Bulls stun Lions in Bushveld battle
The Lions held a 12-7 advantage at the half-time break and were ahead 24-21 with official time up on the clock.
However, Jamba Ulengo powered over in referee's additional time to secure the Bulls an important win in their last outing ahead of the start of the Super Rugby season – when they meet the Stormers at Newlands on February 27.
The Bulls missed a chance to take an early lead, when Francois Brummer pushed a shot at goal wide of the uprights in the second minute – following a scrum infringement by the Lions.
They squandered another chance when they turned down a kick at goal to set up a line-out, but the Lions managed to stop the powerful forward rush.
It was Lions Captain Warren Whitely who broke the deadlock, with a break off the back of a scrum and a strong surge for the line. Elton Jantjes added the extras -7-0 at the end of the first quarter.
On the half-hour mark Ruan Combrink slipped through a tackle and scored a second try for the Lions. Jantjies was wide of the ark with his conversion attempt – 12-0.
The Bulls were eventually rewarded for a period of sustained pressure, with Jesse Kriel getting the try in the 39th minute. Brummer slotted the conversion to make it 7-12 at the half-time break.
The Lions regained control on the scoreboard in the 43 minute – Rohan Janse van Rensburg going over for a try that started as a counter attack inside their own 22. Jantjes added the extras and at 19-7, the Lions looked comfortable.
However, the Bulls produce started to gain some confidence, with a powerful forward rush resulting in Grant Hattingh being driven over the line in the 49th minute. Bummer narrowed the gap to 14-19 with the conversion.
Then the Bulls took the lead for the first time with just over 10 minutes remaining – Jade Stighling breaking the line and setting Burger Odendaal clear. Tian Schoeman converted – 21-19.
The Lions then showed just how dangerous they can be with ball in hand, a classing inter-passing game sending Combrink over for his second and the Lions' fourth try. Jantjies missed the conversion, but with a 24-21 lead and just under a minute remaining on the clock it seemed the men in red-and-white hand sneaked a late winner.
However, the Bulls had other ideas. Ulengo display his masterful finishing ability to secure the win for the Bulls – the conversion making it 28-24.
The Scorers:
For the Bulls:
Tries: J Kriel, Hattingh, Odendaal, Ulengo
Cons: Brummer 2, Schoeman 2
Lions:
Tries: Whiteley, Combrinck 2, Janse van Rensburg
Cons: Jantjies 2
Teams:
Bulls: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Rudy Paige, 8 Arno Botha, 7 Hanro Liebenberg, 6 Nic de Jager, 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 Rudolph Snyman, 3 Marcel van der Merwe, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Trevor Nyakane.
Replacements – from: Jaco Visagie, Lizo Gqoboka, Jason Jenkins, Jannes Kirsten, Piet van Zyl, Tian Schoeman, Burger Odendaal, Werner Kruger, Pierre Schoeman, Jamba Ulengo, Jade Stighling.
Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Warren Whiteley (captain), 7 Warwick Tecklenburg, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Julian Redelinghuys, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 1 Jacques Van Rooyen.
Replacements – from: Malcolm Marx, Dylan Smith, Ruan Dreyer, Robert Kruger, Martin Muller, Ruan Ackermann, Stephan de Witt, Ruan Lerm, Francois de Klerk, Howard Mnisi, Nicolaas Hanekom, Anthony Volmink, Jaco van der Walt.
Referee: Jaco van Heerden
