The biggest provincial rugby tournament in the Southern Hemisphere is well underway and fans have a lot to be excited about after the first three rounds. There are only two unbeaten teams after the conclusion of Round 3.
The DHL Stormers came from behind and scored an injury-time winner against the Emirates Lions to remain unbeaten, while the Chiefs dominated the Sunwolves to keep their winning momentum. The defending champions, the Crusaders lost to the Chiefs in Round 2 but came away with a well-fought win against the Blues away from home. The Australian Conference is dominated by the Brumbies and despite their loss to the Highlanders. In any case, the former has an exceptional forward pack and a very creative backline.
Here are the results from the third round:
Round 4 preview
Rugby fans have a lot to look forward to during Round 4 with a Kiwi derby as well as a big clash in the South African Conference between the DHL Stormers and Jaguares from Argentina. The Blues are on tour in South Africa and will play the Bulls at Loftus. The Bulls welcomed a few crucial players back from injury this week, which could be a massive boost for the home side.
The Brumbies travel to New Zealand for a clash with the in-form Gallagher Chiefs. The Chiefs could be slight favourites in this game, but they will need to stop a well-oiled machine in the Brumbies especially upfront. The Sunwolves from Japan travel to Australia to try and conquer Brad Thorn's Reds, who are starting to find some form and this clash could prove difficult for the Japanese team.
The Rebels will host the Sharks, who would like to come away from the game with maximum points. The team from Durban welcomed back playmaker Curwin Bosch this week and he could be the difference between the teams this week. Bosch has exceptional attacking skills and a prolific boot.