[WATCH] SA champions: Holders Stormers defend United Rugby Championship SA Shield
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Base vanne kaap: Stormers
The Stormers were crowned United Rugby Championship SA Shield winners on Saturday after beating the Sharks 29-23 at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.
The victory alone wasn’t enough to successfully defend the Shield they won last year, but when the Lions stunned the Bulls 29-25 at Loftus Versfeld later in the day, it confirmed that the Stormers can not be overtaken by any of the other SA sides.
Such is the defending URC champions’ dominance in South Africa that they completed a rare grand slam on their way to the title. The slam means they beat all of the Sharks, Bulls and the Lions home and away this term.
It was close at the end after a great fight back from the Durban side, but that's enough for a clean sweep of the SA teams this season and another five points. #STOvSHA #iamastormer #dhldelivers @Vodacom #URC pic.twitter.com/ixBXq6y0iZ
— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) March 4, 2023
Of the achievement, Dobson says: “It’s a nice achievement for this group, I’m not sure how often it’s going to happen that you’re going to get a South African team who wins all three away games…
“It might happen next year, it might happen in 15 years, we’ll look back and see. It was actually important for us as a group. This team is growing and growing…”
Every reason to celebrate 🎉
— vodacomrugby (@VodacomRugga) March 6, 2023
DHL @THESTORMERS retain the @vodacom #URC SA Shield 🛡️🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦 pic.twitter.com/e7QsVrxY66
At the time of his post-match conference, Dobson - whose team is an unassailable 16 points ahead of the second-placed Bulls with three rounds left - did not know his team would wrap up the Shield later in the day.
The Stormers now take a break in the URC, with Western Province - also coached by Dobson - preparing for a first Currie Cup encounter against the Golden Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday.
The Stormers, meanwhile, will return in a top-of-the-overall-table clash when they face the only team above them in the URC, Leinster, in Ireland on March 24.