If there were any doubts about the Vodacom Bulls’ Currie Cup ambitions this year, they put them to rest on Saturday with a jaw-dropping performance in Pretoria.
Playing at Loftus Versfeld, the Bulls ran in a staggering 10 tries to demolish the defending champion Sharks 64–0 and claim the top spot on the log.
Bulls Come Out Firing from the Start
From the opening whistle, the Bulls meant business.
They wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, as hooker Juann Else powered over from a textbook lineout maul.
Just moments later, prop Dylan Smith followed with a similar finish, and suddenly the Bulls were 14-0 up before the Sharks could even settle.
The Sharks tried to show some fight midway through the first half—managing to hold Jeandre Rudolph up over the line—but the momentum was all with the home side.
Bulls centre Chris Smit then took over, grabbing two clinical tries in quick succession to blow the match wide open.
Else returned for his second try, again from a dominant lineout drive, and fullback Boeta Chamberlain coolly slotted his fifth straight conversion to give the Bulls a commanding 35–0 halftime lead.
Second Half, Same Story for the Dominant Bulls
After the break, the Bulls picked up right where they left off.
Rudolph finally got his name on the scoreboard just two minutes into the second half.
Then came one of the highlights of the afternoon—a blistering 50-metre break by winger Stravino Jacobs, who outran the Sharks’ backline to dot down the seventh try.
Rudolph wasn’t done either. He crossed again to push the tally past 50, and with the Sharks completely out of answers, the Bulls kept going.
Cornel Smit, coming off the bench, added try number nine, and debutant JJ Theron capped off the rout with a final score late in the game.
Bulls Rise to the Top as Sharks Sink to the Bottom
With this emphatic win, the Bulls moved to the top of the Currie Cup table, now holding 10 points from two games—edging ahead of the Lions on points difference.
Their attack was ruthless, their set-pieces clinical, and their intensity relentless.
For the Sharks, though, it was a day to forget.
Not only did they fail to score a single point, but they also struggled to build any kind of momentum, looking out of sorts in all departments.
After two rounds, they now sit at the very bottom of the standings—a far cry from the form that earned them the title last season.
What’s Next for Both Sides?
Next up, the Bulls will look to keep their hot streak alive when they face the Pumas at home.
Meanwhile, the Sharks will need to regroup quickly as they prepare to host the Cheetahs in Durban—a match that already feels like a must-win to stop the bleeding.
The 2025 Currie Cup is heating up fast, and if Saturday was any indication, the Bulls are charging full speed ahead.