Resurgent Bulls hammer Sharks in dominant URC win at Loftus Versfeld

While the night was a great one for the men from Pretoria, the outcome also crowned the Lions as first-time URC South African Shield winners, following their win over the Stormers earlier in the day.

The Sharks, who had led the Shield standings, only needed a single win from their final two derbies against the Lions or Bulls to retain top spot, but defeats in both matches saw their title defence unravel.

The Bulls' dominance was established midway through the first half when Canan Moodie chased down his own kick to open the scoring after a fortunate bounce caught two Sharks defenders out. Sebastian de Klerk added a second try in the 27th minute, finishing neatly after collecting a precise cross-kick from Handre Pollard.

The contest was briefly overshadowed when Sharks scrumhalf Jaden Hendrikse was forced from the field on a stretcher following an injury.

Play soon resumed, and the Bulls continued to pile on pressure, with Embrose Papier crossing twice before the break - first after a sharp line break by Harold Vorster, and then via a clever chip-and-chase sparked by De Klerk as the Bulls took a 22-0 lead into half-time

The Sharks showed more fight early in the second half. Edwill van der Merwe finished off a slick move in the 48th minute following a well-timed offload from Vincent Tshituka, before Hanro Jacobs powered over from close range in the 63rd minute.

But any hopes of a dramatic turnaround were short-lived. Pollard's composed play created space for Vorster to score in the 66th minute, and replacement scrumhalf Paul de Wet then sealed the result with a clever dummy and run under the posts.

A disallowed Sharks try for a forward pass stalled their momentum late on, and Vorster's second try after the siren added a final sting as the Bulls closed out an emphatic victory.

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