URC result: Bulls kick off URC campaign in style

Jaco van der Walt scored seven points against his former team as the Vodacom Bulls opened their season’s account with victory over Edinburgh in Pretoria on Saturday.

Following a delayed start to the 2024-25 Vodacom URC for the South African teams due to the Currie Cup final last week, Jake White’s charges were keen to start their campaign on a winning note, and scored three tries in a 22-16 triumph at Loftus Versfeld.

Leading 12-10 at half time, the Bulls adapted well to a late change before kick-off, tighthead prop Francois Klopper replacing Springbok powerhouse Wilco Louw due to illness.

Edinburgh flyhalf Ross Thompson split the uprights from the kicking tee for the opening score of the match, but the playmaker Van der Walt, who also struck a conversion.

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However, Bulls No 8 Cameron Hanekom saw yellow just before the break after repeated team infringements, and the visitors capitalised on their numerical advantage with a converted Ewan Ashman touchdown.

Edinburgh regained the lead after the restart, with Thompson slotting the first of his two penalties in the second half, but Bok flyer Canan Moodie crossed the whitewash and Boeta Chamberlain kicked five points inside the final quarter to secure the win for the Herd.

White, though, will be pulling his hair out over the ill-discipline of the Bulls as replacement prop Siphiwe Matanzima earned 10 minutes on the naughty chair in the closing stanza following several team warnings from referee Ben Breakspear, who also sent Ashman to the sin-bin for a dangerous tackle.

The Bulls next week host Ulster, the Belfast outfit crossing the Jukskei on the back of a 35-22 defeat to the Lions, while Edinburgh will tackle the Pride at Ellis Park in round 3.

This story was first published on sarugbymag.co.za. It is republished here with permission.