Vodacom Bulls vs Hollywoodbets Sharks | Lukhanyo Am and Canan Moodie Light Up Battle Of Loftus Versfeld in United Rugby Championship

The much-anticipated Vodacom United Rugby Championship derby match between the Vodacom Bulls and Hollywoodbets Sharks at Loftus Versfeld failed to live up to expectations.

The Bulls swatted aside the currently-dreadful Sharks 44-10 in front of 25 000 or so people in Tshwane, consigning the men from Durban to a sixth defeat in seven outings this season so far. One of the selling points of this encounter were the contests within a contest that match-up, where 2019 and 2023 Rugby World Cup Springboks were pitted against each other across the park in mouth-watering match-ups.

While the match was a damp squib in terms of an expected classic, there were several tasty incidents during the game where a Bok one-upped another Bok, as seen in the video above. There were plenty of moments that one could read into that we, as the rugby public, might blow out proportion in overanalysing.

For instance, Sharks outside centre Lukhanyo Am put breakout utility flyer Canaan Moodie on his backside in a powerful run. Moodie, on the other hand, spent the afternoon putting Makazole Mapimpi through the wringer in what felt like a statement in a forced changing of the guards.

Lest we forget that there were plenty of forgotten Boks also on the pitch and on the benches who have a point to prove while out in the international rugby wilderness. It will be interesting to see how things pan out in terms of how the pecking order will shape up between now and the next time the Springboks are in action again, taking on Ireland in a grudge series next year in June.