Bulls' second-half show floors Griquas in Kimberley

MATCH REPORT:  The Bulls amplified their status as Currie Cup contenders with a 53-27 win over Griquas on Saturday in Kimberley.

Regarded as a  tricky encounter for the Bulls, the title holders headed to Kimberley with loads of United Rugby Championship (URC) enforcement.

*To recap all the action CLICK HERE!!!

They outscored the Griquas seven tries to four.

The match was evenly poised with the Bulls taking a 22-15 lead at the break.

However, Gert Smal’s troops eventually found their feet and dominated the second stanza.

The hosts twice landed counterstrikes to stay in the fight, but eventually fell off the pace as the visitors raced to victory with an overwhelming second-half showing.

For their never-say-die attitude, Pieter Bergh’s men were rewarded with a bonus point thanks to a late try by replacement Michael Amiras.

The game got off to a frenetic start with both teams throwing the ball around in conditions favourable for running rugby. A turnover from evergreen Bismarck du Plessis, who popped up everywhere and got onto the scoresheet, gave the Bulls prime field position and they capitalised with Simphiwe Matanzima powering and stretching over from a slick lineout move.

Chris Smith, who scored 18 points in a polished performance, added the conversion to make it 7-0 after 10 minutes.

The hosts replied with a diamond of a dot down five minutes later through Zander du Plessis, who converted his own try following dazzling interplay between wings Munier Hartzenberg and Luther Obi.

They nearly had a second when Chris Hollis picked up an errant Bulls pass. Embrose Papier did exceptionally well to reel the outside centre in and was quick to his feet to hold the ball up over the line moments later.

Griquas were intent on scoring points, though, and it came from the goal line restart in the form of a sweetly-struck drop goal by Theo Boshoff.

The visitors took over from there as their attacking enterprise started to burn holes in the defence. They banked back-to-back tries through Cornal Hendricks and Walt Steenkamp, Kurt-Lee Arendse the architect of both, with Smith converting the second to establish a 22-10 lead.

Feeling the pressure, Griquas turned down a kickable penalty in search of a seven-pointer only for the  Bulls to land another bitter blow by stealing the ensuing 5m lineout and clearing their line.

However, the hosts were relentless and finally rewarded when hard-working Hanru Sirgel burrowed his way over from close quarters to reduce the deficit to seven going into the break after Du Plessis’ conversion attempt drifted wide.

Smith stamped his authority on the game straight out of the shoot in the second half with the first of two classy 50:22s, which resulted in Arno Botha running in the bonus-point try.

Refusing to go away, Griquas produced another spectacular try, a perfectly-timed pass by Du Plessis slicing the Bulls open down the middle with the No 12 doubling up in support to score and convert his second of the afternoon.

After Matanzima was denied his brace by being held up over the line, the  Bulls were able to restore their 14-point advantage through 19-year-old Canan Moodie, who cantered in after collecting a try-making pass from Hendricks.

The Bulls opted to slow it down on their next visit to the 22 and when the home team were blown up, Smith popped over a penalty goal near the hour-mark to stretch the scoreline out to 39-22.

The visitors’ veteran hooker Du Plessis and replacement scrumhalf Keagan Johannes got in on the act to take the Bulls past 50. Still scratching, Amiras’ try was of some consolation as it earned the outgunned Peacock Blues a four-try bonus point.

Man of the match: Kurtley Arendse deserves a mention, he was ruthless on attack and set up a couple of tries with lethal runs. However, our nod goes to Bulls flyhalf Chris Smith. The No.10 read the really well and technical kept the Bulls on the front foot.

The scorers:

For Griquas:
Tries: Du Plessis 2, Sirgel, Amires
Cons: Du Plessis 2
Drop Goal: Boshoff

For Bulls
Tries: Matanzima, Hendricks, Steenkamp, Botha, Moodie, Du Plessis, Johannes
Cons: Smith 6
Pens: Smith 2

Teams

Griquas: 15 Rynhardt Jonker, 14 Munier Hartzenberg, 13 Christopher Hollis, 12 Alex-Zander du Plessis, 11 Luther Obi, 10 Theo Boshoff, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Sibabalo Qoma, 7 Hanru Sirgel, 6 Niel Otto (captain), 5 Derik Pretorius, 4 Mzwanele Zito, 3 Janu Botha, 2 Janco Uys, 1 Eddie Davids.
Replacements: 16 Gustav du Rand, 17 Kudzwai Dube, 18 Andries Schutte, 19 Johan Retief, 20 Michael Amiras, 21 Raegan Oranje, 22 Andre Swarts, 23 Sango Xamlashe.

Bulls: 15 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Cornal Hendricks, 11 Richard Kriel, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Muller Uys, 7 Arno Botha, 6 Marcell Coetzee (captain), 5 Janko Swanepoel, 4 Walt Steenkamp, 3 Robert Hunt, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Simphiwe Matanzima.
Replacements: Schalk Erasmus, 17 Lizo Gqoboka, 18 Kowie Roos, 19 Reinhardt Ludwig, 20 WJ Steenkamp, 21 Keagan Johannes, 22 Juan Mostert, 23 Lionel Mapoe.

Referee: AJ Jacobs
Assistant referees: Griffin Colby, Local
TMO: Egon Seconds

*Additional Source: SA Rugby