The Vodacom Bulls remained unbeaten, beating Suzuki Griquas 47-24, on Friday evening in Pretoria, securing the maximum of five log points while the visitors take home one log point.
The Suzuki Griquas had two tries disallowed while the Bulls were held up three times unable to score. The scoreline may just be a little bit unfair towards the visitors, however, it seemed that the Bulls scored whenever they really wanted.
The Griquas started like a house on fire and scored the first try of the match in less than two minutes when Marco de Witt took a brilliant pass and stormed past several "defenders" to score. Ten minutes later, winger Dylan Maart pounced on a bouncing ball "ignored" by Bulls' defenders and ran forty meters for Griquas' second try to extend their lead to 14-00.
After twenty minutes of play, the Bulls attacked down the left touchline and after great work by Mpilo Gumede, Jaco van der Walt opened the hosts' account with a try and reduced the visitors' lead to seven points.
Two minutes later, Chris Smit scored the Bulls' second try following brilliant interplay by the host from an attack that started in the Bulls' half.
Three minutes later, Henry Immelman scored the Bulls' third try to extend the Bulls' lead to 19-14. In the following ten minutes, the Bulls' dominated, with only desperate defending by the visitors, keeping the Bulls scoring a further four tries. However, with three minutes to play in the first half, Mpilo Gumede scored the Bulls' fourth and bonus point try.
Griquas attacked for seven minutes until prop Cebo Dlamini bulldozed his way over the tryline to score Griquas' third try to trail 19-26 at the halftime break.
Following an early try by Mpilo Gumede for the Bulls, the Griquas started to put several phases together and dominated territory for the first twenty minutes of the match, until a try was disallowed for the Griquas. The Bulls immediately attacked and hooker Juan Else scored from the back of a ten-meter lineout-mall to extend the Bulls lead to 40-19.
Following two disallowed tries Dyland Maart beat three defenders to score the Griquas' bonus-point try in the corner to cut the Bulls' lead to 40-24 and ten minutes to play in the second half.
Juan Else scored his second try for the Bulls, bulldozing his way over the tryline to score the final points of the match, securing the Bulls a 47-24 win.
Scorers:
Vodacom Bulls: Tries: Jaco van der Walt, Chris Smit, Henry Immelman, Mpilo Gumede (2), Juan Else (2). Conversions: Jaco van der Walt (4), Boeta Chamberlain (2).
Suzuki Griquas: Tries: Marco de Witt, Dylan Maart (2), Cebo Dlamini. Conversions: Zinedine Robinson (2).
Teams
Vodacom Bulls: 15 Devon Williams, 14 Henry Immelman, 13 Cornel Smit, 12 Chris Barend Smit, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Jaco van der Walt, 9 Keagan Johannes, 8 Mpilo Gumede, 7 Mihlali Mosi, 6 Nizaam Carr (c), 5 Jannes Kirsten, 4 Cyle Brink, 3 Mornay Smith, 2 Joe van Zyl, 1 Tielman Nieuwoudt. Replacements: 16 Juan Else, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Khutha Mchunu, 19 Sintu Manjezi, 20 Merwe Olivier, 21 Bernard van der Linde, 22 Boeta Chamberlain, 23 Katlego Letebele.
Suzuki Griquas: 15 Connor Mahoney, 14 Dylan Maart, 13 Sango Xamlashe (c), 12 Tertius Kruger, 11 Sako Makata, 10 Zinedine Robinson, 9 Bobby Alexander, 8 Carl Els, 7 Marco de Witt, 6 Thabo Ndimande, 5 Derik Pretorius, 4 Dylan Sjoblom, 3 Cebo Dlamini, 2 Dandré Delport, 1 Leon Lyons. Replacements: 16 Gustav du Rand, 17 Eddie Davids, 18 Janu Botha, 19 Albert Liebenberg, 20 Jac van der Walt, 21 Xavier Swartbooi, 22 Tylor Sefoor, 23 Zane Bester.