Bulls game dampens along with the weather

On a day when Pretoria was distinctly similar to Invercargill or Dunedin, the Highlanders compounded the Bulls' ordinary season with a hard-fought win.

A 76th-minute Malakai Fekitoa try after RG Snyman was sent off four minutes earlier condemned the hosts to a seventh defeat in 10 matches.

Whatever play-off chances the Bulls had froze with the weather and extended New Zealand dominance of SA's Super Rugby teams to 13-1.

In a first half filled with kicking, a moment of ingenuity from Fletcher Smith that led to Matt Faddes's 18th try separated the sides.

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With the rain saturating the field, there were 61 kicks alone in the first half. Through Aaron Smith's educated boot the visitors kicked 36 times and the Bulls 25.

The Highlanders showed more appreciation for the pill, a decision magnified by Burger Odendaal's ludicrous 15th-minute decision to kick for space with a four-man overlap.

Warrick Gelant's dropping of a simple pass just before half time with an overlap was inexcusable. Gelant did atone for his mistake in the 47th minute, along with Odendaal when the latter's grubber was poorly dealt with by Faddes.

The Bulls trusted their tight five. Lizo Gqoboka, Jason Jenkins and Ruan Steenkamp were impressive before they were taken off in the 53rd minute.

As the Bulls found ascendancy and scored through Coenraad van Vuuren in the 72nd minute, Snyman was sent off for a shoulder charge .

With Waisake Naholo having also received his marching orders eight minutes earlier, the game evened out.

SCORERS

Bulls 10 - Try: Warrick Gelant. Conversion: Tian Schoeman. Penalty: Schoeman.

Highlanders 17 - Tries: Matt Faddes, Malakai Fekitoa. Conversions: Fletcher Smith, Marty Banks. Penalty: Smith.