The ruthless and at times rampant Bulls maintained their claim to a top-four spot in the United Rugby Championship (URC) with a 35-22 win over the Lions at Ellis Park yesterday.
They were, however, drawn from their comfort zone by a feisty Lions team in the middle of the match, before reasserting their authority as the clash entered the final quarter.
They did so despite losing influential forwards Ruan Nortje and Elrigh Louw to injury, but their more experienced bench — with hooker Akker van der Merwe and fullback Willie le Roux in the vanguard — brought an extra dimension.
Bulls director of rugby Jake White paid tribute to his side, who at one point were heavily disrupted just as the Lions roared back into the contest. “I’m really proud. Despite the disruptions, losing two captains, a guy to an HIA (head injury assessment) and another off with blood,” he said.
“After they scored that try, some teams might have thought ‘that’s it, we are not going to get over the line today’. We ended up getting a bonus point at Ellis Park as well. It says a lot about the character of the team.”
This performance built on the one they delivered seven days ago when they thumped Stade Francais at Loftus Versfeld, but for the Lions there was no momentum from their slaying of the Dragons a week ago.
The Lions took body blows in the first quarter of this match and, while they winced, it took them a long time to wilt.
Bulls loose forward Marcell Coetzee crashed into the Lions’ midfield in the first minute to set the tone of his afternoon, while No 8 Cameron Hanekom again rose to the occasion.
The Bulls enjoyed gainline superiority, with their pack showing greater cohesion and technical proficiency. Their feared scrum dug up the turf here and they feverishly contested the areas of contact. The Lions’ cleaners at the ruck had to be on point or risk turnover.
They had a stable platform at the lineout.
In the kicking department, the Lions also played second fiddle in the first quarter. Their out-of-hand kicking lacked vision and precision but, by contrast, the Bulls profited richly when flyhalf Boeta Chamberlain spotted space inviting left-wing Sergeal Petersen to put up the chase down the left flank.
Retreating Lions wing Richard Kriel lacked urgency, allowing Petersen to gather. Kriel’s brother David was in support and took Petersen’s offload for the game’s first try.
Gradually, though, the Lions grew in confidence. Scrumhalf Morne van den Berg was starting to conduct proceedings while Quan Horn’s sure-footed interventions aided the hosts’ cause.
Having found the Bulls defence stout and well organised in the opening half-hour, the Lions opted to chip over the onrushing defence, and it was Henco van Wyk whose thrust got him to the ball and his strength and stretching body over the line. It handed the home team the lead in the 33rd minute but Francis missed a relatively simple conversion, and he fluffed his lines again in the final act of the first half when his attempt drifted wide.
The Bulls lost Louw in the 44th minute with what appears to be a serious knee injury.
Though Francis added two more penalties, the Bulls bench made it onto the field and the game opened up, turning decisively in the Bulls’ favour.
Lock Cobus Wiese found a way over to hand the Bulls the lead in the 55th minute.
The Lions’ propensity for soft moments cost them again with 15 minutes to go. Ruan Delport’s decision to catch a Le Roux restart that was bound straight for touch, again handed the Bulls’ favourable field position. It helped set up a try for Coetzee before Van der Merwe also got onto the scoresheet.
While the win firmed the Bulls’ footing in the competition’s top four, the Lions’ quest for a first ever play-off finish took a significant body blow.
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