Bulls bounce back in fine style
Sun, 05 Sep 2010 12:01
Try-scoring prop Jaco Engels on the charge for the Bulls. (c) Gallo
The Blue Bulls retained their place among the top four on the Currie Cup table, breaking a seven-match unbeaten run for the Sharks.
In an epic encounter in the true traditions of Currie Cup rugby the hosts secured a 40-34 bonus-point victory over the log leaders at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
The Sharks, who remain seven points ahead of their nearest challengers despite the loss, took the initiative with Lwazi Mvovo going over on the right wing in the seventh minute for the first try of the match.
And while flyhalf Pat Lambie, who had fluffed a penalty kick two minutes earlier, again missed with the conversion, he added three points in the 10th minute to give the visitors a 10-0 lead.
Two minutes later, however, Bulls centres Wynand Olivier and Jaco Pretorius set up a try for the hosts, with Juandré Kruger barging over and flyhalf Jacques-Louis Potgieter adding the conversion to narrow the gap.
Lambie and Potgieter traded a penalties, before Sharks captain Stefan Terblanché stormed over on the counter-attack in the 18th minute to stretch the lead again for the visitors.
Lambie converted, and added two more penalties before half-time, with Potgieter securing three points in reply for the hosts as the Sharks took a 24-13 lead into the half-time break.
Potgieter had two penalty attempts after the break, and while he converted with the first to close the gap slightly, he completely bungled the second.
Nonetheless, the Bulls took advantage of a disjointed Sharks outfit, scoring 17 points within six minutes to gain the advantage.
Scrumhalf Ruan Snyman went over between the posts in the 56th minute, and two minutes later replacement prop Jaco Engels found a gap and steamrolled over Lambie to score as well.
Potgieter converted both tries, and added another three points for a penalty as the hosts took control, leaving the Sharks to play catch-up.
Lambie struck back a minute later with his fifth successful penalty attempt of the game to bring the visitors within six points at 33-27.
But in the 69th minute Olivier intercepted and broke clear to score the Bulls' bonus point try. Full-back Zane Kirchner made up for a missed penalty from his team's own half two minutes earlier to slot the conversion and stretch the gap further.
The Sharks still had some fight left, however, and three minutes later Alistair Hargreaves went over for the visitors, with Lambie converting to bring them back within reach at 40-34.
With five minutes left on the clock, Bulls substitute Dustin Jinka missed a penalty, sending his attempt wide, but while the visitors pushed forward in the dying stages, the hosts had done enough to save their 2010 campaign.
The scorers:
For the Blue Bulls:
Tries: Engels, Kruger, Olivier, Snyman
Cons:
Potgieter 3, Kirchner
Pens: Potgieter 4
For the Sharks:
Tries: Hargreaves, Mvovo, Terblanché
Cons: Lambie 2
Pens: Lambie 5
The teams:
Blue Bulls: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Jaco Pretorius, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Jaco van der Westhuyzen, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Ruan Snyman, 8 Gerrit-Jan van Velze, 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Derick Kuün (captain), 5 Fudge Mabeta, 4 Juandré Kruger, 3 Frik Kirsten, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 Dean Greyling.
Replacements: 16 Henri Bantjes, 17 Rossouw de Klerk, 18 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 19 Christiaan Stander, 20 Dustin Jinka, 21 Stefan Watermeyer, 22 Jaco Engels.
Sharks: 15 Monty Dumond, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Stefan Terblanché (captain), 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Patrick Lambie, 9 Charl McLeod, 8 Keegan Daniel, 7
Willem Alberts, 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Alistair Hargreaves, 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Eugene van Staden, 18 Michael Rhodes, 19 Skholiwe Ndlovu, 20 Rory Kockott, 21 André Pretorius, 22 Riaan Swanepoel.
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
Assistant referees: Tiaan Jonker, Johan Greeff
TMO: Shaun Veldsman
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