The Vodacom Bulls hung on for a 35-31 win against the Toyota Cheetahs. However, the Toyota Cheetahs were also a winner as the bonus points earned by them against the Vodacom Bulls earned them a semi-final against the Suzuki Griquas next weekend.
Bulls scored within the first five minutes of the start of the first half. Marcell Coetzee scored off the back of a five-meter lineout maul. Keagan Johannes added the extra two points to extend the Bulls lead to 07-00.
Four minutes later, the dominant Bulls spread the ball wide to Cheswill Jooste, who scored the Bulls' second try. Johannes added the extras to extend the Bulls' lead to 14-00.
A horrible mistake by the Bulls on their tryline led to Carel-Jan Coetzee dotting the ball down to open the visitors' account on the scoreboard, reducing the Bulls’ lead to 14-05.
With ten minutes still to play in the first half, Mpilo Gumede scored off a dominant rolling maul. Johannes again on point to extend the Bulls' lead to 28-05.
Following another powerful scrum, David Kriel powers his way over the whitewash just before the half-time break to extend the Bulls' lead to 28-05, which was also the halftime score.
The Bulls started the second half with a great try by Cheswill Jooste down the touchline to extend the Bulls' lead to 35-05.
A red card to Bulls captain Marcell Coetzee for playing a player in the air could prove to be costly for the Bulls with thirty minutes still to play in the second half.
With the game opening up, it was Clayton Blommetjies who cut the Bulls' defence in two and offloaded to Jandre Nel, who had an easy thirty-odd meters to run for the Cheethas' second try. Franco Smith converted to cut the Bulls’ lead to 35-12 after twenty minutes of play in the second half.
Minutes later, the Cheetahs attacked down the middle, and eventually Prince Nkabinde scored a brilliant try. Franco Smith converted to cut the Bull’s lead to 35-19.
The Cheetahs launched wave after wave of attacks and eventually Vernon Paulo crashed over for their bonus point try, which secured their place in a semi-final against the Fidelity ADT Lions in Johannesburg next weekend.
With three minutes to play, the Cheetahs once again attacked down the middle, and this time it was Pierre-Raymond Uys who scored. Franco Smith converted to cut the Bulls' lead to 35-31, which was the final score.
The Cheetahs earned an extra bonus point for losing by less than seven points, moving them to third place on the log. The Suzuki Griquas will host the Toyota Cheetahs and the Fidelity ADT Lions, the Sanlam Boland Cavaliers in the two semi-finals next weekend.
Scorers
Vodacom Bulls: Tries: Marcell Coetzee, Cheswill Jooste (2), Mpilo Gumede, David Kriel. Conversions: Keagan Johannes (5).
Toyota Cheetahs: Tries: Carel-Jan Coetzee, Jandre Nel, Prince Nkabinde, Pierre-Raymond Uys, Vernon Paulo. Conversions: Cohen Jasper (3).
Teams:
Vodacom Bulls: 15 Devon Williams, 14 Cheswill Jooste, 13 David Kriel, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Alfonso Isaacs, 10 Keagan Johannes, 9 Embrose Papier,8 Abri van der Westhuizen, 7 Mpilo Gumede, 6 Marcell Coetzee (c), 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Jaco Grobbelaar, 3 Mornay Smith, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Alu Tshekwani. Replacements: 16 Juann Else,17 Ruan Swart, 18 Francois Klopper,19 Cobus Wiese, 20 Nama Xaba, 21 Paul de Wet,22 Harold Vorster, 23 Stedman Gans.
Toyota Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Prince Nkabinde, 13 Marco Janse van Vuren, 12 Carel-Jan Coetzee, 11 Cohen Jasper, 10 Franco Smith, 9 Jandre Nel, 8 Neels Volschenk, 7 Pierre-Raymond Uys, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete (c), 4 Juan Venter, 3 Frankie Dos Reis, 2 Marko Jansen van Rensburg, 1 Cameron Dawson. Replacements: 16 Vernon Paulo, 17 Tielman Niewoudt , 18 John-Kelly Okonkwo, 19 Sisonke Vumazonke, 20 Daniel Maartens, 21 Raegan Oranje, 22 Banie Britz, 23 Michael Annies.