Bulls hammer Stade Francais to qualify for Challenge Cup playoffs

The Bulls scored six tries and were awarded a penalty try to smash French side Stade Francais 48-7 in a final round Champions Cup match played in Pretoria on Saturday. The home team led 36-7 at the halftime break.

Going into the game the Bulls had to win by more than 22 points to gain entry to the second tier Challenge Cup competition last-16 round, after being knocked out of the top-tier Champions Cup playoffs picture last weekend.

Jake White’s men hit back with aplomb after being smashed by Castres in France last Saturday, dominating the men from Paris in all departments at Loftus on Saturday.

Dominant forwards

With the scrum laying a solid foundation and the lineouts also working well, the Bulls won all the small battles and were rewarded with some quality tries. They were helped by a dreadful Stade team, who suffered in the highveld heat and never really looked interested in the game.

The Bulls also took full advantage of some ill-discipline by Stade, scoring a few tries from quick-tap penalties after visiting players had been penalised for deliberate knock-ons on two occasions.

Cameron Hanekom was outstanding for the Bulls, but so too was Wilco Louw, Johan Grobbelaar, Gerhard Steenekamp, Elrigh Louw and Stedman Gans.

The Bulls were on the board as early as the second minute, awarded a penalty try for a deliberate knock-on by a Stade player, who was also sent to the sin bin, while Devon Williams, Embrose Papier, Ruan Vermaak and Louw also crossed in the first half.

Boeta Chamberlain, on from the bench in the 27th minute for an injured Johan Goosen, scored his team’s first try of the second half and then Hanekom went in from close range, showing great strength to power past several defenders down the blindside.

Goosen kicked two conversions, while Chamberlain slotted a penalty and two conversions.