The SA Rugby Under-23 Cup is starting to take shape, and one team is making an almighty statement. The Lions XV continued their relentless march through the competition with a scintillating 49-31 derby victory over the Bulls XV at Wits University, whilst Divan Fuller produced a four-try masterclass to power the Stormers XXIII past the Sharks U23s 41-7 in Cape Town.
Saturday’s results have blown the competition wide open heading into the penultimate round, with the Lions sitting pretty on a perfect 20 points from four matches. Behind them, the Bulls remain in second on 12 points, whilst the Stormers’ second victory of the campaign lifts them to 10 points. The Sharks, meanwhile, remain winless with just a solitary point from four outings, a situation they’ll be desperate to remedy when they host the Bulls in Durban next Saturday.
Lions stamp authority in high-octane Jukskei derby
If you wanted a blueprint for how to dominate a local derby, the Lions XV provided it in Johannesburg.
The hosts exploded out of the blocks, putting three converted tries on the board inside the opening 20 minutes. Morne Venter opened the floodgates before Michail Damon and Jason Hugo added their names to the scoresheet, and suddenly the Bulls were staring down the barrel at a potential hiding.
Credit where it’s due, the visitors from Pretoria didn’t fold. JJ Theron, Marnus Rademeyer and Shaun Schürmann all crossed the whitewash as the Bulls fought back with genuine bite. But the Lions’ control never wavered, and they carried a comfortable 28-19 cushion into the sheds at half-time.
The second stanza followed a familiar script. The Lions’ relentless tempo and clinical execution kept stretching the Bulls’ defence to breaking point. Guilermo Mentoe struck early after the restart, and whilst Dieter Schubert briefly gave the visitors hope, the Lions had more firepower in reserve.
Former Junior Bok scrumhalf Haashim Pead showcased his class with a crucial try, before Exauce Kevani twisted the knife in the final quarter. Sintu Manjezi grabbed a late consolation for the Bulls, but by then the damage was done. Sam Francis capped a faultless afternoon with the boot, slotting all seven conversions to complete a comprehensive performance.
Four wins from four starts. Twenty points from a possible 20. The Lions XV aren’t just leading this competition, they’re setting the standard.
Fuller’s four-try blitz sinks hapless Sharks
Over at DHL Stadium, the Stormers XXIII served up their own brand of dominance, and at the heart of it was former Junior Bok flanker Divan Fuller, who produced an absolute masterclass in finishing.
Four tries from the powerful forward. And he did it despite spending 10 minutes cooling his heels in the sin bin. That’s the kind of performance that gets you noticed at higher levels, and Fuller’s name will be ringing in a few ears after this showing.
The foundation was laid in the first half. Fuller crossed twice, with Jonathan Roche adding another, as the Stormers built a commanding 19-0 lead at the break. The Sharks simply had no answers to the Capetonians’ physicality and pace.
If the first half was one-way traffic, the second was a procession. Fuller added two more tries to his haul, completing a sensational four-try performance, whilst Hacjivah Dayimani and Josh Boulle also got in on the act. The Stormers’ attack was flowing, their defence was suffocating, and the Sharks were being comprehensively outplayed.
The visitors’ sole response came deep into stoppage time when replacement Christoff Etzebeth crossed for a consolation score, converted by Stefan Moolman. But this was the Stormers’ day, and Fuller’s in particular.
The road to the final heats up
With just one round of league action remaining before the final, the picture is becoming clearer. The Lions XV have one hand on a place in the showpiece, sitting eight points clear at the summit. Their trip to Cape Town to face the Stormers next Saturday will be their toughest test yet, but if they maintain this form, they’ll take some stopping.
The Bulls, despite Saturday’s setback, remain firmly in second place and will fancy their chances of securing a finals berth. Their clash with the winless Sharks in Durban takes on extra significance, a victory would all but guarantee their spot in the final, whilst defeat could open the door for the Stormers to leapfrog them.
For the Sharks, the situation is dire. Four games, four defeats, and just one point to show for their efforts. They need to find some pride and produce a performance against the Bulls, or risk finishing this campaign with nothing but regrets.
The Stormers, meanwhile, have given themselves a fighting chance. Two wins from four isn’t spectacular, but if they can upset the Lions at home and results go their way in Durban, they could yet force their way into the final.
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