The DHL Stormers and Cell C Sharks strengthened their chances of favourable Vodacom United Rugby Championship playoff fixtures as they defeated the Vodacom Bulls and Emirates Lions respectively in a crucial round of local derbies on Saturday. The DHL Stormers, who remained in second place on the standings thanks to their nail-biting 23-19 victory against the Vodacom Bulls in front of a packed crowed of over 41,000 spectators at Loftus Versfeld, trail unbeaten log-leaders Leinster by 12 points …
Rugby
A field of dreams for Fourie and Van Staden
The Vodacom United Rugby Championship is a field of dreams, and not just for youngsters. When Marco van Staden faces off against Deon Fourie in Pretoria on Saturday, this sentiment will be further enforced. In 2022 Deon Fourie became the oldest Springbok debutant, at 35 years old, off the back of a spectacular season for the DHL Stormers which culminated in them beating the Vodacom Bulls, in Cape Town, to win the inaugural Vodacom United Rugby Championship title. When the Vodacom Bulls …
Shrugging off a Near Death Experience
Vodacom Bulls coach Jake White is on the comeback trail from a near-death experience that opened his eyes and reignited his rugby fire. He hopes to see 40 000 at Loftus when his boys host the DHL Stormers in a SA rugby's biggest North v South Vodacom United Rugby Championship derby in a fortnight but he also wants everyone to appreciate the joy in just being able to be there, as opposed to being there for a specific result. Don't misinterpret this as White not wanting the Vodacom Bulls …
Bulls Triumph Against Lyon
The five South African teams that made their debuts in the Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup on Saturday got a pass mark on the opening weekend of the two European competitions, with the Cell C Sharks, Vodacom Bulls, and Toyota Cheetahs kicking their campaigns off on winning notes, while the Emirates Lions played to a draw and the DHL Stormers suffered a disappointing away defeat. In the Heineken Challenge Cup, the Vodacom Bulls got off to a firing start against French club Lyon at …
Jake White Delivers A Crash Course On European Cup Rugby
Vodacom Bulls boss Jake White has been giving his players a crash course in the Heineken Champions Cup as his Vodacom United Rugby Championship high-fliers prepare for their European debut. White, who guided the Springboks to World Cup glory in 2007, knows all about the Champions Cup from the three years he spent in charge of French club Montpellier. Now he is taking the Vodacom Bulls on a ground-breaking Euro adventure as they embark on home and away group matches against Lyon and …
Kurt-Lee Arendse enjoying proving people wrong as he returns to Vodacom URC action
Kurt-Lee Arendse enjoys nothing more than proving all those people who told him he was too small to play rugby wrong. The diminutive 26-year-old, who is 5ft 9ins and 11st 13lbs, is one of the most talked about players in the world game right now, following his try-scoring exploits for the Springboks in the autumn internationals, culminating in his superb finish during last weekend’s victory over England at Twickenham. Now he is back on Vodacom United Rugby Championship duty, having …
Edwards warns Cardiff they will be facing a South African revenge mission
Sir Gareth Edwards has warned that the Vodacom Bulls will be on a revenge mission for the whole of South African rugby when they face Cardiff in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship on Saturday. Dai Young’s Cardiff sent shockwaves through the competition when they romped to a 35-0 victory over the Cell C Sharks in Durban last weekend. It was a display that delighted scrum-half legend Edwards who played with such distinction for the club during a glittering career that saw him hit the …
We Must Back Up Our Heroics at Loftus
Cardiff boss Dai Young says his team need to back up their “outstanding” Vodacom United Rugby Championship victory away to the Cell C Sharks when they take on the high-flying Vodacom Bulls on Saturday. The visitors from the Arms Park became the first Welsh side to win a Vodacom URC game out in South Africa as they performed a 35-0 Durban demolition job in arguably the result of the season so far in the league. Now they head up to Pretoria for a Loftus Versfeld encounter with the …
Vodacom Bulls Not Taking The Welsh Clashes Lightly
The Vodacom Bulls are wary of wounded Welsh rugby as they prepare for back-to-back Vodacom United Rugby Championship matches against the Ospreys and Cardiff Rugby. Last weekend saw the Wales national team go down to a first ever defeat to Georgia as they were beaten 13-12 in a huge shock at the Principality Stadium. That’s the backdrop against which the country’s four pro sides have headed out on tour to South Africa, where none of them have yet recorded a victory in the Vodacom …
Morne Teaching Smith How to Strike Under Pressure
It’s hardly surprising that Chris Smith is the leading points scorer in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship this season when you consider who his kicking mentor is. Alongside him at the Vodacom Bulls is veteran Springboks fly-half Morne Steyn, a name then sends a chill through British and Irish rugby fans. During a remarkable career, the 68-cap Steyn has twice landed the kicks to secure series victories over the British & Irish Lions, in 2009 and then again in 2021. Now 38, he is …