Stormers close gap on Leinster to three after mauling Lions

Emphatic 40-8 victory in Cape Town for holders while Sharks brush aside Bulls and Benetton back up their derby dominance 

ROARING: Manie Libbok of the DHL Stormers scores against the Lions in Cape Town. Pic: INPHO/Steve Haag Sports/Thinus Maritz

Ahead of a hectic New Year's Day schedule, the Stormers closed the gap on United Rugby Championship leaders Leinster to just three points after beating Lions 40-8 in Cape Town.

The URC title holders made it eight wins from 10 starts in this season's competition with a bonus-point success.

Full-back Damian Willemse and hooker Dean Fourie scored early tries as the Stormers threatened to embark on a points spree. But the Lions, currently the only South African side outside the league's top eight, did not throw in the towel.

Centre Dan du Plessis added a third Stormers try before the interval, and wing Angelo Davids scored shortly afterwards following Henco van Wyk's touchdown for the Lions, while Jordan Hendrikse kicked a penalty.

Hendrikse's opposite number Manie Libbok booted five conversions, including the extras for Davids' second touchdown 13 minutes from time and a late Marcel Theunissen score.

Elsewhere Cell C Sharks recorded their sixth United Rugby Championship victory from nine starts this season after they brushed aside the Vodacom Bulls 47-20 in Durban.

Siya Kolisi's team produced a dominant first-half display, racking up 30 points through tries by scrum-half Grant Williams and hooker Bongi Mbonambi, while they were also awarded a penalty try and fly-half Curwin Bosch kicked three penalties and two conversions.

There was no way back for the Bulls, who did not help their cause by having two players yellow-carded in quick succession just before half-time.

Wing Canan Moodie, the first to be sin-binned, claimed a fine solo touchdown and full-back Johan Goosen also scored, with fly-half Chris Smith landing two conversions and two penalties.

Moodie then collected a second yellow two minutes from time for a high tackle, meaning that he was sent off as the Bulls' afternoon ended in suitably frustrating fashion.

The Sharks were in the mood to entertain a crowd of just under 26,000 as centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg touched down twice in the second period, while Bosch added two more conversions and a penalty to finish with 20 points.

Earlier on Saturday Benetton completed a quickfire double against their Italian rivals Zebre Parma by winning 40-17 at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi.

But Zebre, beaten 38-5 by Benetton on Christmas Eve, gave their opponents a fright before slipping to an 11th successive league defeat of the season.

Zebre had full-back Lorenzo Pani sent off seven minutes before half-time for a dangerous tackle on his opposite number Matteo Minozzi.

And although Benetton ultimately wiped out a 10-point interval advantage, they were made to work hard for a victory that took them into the URC's top-eight.

Captain Federico Ruzza led the way by scoring a hat-trick of tries, while there were also touchdowns for flanker Manuel Zuliani, centre Tommaso Menoncello and replacement prop Federico Zani, with Benetton's former Wasps fly-half Jacob Umaga adding three conversions and Tomas Albornoz two.

Zebre led through early scores by centre Erich Cronje and wing Jacopo Trulla, while fly-half Tiff Eden kicked two conversions and a penalty, but Benetton had enough firepower to claim a sixth successive win in the fixture after scoring 33 unanswered second-half points.

PA