Bulls thrash Pumas to keep semi hopes alive

14 October 2017 - 10:34 By Craig Ray
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Hennie Skorbinski of the Steval Pumas tackles JT Jackson of the Blue Bulls during the Currie Cup match between Vodacom Blue Bulls and Steval Pumas at Loftus Versfeld on October 13, 2017 in Pretoria, South Africa.
Hennie Skorbinski of the Steval Pumas tackles JT Jackson of the Blue Bulls during the Currie Cup match between Vodacom Blue Bulls and Steval Pumas at Loftus Versfeld on October 13, 2017 in Pretoria, South Africa.
Image: Lee Warren/Gallo Images

The Blue Bulls will have a nervous wait on Saturday to see if they have done enough to qualify for the Currie Cup semi-finals after beating the Pumas 52-32 at Loftus Versfeld on Friday.

Victory moved the Bulls to 32 points on the standings and briefly into third place. But fellow semifinal chasers‚ Western Province‚ the Free State Cheetahs and the Golden Lions‚ still have to complete their fixtures.

WP are second on 32 points‚ with the Free State Cheetahs on 31 and the Lions on 30. Free State travel to Johannesburg to face the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday‚ in the key fixture of the round.

John Mitchell’s men have endured a see-saw campaign but they did all they could have on Friday to stay in the hunt for a playoff berth against a Pumas side that was still in the race before kickoff.

The Bulls scored eight tries in a match that mixed sublime attacking flair with porous defence as they conceded four tries.

Bulls wing Travis Ismaiel scored two of the eight tries while flyhalf Marnitz Boshoff kicked six conversions for a 12-point haul.

Scorers:

Blue Bulls – Edgar Marutlulle‚ Ivan van Zyl‚ Travis Ismaiel (2)‚ Warrick Gelant‚ Marco van Staden‚ Burger Odendaal‚ JT Jackson. Conversions: Marnitz Boshoff (6).

Steval Pumas - Tries: Jannie Stander‚ Francois Kleinhans‚ Selom Gavor‚ Frankie Herne; Conversions: Kobus Marais (3). Penalties: Marais (2).

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