The Pretoria side registered a big 44-22 victory in their final tour match against Benetton, while the Stormers went down 30-24 against Cardiff in their first defeat of the season.

A strong second half showing by the Bulls saw them overturn a 9-3 deficit into an emphatic 44-22 victory against Benetton in Treviso, which allowed them to leapfrog into third position on the log behind Leinster and Ulster, while the Stormers were pipped 30-24 by Cardiff after the teams were tied at 14-14 at the break at Cardiff Arms Park.

The matches between the Lions and Glasgow Warriors, and Sharks and Ulster in Johannesburg and Durban, respectively, were called off this weekend due to gastroenteritis infections in the visiting camps.

Strong second half steers Bulls to big win in Treviso

The Bulls bounced back in style from two consecutive defeats against Benetton in Treviso in their round six United Rugby Championship clash on Friday night, out-scoring their Italian hosts by five tries to one for a bonus-point 44-22 victory.

The first half was a tight tussle with both teams’ only points coming from penalty goals, with Benetton flyhalf Tomas Albornoz slotting three to one by his Bulls’ counterpart Chris Smith, for a 9-3 lead.

Both teams found their rhythm after the break and attacked at will, resulting in a humdinger of a half. The Bulls broke out of the blocks quickly and finished the match with a bang, scoring five tries to one by the hosts, which saw them seal the well-deserved victory.

Scorers:

Benetton 22 (9) – Try: Manuel Zuliani Conv. -Tomas Albornoz Pen. - Albornoz (5).

Bulls 44 (3) – Tries: Ruan Nortjé, Elrigh Louw, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Marcell Coetzee, Stravino Jacobs Conv. - Chris Smith (2), Morné Steyn (3) Pen. - Smith (3).

Gritty Cardiff end Stormers’ unbeaten run

Cardiff handed the Stormers their first defeat of the 2022/23 United Rugby Championship campaign, with a well-deserved 30-24 victory on a wet night at Cardiff Arms Park on Saturday.

The scores were tied 14-14 at halftime, but the Welsh side edged ahead in the second stanza, mainly as a result of the visitors' mistakes. The defeat also meant the end of the Stormers' unbeaten run of 15 games.

Although they managed to score four tries, three via powerful lineout mauls, the Cape side made far too many unforced errors, which allowed Cardiff to keep the scoreboard ticking over through the boot of flyhalf Rhys Priestland.

The experienced Welsh pivot controlled the game beautifully as he engineered two tries with precision cross-field kicks, while he also landed six penalty goals and a conversion.

Scorers:

Cardiff 30 (14) – Tries: Theo Cabango, Jason Harries Conv.- Rhys Priestland Pen. - Priestland (6).

Stormers 24 (14) – Tries: Nama Xaba (2), Leolin Zas, Junior Pokomela Conv. - Manie Libbok (2).