Bulls bag bonus point win after outplaying Lions in Joburg

The Lions were trampled by the Bulls 34-10 in their United Rugby Championship clash at Ellis Park on Saturday afternoon, after a desperately poor showing from the hosts.

The Bulls in contrast put in one of their best performances of the season, but could have won by even more had they had more composure on the tryline as they saw a couple of tries overturned and twice knocked on with the line begging.

But it was an absolute gift of a win that the Lions gave to their neighbours, making a slew of errors throughout the match that never allowed them to once take any control of the match, allowing the Bulls to ease to a morale boosting result.

The match got under way with a bit of a kicking battle as Bulls flyhalf Morne Steyn slotted two penalties either side of one from Lions flyhalf Fred Zeilinga to give the visitors a 6-3 lead after 12 minutes.

Five minutes later the Bulls decided to kick for touch from a penalty on the Lions 22m, set up the maul from the 5m line out and powered it over with hooker Johan Grobbelaar dotting down for a converted score to move 13-3 up.

The Lions then survived some close moments, but the relentless pressure from the Bulls eventually told as in the 32^nd minute they attacked into the Lions 22m, getting close where scrumhalf Embrose Papier dived over next to the uprights, with Steyn adding the extras for a 20-3 lead.

The Lions then looked to have hit back just before the break, but Andre Warner’s try was overturned due to obstruction in the build up.

A massive mistake from Zeilinga then on the stroke of half time set the Lions back at the break, as a penalty in the Bulls 22m after the hooter, the Lions looked to set up a 5m line out only to miss touch to let the Bulls head in with a monster lead.

The second half then started with Zeilinga’s match going from bad to worse as he missed two early chances to reduce the deficit, missing penalties he should slotting nine times out of 10.  

This allowed the Bulls to march back up the other end, earn a penalty in the Lions 22m, take a tap and go and end with flank Arno Botha crashing over for another seven pointer to take a commanding 27-3 lead after 53 minutes.

The Lions then finally found their groove with their best spell of the match, setting up some good line outs in the Bulls 22m, with the visitors infringing too many times which saw lock Ruan Nortje yellow carded after repeated infringements.

The Lions used the extra man to their advantage, setting up another line out and mauling it over with flank Jaco Kriel scoring, followed by replacement Tiaan Swanepoel slotting a superb touchline conversion to make it 27-10 after 57 minutes.

It however did not herald a turnaround in the match as the Bulls continued to dominate, botching a few try scoring opportunities until inside centre Harold Voster powered over with five minutes left for the bonus point try to seal an impressive win.

The game then ended in fitting fashion with another poor mistake from the Lions on attack in the Bulls 22m ending a disastrous performance from the home side.

Scorers

Lions

Try: Jaco Kriel

Conversion: Tiaan Swanepoel

Penalty: Fred Zeilinga

Bulls

Tries: Johan Grobbelaar, Embrose Papier, Arno Botha, Harold Voster

Conversions: Morne Steyn (4)

Penalties: Morne Steyn (2)