Quan Horn of the Lions is tackled but able to get his pass away during the match against the Bulls. Picture: Gordon Arons/Gallo Images
While Bulls boss Jake White expressed his frustration with his side’s mistakes that let the Lions back into the game, he gave the Johannesburg outfit credit for how they played fearlessly in their second United Rugby Championship (URC) local derby of the season on Saturday.
The Bulls won the day, claiming a bonus-point 31–19 win at Loftus to follow their 35–22 victory at Ellis Park just a few weeks ago.
But the game was tighter than the scoreline suggested, the Lions recovering from a three-try blistering start from the Bulls to narrow the lead to three points before seeing two disallowed tries fail to give them the upperhand.
The Bulls pulled away in the second half but the Lions were still in the game until the Bulls’ fifth and final try 13 minutes from time.
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“They are well coached and they are fit, that is one thing I will give them – they are very fit. I don’t think they are as weak as people [say] in the media,” White said of Ivan van Rooyen’s men.
“When they start running at you it is difficult to defend against them. They don’t go away. They had two tries that were disallowed and if they scored then all of a sudden it’s a different kind of pressure in the last 10, 15 minutes as well.”
White also commended the Lions scrum, which almost proved a match for the Bulls, who dominated the Sharks, Stormers and Stade Francais in recent weeks.
“They [the Lions] don’t get the credit for the way that they scrum. We didn’t dominate them as much as we’ve dominated other teams in the season.”
White said he was proud of how 23-year-old prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels came on from the bench to halt the threat of Lions pack leader Asenathi Ntlabakanye in that set-piece battle.
“[Ntlabakanye’s] got massive write-ups – and he’s heavy to scrum against – and [Wessels still won] a scrum penalty in their 22.”
The Bulls director of rugby rained further praise on the Lions backline, whose threat had been anticipated but still proved a handful.
“The Lions have got an unbelievable attack … from broken play, from turnover, the one thing they are as good as any team is when they turnover the ball and their transition going from defence to attack is outstanding.
“I don’t know why the Lions get all the flak they do.”
He said the fact the Lions do not have as many players coming and going to play for the Springboks works in their favour.
“The cohesion and understanding of that group is so much better than one that changes all the time.”
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