Stormers break URC attendance record in win over Bulls

The biggest BKT URC attendance of the season saw the table-topping DHL Stormers make it eight out of eight in the league as they edged a titanic tussle with the Vodacom Bulls 13-8 on another weekend of derbies.

They left it late in front of a Cape Town capacity crowd of 53,862, but once again found a way with replacement prop Ntuthuko Mchunu claiming the match-winning score off a lineout drive 90 seconds from time.

The gate exceeded the 51,859 people who witnessed Munster beat Leinster at Croke Park earlier this season.

That makes it ten out of ten in all competitions for the Stormers, giving Director of Rugby John Dobson further reason to celebrate just days after signing a four-year contract extension.

Giving his verdict on the sold-out showdown with the Vodacom Bulls, Dobson said: “It was a tough derby.

“What was amazing was the contest everywhere. That’s probably what is making South African rugby so great at the moment, why we win World Cups, that we are so used to this game – scrum, lineout, maul, breakdown, massive contests. It’s just really good for South African rugby.

“You could hear the thuds in the coaching box, which is insulated. It was crazy stuff.

“It was a desperate Bulls team, a good Bulls team. Look how many Springboks were in their pack. So, it’s a good win.”

Providing the view from the visiting camp, Bulls skipper Ruan Nortje said: “Both teams were in it the full 80 minutes and, although there wasn’t a lot of running rugby, I think it was an exciting game.

“All credit to the Stormers, for finishing in the 78th minute. That’s why they are top of the log. When they get the opportunities, they finish. We had our opportunities to win the game and just couldn’t execute.”

It was a sixth straight defeat for the Bulls in all competitions and they are down in 11th in the BKT URC table.

But second row Nortje remains positive, saying: “There’s a lot of belief in this team. We were in this position a few years ago, so I know we will get ourselves out of it.”

It’s now Glasgow Warriors leading the chase behind the Stormers, with Franco Smith’s team having jumped up two places to second thanks to a 47-10 bonus point victory over Zebre Parma in Scotstoun.

For the second game in a row, there was a brace of tries for in-form winger Jamie Dobie, while fly-half Duncan Weir marked his final appearance for the club before moving into an Academy coaching role by touching down in the dying minutes.