--- title: "Bulls and Stormers clinch local URC derbies on the Highveld" description: "The Bulls and Stormers proved their United Rugby Championship title credentials in two highly entertaining local derbies against the Sharks and the Lions respectively over the weekend." type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "UNITED RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP" author: "Keanan Hemmonsbey" author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/keanan-hemmonsbey/" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-10-31-bulls-and-stormers-clinch-local-urc-derbies-on-the-highveld/" published: "2022-10-31T11:23:36" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 714 --- # Bulls and Stormers clinch local URC derbies on the Highveld > The Bulls and Stormers proved their United Rugby Championship title credentials in two highly entertaining local derbies against the Sharks and the Lions respectively over the weekend. By Keanan Hemmonsbey · Published 31 October 2022, 13:23 SAST ## Content The Bulls jumped to third on the United Rugby Championship (URC) log after a dominant 40-27 bonus-point victory against the Sharks on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Stormers are in fourth place after their come-from-behind 31-22 win over the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday. The Stormers are yet to play their best rugby this season, having needed another late showing to conquer the roaring Lions. However, John Dobson’s men will be happy to have snapped their two-match winless streak after a 16-16 draw against Ospreys and a surprise 30-24 loss to Cardiff at the end of their European tour. “‘All’s well that ends well’ is probably a good summation of our performance. A lot of the processes were poor,” Dobson said after the match. “It was probably our worst defensive performance to date, I felt, in terms of giving yards, not rolling away. “We looked absolutely disjointed. Giving away 11 penalties in the first half illustrated how awful our discipline was, and the lineouts were poor throughout. But we do have the ability to score tries. There are definitely work-ons for all of us. The second half was a different story for the Cape side as they found their familiar attacking fluidity and scored an impressive 22-unanswered points. Having been called up to the Springboks touring squad last week and winning the Stormers’ player of the year award, flyhalf Manie Libbok rode his confidence to steer his side away from the perils of defeat. Libbok was instrumental in his side’s fightback, orchestrating play with his soft hands and deft boot. “For someone like Manie Libbok to produce a performance like this one \[was brilliant\]. The worst thing that could happen to him today was to get injured and that could’ve played on his mind. It’s human nature,” added Dobson. --- **Visit [*Daily Maverick's* home page](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=in_article_link&utm_campaign=homepage) for more news, analysis and investigations** --- “Yet I was so pleased with the performance he delivered and the same with the others.” The Lions, on the other hand, are yet to register a victory at home in this season’s URC. All three of their victories have come playing away in Europe. The Johannesburg-based side now languish in ninth place on the URC log after six matches. #### Bulls drown Sharks In a replay of last season’s URC quarterfinal clash, the Bulls once again did a number on the Sharks to maintain their dominance over the coastal side. The Sharks were valiant – despite not being fluent – in their effort at stopping the rampant Bulls. Playing without a number of key Springbok stars such as Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche, Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi, Jaden Hendrikse and Makazole Mapimpi, the team lacked cohesion, playing from the Bulls’ scraps to stay in the contest. *Read in*Daily Maverick*: “*[*South African teams rampage through the URC*](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-10-03-south-african-teams-rampage-through-the-urc/)*”* “It was a game of missed opportunities and quite a few individual errors. We would have liked to be more clinical in what we wanted to execute,” admitted the Sharks’ director of Rugby Neil Powell. The Bulls, on the other hand – donning pink jerseys to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month – looked threatening throughout, albeit only securing the bonus point late in the contest thanks to a Jan-Hendrik Wessels try off the back of a rolling maul. ![Sharks flank Sikhumbuzo Notshe (left)and prop Carlu Sadie (on the ground) stop Bulls flank Marcell Coetzee in the URC derby at Loftus on Sunday. (Photo by Christiaan Kotze/Gallo Images)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/HI5qIn940lTS32o3LMrlQV0eqCU=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/TL_1939631.jpg) *Sharks flank Sikhumbuzo Notshe (left) and prop Carlu Sadie (on the ground) stop Bulls flank Marcell Coetzee in the URC derby at Loftus on Sunday. (Photo: Christiaan Kotze / Gallo Images)* “It’s never easy against the Sharks. They’re a multimillion-rand team. It’s nice to get a win,” said director of rugby Jake White. “\[There’s\] a lot of things we still have to look at. We let them score three tries as well. Which, if you really analyse it, we don’t want to give them soft moments. “It’s not just the defence, there’s a lot of things we need to work on. But seven games, five wins – a couple of bonus-point wins as well, with lots of tries – and at this point third on the log. It’s fantastic that we’re one-third into the competition, there’s 14 games left. There’s no reason we can’t get better.” The URC now comes to a standstill for three weeks as outgoing international matches begin. The action resumes on 25 November. **DM**