The DHL Stormers retained top spot on the Vodacom URC log with a full house of points in their 34-27 victory over the Lions at the DHL Stadium, where the visitors gained a valuable losing bonus point in a highly entertaining clash.

The Hollywoodbets Sharks scored two tries in the final 10 minutes for a deserved 21-12 victory over the Vodacom Bulls at Hollywoodbets Kings Park, where the hosts won only their second clash of the competition this season.

With a couple of games to go in the seventh round, the Stormers (first), Lions (seventh) and Bulls (eighth) remained in the quarter-final race, while the Sharks moved up to 12^th on the Vodacom URC log.

The four local sides will enjoy a break over Christmas and will resume their battle for the South African Shield on 3 January, when the DHL Stormers host the Vodacom Bulls in Cape Town, and the Lions travel to Durban for their clash against the Hollywoodbets Sharks.

Stormers made to sweat by Lions in Cape Town

The DHL Stormers had to work very hard against the Lions to keep their unbeaten run going with a 34-27 victory over their visitors from upcountry at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday.

In a match that was a great advertisement for South African rugby, the hosts outscored their Gauteng visitors by four tries to three, while both flyhalves, the Stormers’ Jurie Matthee and Chris Smith for the Lions, on song with all their kicks from the tee.

The Lions were out of the blocks in no time when Ruan Venter crashed over for the first of his two tries from a mistake by Evan Roos at the kick-off, and the visitors held a seven-point lead at the break.

But the DHL Stormers put in a proper shift after the break, scoring three tries to seal the deal, with former Junior Bok captain Paul de Villiers again putting in a massive shift, while the Lions’ discipline let them down.

Roos went from villain to hero late in the game when he scored the DHL Stormers’ fourth try and won a crucial turnover at the death with the Lions hard on the attack for the equalising try.

Scorers:

DHL Stormers 34 (10) – Tries: Dylan Maart, Wandisile Simelane, Paul de Villiers, Evan Roos. Conversions: Jurie Matthee (4). Penalty goals: Matthee (2).

Lions 27 (17) – Tries: Ruan Venter (2), Kelly Mpeku. Conversions: Chris Smith (3). Penalty goals: Smith (2).

Sharks’ late rally breaks Bulls’ hearts in Durban

Springboks Siya Kolisi and Edwill van der Merwe scored in the final 10 minutes of an enthralling local Vodacom URC derby in Durban to help the Hollywoodbets Sharks to only their second win of the season as they beat the Vodacom Bulls by 21-12 on Saturday evening.

The match was like two heavyweight boxers slugging it out, with Hakeen Kunene’s intercept try breaking the early deadlock, but Bok pivot Handre Pollard ensured the visitors led 9-7 at the break with three first half penalty goals.

With their scrum in command, Pollard landed his fourth penalty goal early midway through the second half to push the Bulls’ lead out to 12-7, but the Sharks grew in confidence as the game progressed and when Kolisi crashed over with just under 10 minutes to go, they took a 14-12 lead.

Van der Merwe sealed the deal with three minutes to go with a brilliant try from a clever kick into the Bulls’ 22 from Jaden Hendrikse as the Sharks repaid their fans, who came out in droves, for their support.

Scorers:

Hollywoodbets Sharks 21 (7) – Tries: Hakeen Kunene, Siya Kolisi, Edwill van der Merwe. Conversions: Jordan Hendrikse, George Whitehead (2).

Vodacom Bulls 12 (9) – Penalty goals: Handre Pollard (4).