass was a jaw dropper. He wasn’t done there though…
The home side wasting no time in getting 5 points 🙌@Vodacom #URC #SHAvLIO #SSRugby @URCOfficial_RSA pic.twitter.com/86whFqIwsl
— vodacomrugby (@VodacomRugga) April 9, 2022
Hendrikse dink sets up Sharks’ second
This cheeky dink unlocked the Lions’ defence again and secured the Sharks their second of the afternoon in their 37-10 win at a wet Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Saturday.
The cheeky little nudge in behind 🤩#URC #SHAvLIO pic.twitter.com/K0U7IvNwTz
— United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) April 9, 2022
Hoggy kets fly
Stuart Hogg sunk this pearler of a drop goal from halfway during his Exeter side’s 13-8 defeat of Munster at Sandy Park on Saturday.
. @StuartWHOGG_ v Munster 🎯 #EXEvMUN pic.twitter.com/VBxmmtzpwa
— Jared Wright (@jaredwright17) April 9, 2022
Classy Am doing what he does best
Lukhanyo Am showed power, strength and guile to score for the Kobelco Kobe Steelers in their 57-28 win against basement dwellers Green Rockets Tokatsu in the Japan Rugby League One on Sunday.
LUKAAAAAAANYO 🔥
— Saffas Abroad Rugby (@SaffasRugby) April 10, 2022
Am crosses over the line for @kobe_steelers in the 80th minute.#SaffasAbroad | #LeagueOne pic.twitter.com/bR2H7p9mnC
Canakaivata displays raw power
The flying Fijians stormed to the Singapore Sevens title on the weekend after dispatching of New Zealand 28-17 on Sunday. Elia Canakaivata produced this moment of brutality in the 19-12 semi-final defeat of the Aussies.
Elia Canakaivata says sit down!
— Murray Kinsella (@Murray_Kinsella) April 10, 2022
Fiji are into the final in Singapore after beating Australia 19-12.
Now, can Ireland join them? They kick-off against New Zealand in the second semi-final next!#Singapore7s pic.twitter.com/Ep1ykikbuU
Reinach’s got the gas
Cobus Reinach has a knack for scoring breakaway tries, and he bagged another during Montpellier’s 40-26 Champions Cup win over Harlequins on Sunday.
You are not stopping the world's fastest 9 from there.
— Saffas Abroad Rugby (@SaffasRugby) April 10, 2022
Cobus Reinach scores for @MHR_officiel #HeinekenChampionsCup | #MHRvHAR pic.twitter.com/BjdHwdKL9b
