URC result: Bulls score nine tries in thrashing Leinster 62-7

That’s the type of rugby the Bulls are known for!

It may not have been the best of United Rugby Championship seasons and the Leinster team they faced at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday afternoon may have been their second-string side, but the Bulls produced some champagne rugby to go into the quarter-finals on a high and full of confidence.

It has been some time since Jake White’s men delivered such a clinical performance, and what a joy it was to see.

Yes, this same Bulls team beat Zebre 78-12 the week before, but this was Leinster — the Irish giants, the runaway log leaders and unbeaten up to Saturday’s match.

In total, the Bulls scored nine tries to Leinster’s one in a thrilling performance. The final score of 62-7 tells the full story.

Foundation laid up front

The victory means the Bulls will avoid facing the full-strength Leinster team in the URC quarter-finals in Dublin. That task will now belong to either the Sharks or Connacht.

The Bulls started strongly and produced a first half performance that was possibly their best 40 minutes of the season. They dominated all areas of the contest and played with hunger, passion and a directness not seen in some time.

The pack was superb in laying a foundation for the backs with several players standing out, among them Gerhard Steenekamp, Ruan Nortje, Marco van Staden and Elrigh Louw leading the way, while at the back Embrose Papier and Johan Goosen got the best out of the backline with Canan Moodie and Kurt-Lee Arendse excellent, and David Kriel not far behind.

And after an early Goosen penalty it was Nortje who went over for the first of his team’s four first-half tries.
Then it was the turn of Arendse to show his finishing ability — his first try coming after some good interplay between himself and Kriel on the left flank and his second after a Louw intercept down-field and a smart kick into space by Moodie.

Hooker Johan Grobbelaar got his team’s fourth on the stroke of half-time, going over from close range after a driving maul.

Second half thrills

At 31-0 up at the start of the second period, the Bulls were in complete control, while Leinster had it all to do to avoid a first defeat of the season in their final pool game. They weren’t able to manage that. And there was no comeback, like there was a week earlier against the Lions in Joburg.

Grobbelaar got his second try straight after the restart, running a great support line after a Papier break, and with Leinster player Thomas Clarkson in the sib-bin, Moodie and Stedman Gans also crossed the tryline; Moodie after jumping high for a kick-pass by Goosen, while Gans finished off after good handling and support play by his team-mates.

Leinster did get on the scoreboard in the 54th minute, prop Michael Milne going over from close, but the Bulls’ fabulous afternoon continued with Harold Vorster and Moodie scoring tries, both coming from good handling and excellent running in the build-up play.