Staff Reporter.
The Vodacom Bulls and Hollywoodbets Sharks provided a ray of light in an indifferent weekend for South Africa’s five teams in the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup playoffs, as they recorded invaluable victories to advance to the quarterfinals next week.
The Vodacom Bulls, who thumped Lyon 59-19 in Pretoria, will face the Northhampton Saints in England next Saturday in their top eight fixture in the Investec Champions Cup, while the Hollywoodbets Sharks, who registered a resounding 47-3 win against Zebre Parma in Durban, will meet Edinburgh in Durban in their EPCR Challenge Cup quarterfinal.
The other three South African sides (Stormers, Lions and Cheetahs), meanwhile, were knocked out of their respective competitions.
The DHL Stormers suffered a heart-wrenching last minute 22-21 defeat against defending champions Stade Rochelais in Cape Town in the Investec Champions Cup, while the Toyota Cheetahs went down 27-22 against Clermont Auvergne in France and the Emirates Lions suffered a disappointing 27-17 defeat against Benetton in Italy despite the hosts receiving a red card early in the second half.
Vodacom Bulls annihilate Lyon to book quarterfinal spot
The Vodacom Bulls blew Lyon off the park at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday to advance to the quarterfinal of the Investec Champions Cup for the first time, outscoring the visitors nine tries to three – which included a penalty try – for an emphatic 59-19 victory, with Sebastian de Klerk and Embrose Papier each scoring braces.
The Pretoria outfit created and used their opportunities at will, while they denied the visitors from creating much momentum, and this paid off with four tries in the first half – three of which were scored in the opening quarter – and five in the second half.
With the hosts’ defence holding strong, they leaked only one try in the first half, and then conceded a penalty try shortly after the break with Canan Moodie paying the price for a high tackle, while Lyon added one more in the 55th minute.
With the visitors’ defence letting them down and the Vodacom Bulls proving unstoppable on attack, with Kurt-Lee Arendse especially dangerous, the French team were forced to settle for scraps for most of the match.
Scorers:
Vodacom Bulls 59 (28) – Tries: Sebastian de Klerk (2), Embrose Papier (2), Marcell Coetzee, Ruan Vermaak, Willie le Roux, David Kriel, Chris Smith. Conversions: Johan Goosen (5), Smith (2).
Lyon 19 (7) – Tries: Martin Page-Relo, Penalty try, Thaakir Abrahams. Conversion: Paddy Jackson.
Compiled by Lehlohonolo Lehana.