The Sharks have moved up to second place in the South African conference rankings, while the Stormers have dropped down to fourth, writes JON CARDINELLI.
The Sharks were the only South African side to win this past weekend. Robert du Preez’s charges scored seven tries in their 50-22 hammering of the Sunwolves on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Lions went down 38-35 to the Blues in Johannesburg, the Bulls lost 20-14 to the Reds in Brisbane, and the Stormers were handed a 33-15 hiding by the Highlanders in Dunedin.
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The result at Ellis Park was the only real surprise. The Lions looked to be on course for a bonus-point win at one stage. In the end, they had to settle for a losing bonus point.
The Rebels and the Highlanders are the only teams yet to sustain a loss in the 2018 tournament. The Rebels currently lead the overall standings, as they have a superior points-difference to that of the Lions. Dave Wessels’ side (three matches) also has a game in hand (the Lions have played four).
The Lions still enjoy a healthy lead at the top of the South African conference standings, though. Swys de Bruin’s team is seven points clear of the Sharks at this stage, although Du Preez’s side also has a game in hand.
The Lions will have the opportunity to bounce back over the next two weeks. After tackling the Sunwolves at Ellis Park in round five, they will travel to Buenos Aires to face the Jaguares. They should be looking to bank maximum log points from both fixtures.
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The results in Durban, Brisbane and Dunedin have allowed the Sharks to climb up to second place in the South African conference. They may fancy their chances in the next fixture against a lacklustre Brumbies side that is coming off losses to the Reds and Rebels.
The Bulls blew a golden opportunity at Suncorp Stadium this past weekend. They were 14-3 up at one stage, but failed to ram the advantage home.
It won’t get any easier for John Mitchell’s side in the coming weeks when they face the Chiefs in Hamilton and then the Crusaders in Christchurch. They may well return from this Australasian sojourn with three losses.
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The Stormers know what that feels like. After losing narrowly to the Waratahs, the Cape side was hammered by the Crusaders and Highlanders. They return to South Africa having garnered just one log point from the three-game tour.
The Sharks and Bulls have played three games to date, while the Stormers have played four. Robbie Fleck’s charges have to bounce back when they host the Blues in round five.
That will be easier said than done, though, given the form displayed by the Blues in their win over the Lions in Johannesburg.
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Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
