Bulls outscore tenacious Pumas at Mbombela Stadium
The Pumas will now shift their focus to their clash against the Sigma Lions on Wednesday.
Defending Carling Currie Cup champions, the Vodacom Bulls started the 2022 campaign with a bonus-point victory over the Pumas at the Mbombela Stadium on Friday evening.
Thanks to their 14-point victory (33-19) in persistent rain, the Vodacom Bulls have taken the early lead on the Carling Currie Cup premier division log.
Led by former Springbok Cornal Hendricks, the defending champions outscored the tenacious Pumas by four tries to one as they registered a well-deserved win on the road to open their campaign in perfect fashion.
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They are on five points, the same as DHL WP, whose points difference is 12.
The Toyota Cheetahs (4) and Sigma Lions (1) are next, while the Cell C Sharks, Tafel Lager Griquas and Pumas have yet to open their accounts on the standings.
Three matches are scheduled for Wednesday, when the Cell C Sharks will open their campaign at home after enjoying a bye this weekend. The Durbanites face Tafel Lager Griquas in a replay of the second Carling Currie Cup semi-final from last year (17:45). In the two other matches, the Pumas travel west on the N4 to take on the Sigma Lions in Johannesburg (15:30), while DHL WP entertain the Vodacom Bulls in Cape Town (20:00), also a repeat of one of the 2021 semi-finals.
Scorers: Pumas 19 (3): • Tries: penalty try. • Penalty goals: Tinus de Beer (4).
Vodacom Bulls 33 (11): • Tries: Embrose Papier, Ruan Nortje, Johan Grobbelaar, WJ Steenkamp. • Conversions: Chris Smith (2). • Penalty goals: Smith (3).
