Rugby
Lions win URC SA Shield, Bulls demolish Sharks─── ILSE SMALBERGER 11:01 Sun, 01 Mar 2026
The Lions handed the Stormers their third successive loss in the United Rugby Championship with a 24-10 win at Ellis Park on Saturday afternoon (28/2).
It also means they were crowned South African Shield champions in the United Rugby Championship (URC) after the Bulls beat the Sharks at Loftus on Saturday night.
The Shield is a mini-competition within the URC, largely contested between teams from their own countries.
The hosts started with a bang and soon led 14-0 courtesy of tries by Siba Mahashe and Henco van Wyk, with flyhalf Chris Smith converting both tries.
Second half
The Stormers were looking less rusty in the second half and also scored their first points of the match through a penalty goal from flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
But the Lions hit straight back through a converted try from utility back Erich Cronjé. The Stormers finally scored their third try when captain JD Schickerling crossed the whitewash, and Feinberg-Mngomezulu converted.
Smith restored the Lions’ 14-point lead with a penalty goal just before the start of the final quarter.
Scorers
Lions 24 – Tries: Siba Mahashe, Henco van Wyk and Erich Cronje; Conversions: Chris Smith 3; Penalty: Chris Smith.
Stormers 10 – Try: JD Schickerling; Conversion: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu; Penalty: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
Photo: Facebook/Lions Rugby Co
Bulls
In Saturday’s other URC match, the Bulls demolished the Sharks by 41-12 at Loftus Versfeld.
The game was delayed for 15 minutes because of a thunderstorm on the Highveld, but once the players took to the field, the Bulls showed no intention of stopping. They scored seven tries to the Sharks’ two.
The Bulls’ Embrose Papier and Harold Vorster both scored a brace of tries, while Canan Moodie, Sebastian de Klerk, and Paul de Wet also scored for the men from Pretoria. Handre Pollard was successful with three conversions.
Sharks
Edwill van der Merwe and Hanro Jacobs scored tries for the Sharks, with Jordan Hendrikse converting only one try.
Bulls – Tries: Canan Moodie, Embrose Papier (2), Sebastian de Klerk, Harold Vorster (2), Paul de Wet. Conversions: Handre Pollard (3)
Sharks – Tries: Edwill van der Merwe, Hanro Jacobs. Conversion: Jordan Hendrikse.
The South African teams will have a break next weekend, before the Bulls host the Stormers on Saturday, 14 March.
