Bulls claim ugly win to start URC campaign

Never mind June 14 next year, Bulls coach Jake White will have a job on his hands getting his team in order for next week.

This match, involving last season’s runners-up and an Edinburgh side packed with Scottish internationals, tested the patience of the coaches and the love for the sport of those hardy souls who made their way to Loftus on Saturday afternoon. 

There were few positives. At least for the homeside there was a 22-16 win to kick off their campaign in this season's United Rugby Championship.

In the build-up White had mentioned how having his team at its best by the time of the final on June 14 was the goal. But after this, he’ll want to rethink that goal. 

No-one should have to watch a replay of it, but unfortunately for the Bulls players they will have to do so in the next few days as they pore over how calamitous they were in the set pieces. 

Penalty followed penalty at the scrum while line-outs were lost through over-throws and poor communication. Given how this union built its mean reputation on the backs of robust forward play, Saturday afternoon was an embarrassment. 

Previous generations who’ve donned the famous light blue uniform would have vomited out their beverages at the sight of referee Ben Breakspear dishing out an endless stream of sanctions for the offences by the hosts in an area of the game they usually dominate.

Breakspear’s patience eventually ran out, when he yellow-carded the Bulls' replacement prop Simphiwe Matanzima for what the official called his “third consecutive” penalty in a scrum.

The seeds for this dreary encounter were sowed in a first half that lacked rhythm.

Edinburgh had the better of the early exchanges, thanks to the Bulls’ error count and the work of their two international flankers, Hamish Watson and Jamie Ritchie, at the breakdown.

However the visitors’ inability to make more with their dominance of possession, added to what was an unattractive and frustrating opening stanza.

The best play of the first half arrived on the half-hour mark, after the Bulls were finally able to win a clean line-out, leading to a sweeping move that involved a break by Canan Moodie, before Jannes Kirsten — using the tips of his fingers — touched down on the line. 

After flyhalf Jaco van der Walt dotted down, the Scots used a yellow card against Bulls eighthman Cameron Hanekom to their advantage, to shove replacement hooker Ewan Ashman over the line just before halftime.

There was a marginal improvement in the quality of the match in the second half, though it remained an error-strewn affair. 

The Bulls produced the one moment of creative endeavour to put Moodie over under the posts, but the final whistle came as a relief for all. 

White and his players might argue that it doesn’t matter how you start the competition, but rather how you finish it that matters, and in that regard, other than four log points, this is a match that should never be spoken of again.

Scorers:

Bulls 22 (12): Tries — Jannes Kirsten, Jaco van der Walt, Canan Moodie. Conversions — Jaco van der Walt, Boeta Chamberlain. Penalty — Chamberlain

Edinburgh 16 (10): Try — Ewan Ashman. Conversion — Ross Thompson. Penalties: Thompson (3).