The Vodacom Bulls kept alive their hopes of finishing in the top four for a home quarter-final, beating log leaders, Glasgow Warriors 40-34.
The Glasgow Warriors had a confident start and opened the scoring after just eight minutes of play, however, the Vodacom Bulls absorbed the early pressure to score two unanswered tries to lead 24-10 at the halftime break. The Bulls opened up a 37-10 lead with fifteen minutes to play, however, Glasgow scored three tries during the final minutes to secure two bonus points and lost 34-40.
Glasgow had a confident start and Matt Fagerson opened the scoring, storming around the front of a five-meter lineout to crash over for a 07-00 lead after eight minutes of play in the first half.
Seven minutes later the Vodacom Bulls hooker, Akker van der Merwe scored a similar try around the front of a lineout to level the scores at 07-07.
The Vodacom Bulls continued their onslaught up front and Cameron Hanekom bulldozed his way over the fourteen men Glasgow tryline for the Bulls to lead 14-07.
The teams traded penalties before a great break by Kurt-Lee down the middle field, which led to Elrigh Louw's try three minutes before the halftime break. The Vodacom Bulls led 24-10 going into the second half.
The Bulls started the second half in a similar way they ended the first half with Canan Moodie strolling over Glasgow's tryline to score the Bulls' bonus-point try to lead 31-10.
Following a bit of nothing for ten minutes, the Bulls' Chris Smith added two converted penalties extending the Bulls' lead to 37-10.
However, Glasgow was not finished yet and tries by Kyle Steyn, Sebastian Cancelliere and Duncan Weirscored reduced the Bulls' lead to 37-31 and eight minutes still to play in the second half.
A desperate Bulls instructed Chris Smith to convert a penalty from within their half to increase their lead to 40-31 and three minutes to play. With time up on the clock Duncan Weir converted a penalty for Glasgow to reduce the Bulls' lead to 40-34, however, more important earning a bonus point for the visitors.
Scorers:
Vodacom Bulls: Tries: Akker van der Merwe, Cameron Hanekom, Elrigh Louw, Canan Moodie. Conversions: Chris Smith (4). Penalties: Chris Smith (4).
Glasgow Warriors: Tries: Matt Fagerson, Kyle Steyn, Sebastian Cancelliere, Duncan Weir. Conversions: George Horne, Tom Jordan, Duncan Weir (2). Penalty: George Home.
Teams:
Vodacom Bulls: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 David Kriel, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje (c), 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp. Replacements: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Reinhardt Ludwig, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Izak Burger, 22 Jaco van der Walt, 23 Devon Williams.
Glasgow Warriors: 15 Josh McKay, 14 Kyle Steyn (c), 13 Stafford McDowall, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Sebastian Cancelliere, 10 Tom Jordan, 9 George Horne, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Rory Darge, 6 Matt Fagerson, 5 Scott Cummings, 4 Gregor Brown, 3 Murphy Walker, 2 Grant Stewart, 1 Jamie Bhatti. Replacements: 16 Johnny Matthews, 17 Nathan McBeth, 18 Zander Fagerson, 19 Max Williamson, 20 Euan Ferrie, 21 Henco Venter, 22 Jamie Dobie, 23 Duncan Weir.