The DHL Stormers produced a performance packed with steel and precision to defeat the Vodacom Bulls 32-19 at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, halting a three-match skid and reigniting their Vodacom United Rugby Championship campaign.
The victory marked the Capetonians’ 10th win in their last 12 clashes with their Pretoria rivals and lifted them to second place on the URC standings with 41 points, four behind leaders Glasgow Warriors and level with Ulster and Leinster with six pool rounds remaining.
It arrived against the run of recent momentum. The Bulls entered the derby on a three-match winning streak and carried the confidence of a team thriving at home. Yet the Stormers played with the composure of a seasoned pack steering through heavy traffic, absorbing pressure before striking with clinical accuracy.
Loftus W ✅
Back home next week and we can't wait to see you all.
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Loftus opened with familiar thunder. The Bulls dominated early collisions and controlled possession, pressing the Stormers deep into their half. Their breakthrough arrived in the 19th minute when Adre Smith saw yellow for a high tackle. Moments later Ben-Jason Dixon infringed in a maul close to the line, gifting the hosts a penalty try and a 7-0 lead.
Two extra players should have provided the Bulls with momentum. Instead the Stormers steadied the scrum and slowed the tempo, patiently rebuilding their rhythm.
Damian Willemse crossed for the visitors’ first try and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu added the extras with a penalty to edge the Stormers ahead 10-7 at halftime.
The second half turned into a territorial arm-wrestle where the Stormers’ set piece began to rumble like a forward pack marching toward the tryline. Feinberg-Mngomezulu kicked another penalty before Paul de Villiers powered over to extend the lead to 18-7.
Discipline then unravelled for the hosts. Cobus Wiese was yellow-carded for pushing an opponent on the ground, and Marco van Staden followed him to the sin bin after collapsing a powerful Stormers maul. The resulting penalty try stretched the visitors’ advantage.
The Bulls conjured a moment of brilliance when Canan Moodie chipped ahead and Zak Burger dotted down to ignite Loftus again. The comeback spark faded quickly when Hacjivah Dayimani finished a sweeping attack with ten minutes remaining, effectively sealing the contest at 32-14.
Hacjivah Dayimani is back doing bits for the DHL Stormers 🌩️🏉#SSRugby | #VURC pic.twitter.com/jMlsPSq95E
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Kurt-Lee Arendse scored on the final whistle, though the Stormers had already locked the gates on the result.
Stormers coach John Dobson described the victory as deeply emotional after weeks of criticism.
“There was a lot of doubt, a lot of questions, a lot of noise around some of our players, people asking ‘What is wrong with the Stormers?’” Dobson said.
“We were under a lot of pressure. A team that was unbeaten. And all the hype.
“It was probably our most important win. And probably our most dominant up here.
“No one gave us a chance, especially if you come to a place like this.
“It’s so emotional, rugby isn’t it?
“The derbies are just so different from the overseas games.
“It’s a really good Bulls team. All around the field.
“I’m not saying it because we won. It was a proper test match. There were 46 excellent rugby players out there today at a high level.
“It’s a proper Bulls team. It’s not a Bulls team in crisis; it’s a Bulls team with momentum, with real class.
“It’s a big win for us.”
Dobson praised his team’s discipline and structure.
“The setpiece was unusual…against a team like the Bulls.
“We could’ve gone helter-skelter, and that’s where Sacha deserves enormous praise.
“The discipline was much better, both in terms of the penalties and in terms of how we applied ourselves.”
Bulls coach Johan Ackermann admitted the defeat stung.
“We were caught off guard; we really felt the team had prepared well this week,” Ackermann said.
“It was the basic stuff that let us down. It is frustrating to lose if you are not doing the basics well.
“We as coaches must look at ourselves and take it on the chin as a team and realise in these derbies form is out the door. Everyone is good and the Stormers were more accurate than us.
“This hurts, but there is not a lot of time to sulk. We have a short turnaround and we need to bounce back on Friday.”
Scorers
Vodacom Bulls 19 (7)
Tries: Penalty Try, Zak Burger, Kurt-Lee Arendse
Conversion: Handre Pollard
DHL Stormers 32 (7)
Tries: Damian Willemse, Paul de Villiers, Penalty Try, Hacjivah Dayimani
Conversions: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2)
Penalty Goals: Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2)
