Akker van der Merwe scored a brace of tries as the Bulls secured a top-two finish in the Vodacom URC and the SA Shield with a big win against the Sharks in Durban on Saturday.
Van der Merwe came off the bench to barge over in the second 40 minutes as the Bulls beat the Sharks 26-14 at Kings Park in a derby that had major implications for the URC log and the SA conference.
Currently sitting in first place before the end of the final round of the regular season in the competition, the Bulls could secure a home semi-final if league leaders and defending champions Munster lose to Ulster later on Saturday night.
Grobbies! #SHAvBUL | @Vodacom #URC | #RaceToTheEight pic.twitter.com/kB5d8zy9h6
— vodacomrugby (@VodacomRugga) June 1, 2024
ICYMI – Sharks shed light on injured Boks
Hollywoodbets @SharksRugby score from chaos #SHAvBUL | @Vodacom #URC | #RaceToTheEight pic.twitter.com/XN5XxDGZRM
— vodacomrugby (@VodacomRugga) June 1, 2024
Flyhalf Siya Masuku converted his maiden try in the URC to power the Sharks in front before the close of the first quarter, but the visitors led 12-7 at half time courtesy of tries from outside centre David Kriel and hooker Johan Grobbelaar. Johan Goosen added the extras.
Sharks flanker Vincent Tshituka earned 10 minutes on the naughty chair for cynical play at the breakdown soon after the restart, but having survived a Bulls onslaught with 14 men, the hosts conceded seven points as the match entered the final 20 minutes.
Goosen converted Van der Merwe’s first five-pointer off the back of a rolling maul, and a touchdown from the Sharks’ Dylan Richardson and another Masuku conversion made it a nervous closing period for the Bulls until their substitute hooker burst across the whitewash for the bonus-point score.
Photo: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images
The post Bulls crowned SA Shield champions appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Akker van der Merwe scored a brace of tries as the Bulls secured a top-two finish in the Vodacom URC and the SA Shield with a big win against the Sharks in Durban on Saturday.
The post Bulls crowned SA Shield champions appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
