RUGBY WRAP: Sharks win on the road; Bulls and Cheetahs cop big losses

Champions Cup R2: Wins for Sharks and Stormers, Bulls smacked by Chiefs

The Sharks won their second straight game in the competition after seeing off Bordeaux-Begles 19-16 at the Chaban-Delmas on Friday. Buoyed by a stellar kicking performance from Curwin Bosch, who contributed 14 points via the boot, the Durbanites’ impressive displays see them occupy fourth in Pool A with qualification to the Round of 16 looking very likely.

The Stormers avenged their defeat to Clermont last week by defeating a dogged London Irish outfit 34-14 in Cape Town. The URC champions led 10-0 at the break but both teams upped the ante in the second stanza, with the hosts finally coming away with their first win of the tournament. Meanwhile, the Bulls conceded six tries at Sandy Park in a 44-14 hiding at the hands of 2020 champions Exeter. The latter two results leaves the Stormers in fifth in Pool B and the Bulls seventh in Pool A.

In other notable results, Ospreys upset French champions Montpellier 21-10 at the GGL, Leinster obliterated Gloucester 57-0 in Dublin and Munster claimed a 17-6 win at Franklin’ Gardens over Saints.

Remaining results:

Edinburgh 31-20 Castres

Lyon 20-28 Saracens

Leicester 23-16 Clermont

Ulster 29-36 La Rochelle

Toulouse 45-19 Sale Sharks

Harlequins 14-10 Racing 92

Challenge Cup R2: Cheetahs fall to Scarlets, Lions best Stade

The Cheetahs couldn’t replicate their round one heroics as they succumbed to a 26-45 loss to Scarlets at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi. The men from Bloemfontein scored three second-half tries, but it wasn’t enough in the end as Hawies Fourie’s charges now find themselves in fifth place in Pool B.

The Lions bounced back from their opening-round draw by bagging an impressive 30-12 victory over Stade Francais in Johannesburg. They’re now second in Pool B and will ride a wave of confidence into their URC clash with the Sharks in Durban this weekend.

There were also big away wins for Benetton over Bayonne (45-7) and Cardiff against Newcastle (47-10).

Remaining results:

Glasgow 26-18 Perpignan

Brive 24-31 Connacht

Toulon 29-7 Bath

Dragons 21-27 Pau

Bristol 35-19 Zebre