The Bulls powered to a 57-12 United Rugby Championship (URC) win over the Scarlets at Loftus Versfeld on Friday night.
The bonus point win put them at the top of the SA conference in the competition but the Sharks and the Stormers may well alter the pecking order later this weekend.
Either way, the Bulls were in a class of their own against the Scarlets who at no point looked like toppling the apple cart. The Scarlets spent the bulk of the match on the back foot.
The Bulls overwhelmed their opponents from the outset. The visitors routinely found themselves back pedalling as the hosts put them under pressure in the primary phases but alarmingly they were also a step off the pace in general play
To be fair, the visitors gave a much better account of themselves in the third quarter but the Bulls had by then inflicted the bulk of the damage. Jake White's team found another gear in the final quarter.
They had established a 31-7 lead by the break but they struggled to find the same fluidity to their game early in the second half.
In fact, it took a Ruan Nortje intercept try to advance them on the scoreboard in the second half. That try it was said, would re-establish the Bulls superiority in the game and while that was true to an extent it did not manifest itself on the scoreboard until much later in the second half.
The Bulls eventually broke free and rattled up 50 points through additional second half tries by Marcell Coetzee and Robert Hunt.
Scorers
Bulls — Tries: Johan Grobbelaar (2), Marcell Coetzee (2). Canan Moodie, Cyle Brink, Elrigh Louw, Ruan Nortje, Robert Hunt. Conversions: Chris Smith (5), Morne Steyn.
Scarlets — Tries: Sione Kalamafoni, Rob Evans. Conversion: Rhys Patchell.
Bulls give Scarlets the blues
Jake White's team powers to the top of the conference — if only temporarily
Image: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
The Bulls powered to a 57-12 United Rugby Championship (URC) win over the Scarlets at Loftus Versfeld on Friday night.
The bonus point win put them at the top of the SA conference in the competition but the Sharks and the Stormers may well alter the pecking order later this weekend.
Either way, the Bulls were in a class of their own against the Scarlets who at no point looked like toppling the apple cart. The Scarlets spent the bulk of the match on the back foot.
The Bulls overwhelmed their opponents from the outset. The visitors routinely found themselves back pedalling as the hosts put them under pressure in the primary phases but alarmingly they were also a step off the pace in general play
To be fair, the visitors gave a much better account of themselves in the third quarter but the Bulls had by then inflicted the bulk of the damage. Jake White's team found another gear in the final quarter.
They had established a 31-7 lead by the break but they struggled to find the same fluidity to their game early in the second half.
In fact, it took a Ruan Nortje intercept try to advance them on the scoreboard in the second half. That try it was said, would re-establish the Bulls superiority in the game and while that was true to an extent it did not manifest itself on the scoreboard until much later in the second half.
The Bulls eventually broke free and rattled up 50 points through additional second half tries by Marcell Coetzee and Robert Hunt.
Scorers
Bulls — Tries: Johan Grobbelaar (2), Marcell Coetzee (2). Canan Moodie, Cyle Brink, Elrigh Louw, Ruan Nortje, Robert Hunt. Conversions: Chris Smith (5), Morne Steyn.
Scarlets — Tries: Sione Kalamafoni, Rob Evans. Conversion: Rhys Patchell.
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