The Emirates Lions lost 35-22 to a physically dominant Vodacom Bulls at the Emirates Airline Park on Saturday. The Bulls' physicality eventually took its toll earning them a deserved bonus point win.
The first ten minutes were brutal, with both teams trying to bulldoze themselves to glory.
The Bulls converted a penalty to take an early lead in the second half.
Five minutes later, Boeta Chamberlain kicked the ball behind the Lions' backline, which Sergeal Peterson controlled to offload to David Kriel, who scored the Bulls' first try. Boeta Chamberlain converted to extend the Bulls lead to 10-00 with twenty-five minutes to play in the first half.
Four minutes later, Sam Francis converted a penalty for the Lions to cut the Bulls' lead to seven points.
With twenty minutes played, the Bulls deservedly enjoyed 65% possession and 63% territorial advantage.
Sam Francis converted a second penalty with ten minutes still to play in the first half.
The Lions clawed their way back and set up camp in the Bulls half for an extended time. Richard Kriel kicked a grubber which was collected by Henco van Wyk who scored the Lions' first try a Bulls' defender on his back. Francis converted to edged the Lions 11-10 ahead, which was the halftime score.
The teams traded penalties with Sam Francis converting two to the one converted by Boeta Chamberlain, which extended the Lions' lead to 17-13 with eighteen minutes to play.
The Bulls attacked from the kick-off and Cobus Wiese had to stretch to score the Bulls' second try. Chamberlain converted to take the Bulls back into the lead 20-17.
The Bulls continued their onslaught and Boeta Chamberlain converted his third penalty to extend the Bulls' lead to 23-17 after twenty minutes of play.
Two minutes later Etienne Oosthuizen added his name to the scoresheet for the Lions with Francis missing his third attempt to convert a try to trail with one point.
With the floodgates wide open the Bulls scored their third try when Marcell Coetzee forced his way over the tryline. Kriel added the extra two points. Minutes later Akker van der Merwe scored the Bulls' fourth and bonus point try off the back of a lineout-maul. Kriel converted to extend the Bulls' lead to 37-22.
Scorers:
Emirates Lions: Tries: Henco van Wyk, Etienne Oosthuizen. Penalty: Sam Francis (4).
Vodacom Bulls: Tries: David Kriel, Cobus Wiese, Marcell Coetzee, Akker van der Merwe. Conversions: Boeta Chamberlain, David Kriel (2). Penalties: Boeta Chamberlain (2), David Kriel.
Teams
EmirateLions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Richard Kriel, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Rynhardt Jonker, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Sam Francis, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Franke Horn, 7 Ruan Venter, 6 JC Pretorius, 5 Ruan Delport, 4 Etienne Oosthuizen, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 PJ Botha, 1 Juan Schoeman. Replacements: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 SJ Kotze, 18 RF Schoeman, 19 Raynard Roets, 20 WJ Steenkamp, 21 Nico Steyn, 22 Gianni Lombard, 23 Manuel Rass.
Vodacom Bulls: 15 Devon Williams, 14 Sebastian de Klerk, 13 David Kriel, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Sergeal Petersen, 10 Boeta Chamberlain, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Elrich Louw, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Ruan Nortje (captain), 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp. Replacements: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Reinhardt Ludwig, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Keagan Johannes, 22 Canan Moodie, 23 Willie le Roux.