The Vodacom Bulls roared back to form in a pulsating Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) Gauteng derby, overcoming a spirited Emirates Lions side with a 31-19 bonus-point victory at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. After a disappointing loss to the Hollywoodbets Sharks last weekend, the Bulls turned the tide in front of their home faithful, outscoring their Johannesburg rivals five tries to three and reaffirming their status as one of the competition’s heavyweights.

The current SA Shield holders wasted no time asserting their dominance, racing to a 17-0 lead within the first 12 minutes. Wing Canan Moodie, fullback Willie le Roux, and scrumhalf Sebastian de Klerk all crossed the whitewash in a blistering opening spell that showcased the Bulls’ attacking intent. However, the momentum shifted when centre Stedman Gans was shown a yellow card for a cynical infringement, allowing Lions centre Henco van Wyk to score and narrow the gap. Six minutes later, hooker PJ Botha powered over for the visitors, reducing the deficit to just three points at 17-14 by halftime. The Lions might have leveled the scores or even taken the lead, but uncharacteristic errors at critical moments kept them at bay.

The second half saw the Bulls seize control once more. Just two minutes after the restart, Lions fullback Quan Horn was sin-binned, and the hosts capitalized immediately. Moodie bagged his second try of the afternoon following a slick passing move, with flyhalf David Kriel’s conversion pushing the score to 24-14. The Lions struggled to regain their footing as penalties mounted, and Bulls flank Marco van Staden sealed the bonus point with a try in the 55th minute, inflating the lead to 31-14.

Despite the mounting scoreboard pressure, the Emirates Lions refused to roll over. Their forwards and backs combined brilliantly to pile pressure on the Bulls’ defense, dominating possession and territory for extended periods. Their persistence paid off in the 67th minute when wing Richard Kriel dotted down, sparking hopes of a late comeback at 31-19. However, the Johannesburgers’ aspirations were dashed by a string of errors and a disallowed try due to foul play, allowing the Bulls to close out the game and secure a vital win.

The victory propels the Vodacom Bulls to 40 log points after 11 matches, solidifying their third-place standing on the URC table behind Glasgow Warriors (42) and runaway leaders Leinster (52). Meanwhile, the Emirates Lions remain anchored in 12th with 23 points, one point shy of the DHL Stormers in 10th and four behind eighth-placed Scarlets, though they hold a game in hand after completing only 10 fixtures.
Reflecting on the match, the Bulls’ early blitz and second-half resilience proved decisive, while the Lions will rue missed opportunities that could have turned the tide. The local derbies roll on next weekend, with the Emirates Lions set to host the Hollywoodbets Sharks in Johannesburg and the Vodacom Bulls facing another stern test against the DHL Stormers in Pretoria.

Scorers:

Vodacom Bulls (17) 31 – Tries: Canan Moodie (2), Willie le Roux, Sebastian de Klerk, Marco van Staden. Conversions: David Kriel (3).

Emirates Lions (14) 19 – Tries: Henco van Wyk, PJ Botha, Richard Kriel. Conversions: Gianni Lombard (2).

Photo: Vodacom Bulls
[Submitted by Kevin Rademeyer]