Photo by Jorina Raath/Speedshots.co.za
The Vodacom Blues won their first game of the season in style against the Highlanders with 38-13. The first half was a dull affair with the Vodacom Bulls controlling the second.
A sloppy first 20 minutes saw one try each with the score 07-05 with the Highlanders in the lead. Although the Bulls showed some signs of "brilliance" the quarter was mare a question which of the two sides were the worst.
The second quarter of the match, unfortunately, was more of the same, and the same was "kak". Highlanders lead 10-05.
The first twenty minutes of the second half gave the Vodacom Bulls' supporters more to enjoy than the complete first half. Two converted tries gave them a lead of 19-13 with 20 minutes to go. The Vodacom Bulls started to give the ball air and looked a lot better than the first half.
After a great fourth quarter, the celebrations began at Loftus Versfeld with a tale of two halves and one man, in particular, seeing the Bulls home. With a blistering second half from the hosts, courtesy of a rapid-fire hat-trick from the electric Rosko Speckman, the Bulls were able to pile on five tries to none to belt the hapless Highlanders. Riding a wave of momentum and playing some pretty damn spectacular attacking rugby to boot, the hosts open up their win account for Season 2019/20 with an emphatic 25-point victory.
Scorers:
Vodacom Bulls: Tries: Warrick Gelant, Rosko Speckman (3), Jaco Visagie, Cornal Hendricks. Conversion: Manie Libbok (3), Morne Steyn.
Highlanders: Try: Josh Ioane. Conversion: Josh Ioane. Penalties: Josh Ioane (2).
The teams:
Vodacom Bulls - 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Nafi Tuitavake, 12 Johnny Kotze, 11 Rosko Specman, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Muller Uys, 7 Josh Strauss, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Ian Groenewald, 3 Trevor Nyakane (captain), 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Lizo Gqoboka. Replacements: 16 Corniel Els, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Wiehahn Herbst, 19 Ryno Pieterse, 20 Ruan Steenkamp, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 Morné Steyn, 23 Divan Rossouw.
Highlanders - 15 Michael Collins, 14 Josh McKay, 13 Ngane Punivai, 12 Josh Ioane, 11 Jona Nareki, 10 Mitch Hunt, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Marino Mikaele Tu’u, 7 Dillon Hunt, 6 Shannon Frizell, 5 Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 4 Jesse Parete, 3 Siate Tokolahi, 2 Liam Coltman, 1 Ayden Johnstone. Replacements: 16 Ash Dixon, 17 Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18 Jeff Thwaites, 19 Jack Whetton, 20 Teariki Ben-Nicholas, 21 Kayne Hammington, 22 Teihorangi Walden, 23 Tima Fainga’anuku.