John Dobson’s Stormers climbed to the summit of the of the URC table after another convincing win, while Johan Ackermann’s Bulls dropped to sixth following their loss to Ulster in Belfast.
In Llanelli, the Stormers overpowered the Scarlets 34-0, recording a second clean sheet of the season and a third successive bonus-point win. Evan Roos opened the scoring before Paul de Villiers, Ruben van Heerden, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Imad Khan crossed to complete the rout. It was another masterclass from John Dobson’s side, who now top the table heading into their Italian leg against Zebre.
In Belfast, the Bulls fell 28-7 to Ulster, ending their unbeaten run. After a tight first half, yellow card trouble proved costly as Ulster ran in three quick tries through Juarno Augustus, Rob Herring and Cormac Izuchukwu. Nathan Doak converted all four to secure maximum points. Pre-match odds of 2.25 for an Ulster win offered solid value to home-side backers on Betway.
Leinster 31 – 5 Sharks in Dublin was another one-sided affair. Returning Lions stars inspired the hosts to a five-try victory, while Ethan Hooker’s interception score was the Sharks’ only highlight in a frustrating tour finale. The Durban side now return home winless and are set to host Ulster in Round 4.
In Treviso, Benetton 41 – 15 Lions, as winger Louis Lynagh scored four tries to sink the Johannesburg outfit. Despite a promising start and tries from Asenathi Ntlabakanye and Conrad van Vuuren, the Lions leave Europe empty-handed.
Elsewhere, Cardiff edged Connacht 14-8, Glasgow thrashed Dragons 49-0, Ospreys blanked Zebre 24-0, and Munster squeezed past Edinburgh 20-19.
After three rounds, the Stormers and Munster share top spot on 14 points, both unbeaten after strong starts. Defending champions Glasgow Warriors sit level with Cardiff on 11, while Ulster’s win over the Bulls lifts them into fifth. The Bulls’ defeat in Belfast sees them drop from first to sixth on 10 points. At the other end, the Scarlets remain bottom without a point, while the Lions and Sharks sit just above them, still winless after three rounds.
Round 4 presents key tests for all four South African unions. The Bulls travel to Galway to face Connacht, seeking to bounce back from defeat in Belfast, while the Stormers aim to stay unbeaten against Zebre in Parma. The Sharks return to Durban for a tough clash with Ulster, and the Lions look for their first win when they host Scarlets at Ellis Park. Elsewhere, Leinster meet Munster in Dublin, Edinburgh host Benetton, and Ospreys face Glasgow in Swansea.
Photo: Gareth Everett/Gallo Images
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