Mixed fortunes for SA sides in Vodacom URC

The Hollywoodbets Sharks and 10bet Lions were victorious in their second round home clashes in the 2026/27 Vodacom United Rugby Championship on Saturday, but unfortunately the travelling DHL Stormers and Vodacom Bulls both came up short in the Northern Hemisphere.

The Capetonians lost 17-13 to Edinburgh in Scotland on Friday night, with a misfiring line-out in windy conditions not helping their cause.

On Saturday, the Lions beat the Ospreys by 35-19 in Johannesburg, before the Sharks edged Leinster, the defending champions, by 26-20 in Durban to move to the top of the log.

In the final game of the second round, the Bulls went down 26-22 to Munster in Limerick.

The KwaZulu-Natalians have a perfect 10 points after their first two home games, while the men from Johannesburg are in third place on nine points, the same as Cardiff and Edinburgh.

The teams from Pretoria and Cape Town, who return to South Africa after two games on the road, are both on six points in seventh and eighth positions on the log – the same as Musnter in ninth – as the four South African sides prepare for a derby round next Saturday.

After trailing 12-10 at half-time, the Lions produced a dominant second-half display to secure maximum points and maintain their unbeaten start to the URC season with a convincing 35-19 bonus-point victory over Ospreys at in Johannesburg on Saturday afternoon.

The Lions opened the scoring through a Chris Smith penalty in the 11th minute before Erich Cronje crossed for the first try of the match. Smith converted to give the hosts a 10-0 advantage but the Welsh visitors responded strongly.

First Keiran Williams finished a slick attacking movement for a converted try, before Efan Daniel powered over from a driving maul on the stroke of half-time, giving the Ospreys a two-point lead at the break.

The Lions pack laid the platform after half-time. PJ Botha (hooker) crashed over from a maul in the 42nd minute before his replacement, Morné Brandon, repeated the feat six minutes later. Boeta Chamberlain then secured the four-try bonus point with a well-taken score, stretching their lead to 25-12.

The hosts finished strongly as Kelly Mpeku struck twice in three minutes, crossing in the 62nd and 65th minutes to put the result beyond doubt. Ross Moriarty scored a late consolation try after the hooter for the Ospreys, converted by Dan Edwards.

10bet Lions 35 (10) – Tries: Erich Cronje, PJ Botha, Morné Brandon, Boeta Chamberlain, Kelly Mpeku (2). Conversion: Chris Smith. Penalty: Smith.

Ospreys 19 (12) -Tries: Keiran Williams, Efan Daniel, Ross Moriarty. Conversions: Dan Edwards (2).

The Stormers suffered a narrow 17-13 defeat to Edinburgh at Hive Stadium on Friday night, as the home side produced a late surge to snatch victory in a hard-fought URC encounter, played in very windy conditions in the Scottish capital.

Edinburgh flyhalf James Grayson slotted an early penalty goal to give the hosts a 3-0 advantage, while the Capetonians were frustrated by a series of misfiring lineouts and missed opportunities as they went into the break scoreless.

The visitors found their rhythm after half-time. Yaqeen Ahmed kicked two penalties to put the Stormers 6-3 ahead before Edinburgh responded through replacement prop Paul Hill, whose converted try gave the hosts a 10-6 lead.

The game’s disciplinary flashpoint came shortly afterwards when Stormers wing Seabelo Senatla was shown a yellow card, while Edinburgh flanker Freddy Douglas was then sent to the sin bin for repeated team infringements, leaving both sides to navigate crucial stages with 14 men.

The Stormers capitalised when No 8 Hacjivah Dayimani powered over from a dominant scrum, with Ahmed’s conversion edging the visitors 13-10 ahead. However, Edinburgh had the final say. Sustained pressure resulted in Rory McHaffie crossing in the corner, and Grayson added the conversion to secure a 17-13 lead that the hosts held until full-time.

Edinburgh 17 (3) – Tries: Paul Hill, Rory McHaffie. Conversions: James Grayson (2). Penalty: Grayson.

DHL Stormers 13 (0) – Try: Hacjivah Dayimani. Conversion: Yaqeen Ahmed (1). Penalties: Ahmed (2).

The Sharks recorded only their second victory over Leinster when they beat the Irish visitors by 26-20 in an exciting URC game in Durban on Saturday afternoon.

A number of returning Springboks were in action for the hosts and made an immediate impact as the KwaZulu-Natalians not only remained unbeaten but shot to the top of the standings.

A converted try by Ireland midfielder Robbie Henshaw gave Leinster a 7-0 lead before the Sharks hit back with tries by Manu Tshituka and Litelihle Bester, both converted by Vusi Moyo, to give the hosts a 14-7 lead at the break, with their pack setting the tone.

Tom Clarkson’s unconverted try made it 14-12 with half an hour to go and Leinster then took a one-point lead when Sam Prendergast nailed a 66th minute penalty but the hosts then took control, with Ox Nche and Eben Etzebeth showing their experience off the bench.

Bok centre Andre Esterhuizen, who captained the home side, crossed for a superb try with Moyo’s conversion making it 21-15 before Edwill van der Merwe, another one of the hosts’ returning Boks, all but sealed the deal with an intercept try in the 78th minute, which also secured them a try-scoring bonus point.

Leinster grabbed a losing bonus point through Andrew Osborne in injury-time but it was too little, too late for the defending champions from Dublin.

Hollywoodbets Sharks 26 (14) – Tries: Manu Tshituka, Litelihle Bester, Andre Esterhuizen, Edwill van der Merwe. Conversions: Vusi Moyo (3).

Leinster 20 (7) – Tries: Robbie Henshaw, Thomas Clarkson, Andrew Osborne. Conversion: Caspar Gabriel. Penalt: Sam Prendergast.

The Bulls came up short in an entertaining URC clash against Munster in Limerick, where the hosts won by 26-22 after the teams were locked at 14-14 at the break.

Ruan Vermaak gave the visitors the lead when he went over after a strong line-out drive but five minutes later Diarmuid Kilgallen levelled matters when he scored from a great cross kick.

When Charlie O’Shea charged down a Curwin Bosch kick and added the conversion, the hosts led 14-7 with 10 minutes to go in the first half but the men from Pretoria hit back with a try by Francois Klopper after a relentless attacking spell shortly before the break.

Jeandré Rudolph won a breakdown penalty early in the second half and Bosch nailed the kick to give the Bulls a 17-14 lead but O’Shea’s second try, followed by an Alex Kendellen score, saw Munster enter the final 10 minutes leading by 26-17.

Rudolph was rewarded for a great game with a try in the 73rd minute, which put the Bulls back in the picture at 26-22 but unfortunately for they failed to find the extra gear needed to secure victory, instead leaving Limerick with a losing bonus point.

Munster 26 (14) – Tries: Diarmuid Kilgallen, Charlie O’Shea (2), Alex Kendellen. Conversions: O’Shea (3).

Vodacom Bulls 22 (14) – Tries: Ruan Vermaak, Francois Klopper, Jeandré Rudolph. Conversions: Curwin Bosch (2). Penalty: Bosch.