Fourteen-man Bulls sneak into play-offs with two bonus points
CURRIE CUP REPORT: The Bulls have managed to book the final spot in this season’s Currie Cup semifinals despite going down 27-31 to the Cheetahs in a thrilling final-round clash at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Jake White’s side, who were saying goodbye to Morne Steyn and Bismarck du Plessis, entered the match needing just two points to advance to the play-offs and they got it by scoring four tries and losing within seven points.
The Bulls raced into a 19-0 lead in the opening 20 minutes before the Cheetahs staged their fightback.
The home side were also reduced to 14 men before half-time when Elrigh Louw was sent off.
The Bulls got things going on the scoreboard with a well-worked try for Cornal Hendricks on the blindside in the fifth minute. Morne Steyn was unsuccessful with the conversion.
White’s side were in again a couple of minutes later when David Kriel pounced on a loose ball before feeding it on his inside to Harold Vorster, who raced away for a five-pointer.
Steyn added the extra two points with his conversion.
Things got worse for the Cheetahs in the 13th when Embrose Papier was put into space to race away for his team’s third try. Steyn made it a 19-point lead with his conversion.
However, Hawies Fourie’s side showed some fight after that and they got their first points of the game with a try by David Brits. Sibabalo Masuku added the extras as well.
The Cheetahs inched closer after some great backline play in the Bulls’ half resulted in a try for Daniel Kasende.
Masuku made it a five-point ball game with his conversion.
The game then took a huge turn when Louw received a red card for a dangerous clear-out in the 38th minute.
Steyn had an opportunity to give his team an eight-point lead at half-time, but he couldn’t find the distance with his long-range penalty.
However, he made amends in the second minute of the second half by landing a penalty to increase his team’s lead.
Things then fell apart for the Bulls soon after that when Masuku found a huge gap in their to defence to sprint away for his team’s third try.
He converted his own try to reduce the Bulls’ lead to just one point.
The Cheetahs then found themselves in front in the 48th minute with Rewan Kruger diving for the tryline after sustained pressure in the Bulls’ half. Masuku gave the Cheetahs a six-point lead with his conversion.
The Bulls started to show plenty of fight after that and they were rewarded in the 62nd minute when Hendricks gathered the ball from a neat kick pass to score his team’s fourth try. Goosen could not find the direction with the conversion.
The Cheetahs were also reduced to 14 men after George Cronje got a yellow card for not rolling away in the build-up to that try.
The Cheetahs managed to relieve some pressure in the 72nd minute with Masuku giving them a four-point lead with a penalty.
There were no further points after that with the Bulls doing enough to ensure a top-four finish.
Man of the match: The award goes to Cheetahs flyhalf Sibabalo Masuku who was outstanding attack. He scored one of his team’s four tries and his goal-kicking was excellent as well.
The scorers:
For Bulls:
Tries: Hendricks 2, Vorster, Papier
Cons: Steyn 2
Pen: Steyn
For Cheetahs:
Tries: Brits, Kasende, Masuku, Kruger
Cons: Masuku 4
Pen: Masuku
Red card: Elrigh Louw (Bulls, 38′ – foul play, dangerous clear-out)
Yellow cards: George Cronje (Cheetahs, 62′ – cynical play, not rolling away)
Teams:
Bulls: 15 Johan Goosen, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 David Kriel, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Elrigh Louw, 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Marcell Coetzee (captain), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Mornay Smith, 2 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Replacements: 16 Simphiwe Matanzima, 17 Bismarck du Plessis, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Janko Swanepoel, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Keagan Johannes, 22 Chris Smith, 23 Wandisile Simelane.
Cheetahs: 15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Daniel Kasende, 13 David Brits, 12 Reinhardt Fortuin, 11 Cohen Jasper, 10 Sibabalo Masuku, 9 Rewan Kruger, 8 Friedle Olivier, 7 Sibabalo Qoma, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete (captain), 4 Rynier Bernardo, 3 Conraad van Vuuren, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 1 Schalk Ferreira.
Replacements: 16 Louis van der Westhuizen, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Hencus van Wyk, 19 Jeandre Rudolph, 20 George Cronje, 21 Daniel Maartens, 22 Zinedine Booysen, 23 Robert Ebersohn.
Referee: AM Jacobs
Assistant referees: Phumzile Mbewu, Jonathan Lottering
TMO: Aimee Barrett-Theron
