Hanekom concern as Bulls punish sloppy Sharks to book URC Final date

MATCH REPORT: The Bulls advanced to their third United Rugby Championship Final after their 25-13 semifinal win over the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld.

The Sharks dominated the possession for the majority of the match but were unable to convert their opportunities into points much to the credit of a solid Bulls’ defensive effort.

The Bulls will now travel to Dublin to face log leaders Leinster in the Final following their dominant performance in front of 47214 strong in attendance.

The hosts will be concerned about their discipline after conceding three yellow cards, which has been an issue for them throughout the season.

*To recap all the action CLICK HERE!

The Bulls started like a house on fire. Ruan Nortje lost the kick-off backwards but Sebastian de Klerk picked up the scraps and got the hosts on the front foot within the first minute.

A knock-on by Willie le Roux gave the Sharks the first scrum feed of the match. The Bulls showed slight dominance but the Sharks got the ball away with Makazole Mapimpi chipping the ball ahead which Le Roux knocked on again.

The Sharks’ scrum was found wanting again but they managed to get the ball away and launch an attack before Hendrikse chipped the ball over the top, but a forward pass by the Bulls gave the Sharks a third scrum feed in five minutes — this time seven metres from the Bulls’ line.

The Bulls won the tighthead battle and turned the ball over at the scrum. The hosts went wide but Ethan Hooker intercepted the ball and went over for the try, but after a TMO check it was deemed that the Sharks backline was offside and the try was disallowed.

The Bulls won the following line-out and Embrose Papier spotted a gap and got his pass away to Sebastian de Klerk who stepped inside and out beating two defenders before going over for the opening try. Johan Goosen slotted the conversion in the ninth minute.

Goosen got penalized for playing Jaden Hendrikse in an offside position in the 18th minute. Jordan Hendrikse stepped up from around 60 metres but missed the penalty attempt to get his side on the scoreboard.

Moments later, Siya Kolisi knocked the ball on after the Sharks looked promising on attack on their own 10-metre line.

The Bulls were patient on attack but the Sharks turned it over. Seconds later, Jaden Hendrikse slipped as he made the clearance kick and the hosts continued their onslaught.

Try scorer Sebastian de Klerk saw the space on the outside and nailed a crossfield kick into the hands of Canan Moodie who outstripped Makazole Mapimpi to dot down for the Bulls’ second in the 22nd minute. Goosen missed the conversion.

The Sharks finally got on the scoreboard after 26 minutes through a Jordan Hendrikse penalty after the Bulls were caught for being offside.

Another penalty went the Sharks’ way after a great break by Makazole Mapimpi who got his pass away to Aphelele Fassi.

Harold Vorster contested for the ball and conceded a penalty. He was subsequently yellow-carded in the process as it was deemed to be cynical after a line-break in the 28th minute.

Jordan Hendrikse missed the penalty attempt moments later.

A scrum penalty to the Bulls which stemmed from a forward pass by Lukhanyo Am saw the Bulls go for the line-out inside Sharks territory.

The hosts earned another penalty after Bongi Mbonambi competed illegally for possession. The Bulls opted for the kick at goal which Goosen slotted in the 36th minute to extend the lead back to 12 points.

Lock Corne Rahl reclaimed the restart moments later and the Sharks attacked strongly before Cameron Hanekom tip-tackled Siya Kolisi in the 37th minute which saw the URC Next Gen player yellow-carded for his actions.

The Sharks opted for the corner and Bongi Mbonambi played a short ball to Vincent Tshituka as the Sharks bashed away against a 13-man Bulls, but the visitors conceded a penalty for holding on which summed up their first half.

The Sharks, however, had another bite at the cherry after winning a breakdown penalty and earning another 10 metres in the process for back chatting by the Bulls.

The Sharks opted for the corner, formed a maul and earned another penalty. Another double blast on the whistle by referee Andrew Brace saw Marcell Coetzee yellow-carded for collapsing the Sharks’ maul at high speed in the 39th minute.

The Sharks went to the corner again and Bongi Mbonambi was stopped short of the line. The Sharks bashed away but the Bulls managed to hold the ball up and as the half-time whistle blew.

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The second half started with a penalty to the Sharks after late bench addition Emmanuel Tshituka won a penalty for holding on.

The Sharks opted for the line-out outside the Bulls’ 22-metre area and started their attack.

The visitors started to gain some momentum before Willie le Roux’s attempted interception resulted in a knock-on which gave the Sharks another attacking scrum.

The Durbanietes finally crossed the Bulls’ line as Ox Nche gave a basketball-like pass to Bongi Mbonambi who found Makazole Mapimpi in space as the Springbok winger went over in the 44th minute. Hendrikse missed the conversion.

Bulls hardman Cameron Hanekom went down in agony in the 47th minute which will be a concern for Jake White and Rassie Erasmus. The No.8 went off on a medical cart.

Kolisi made a break inside the Bulls’ 22 which gave the Sharks good momentum as they bashed away at the Bulls’ line and earned a penalty for offside against Willie le Roux in the 51st minute.

The Sharks opted for the corner turning down a kickable penalty and their decision paid off when they used their forwards to build momentum before going wide to Ethan Hooker who dotted down in the corner in the 53rd minute after being denied in the first half. Jaden Hendrikse missed the conversion.

The Bulls earned an offside penalty with Ntuthuko Mchunu being the guilty party. The hosts opted for the posts and replacement Keagan Johannes extended the lead to five points as the final quarter approached.

Makazole Mapimpi conceded a breakdown penalty after Canan Moodie collected a contestable kick and the Bulls opted for the kick at goal which Keagan Johannes missed to the right with 14 minutes of play remaining.

Two minutes later the Bulls got their reward through David Kriel who dotted down after Embrose Papier exploited space yet again off a line-out and got his pass away to Cobus Wiese who found Kriel in space as Johannes converted the try.

Play went back and forth for the rest of the match but the Bulls kept on winning the mini battles until the 77th minute when Aphelele Fassi’s kick from his own 22-metre area caught Keagan Johannes in possession who slid into touch inside the Bulls’ red zone.

The Sharks had one final opportunity to bring the match back into the balance with two minutes to play but a forward pass by Jordan Hendrikse summed up the evening for the visitors with a minute and a half to play.

The Bulls won the scrum penalty which sealed the deal with seconds to go.

Keagan Johannes set a final line-out outside his 22-metre area which Ruan Nortjé won and sealed the deal to book a date with Leinster in the 2025 URC Final!

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Scorers:

For the Bulls:
Tries: De Klerk, Moodie, Kriel
Cons: Goosen, Johannes
Pens: Goosen, Johannes

For the Sharks:
Tries: Mapimpi, Hooker
Pens: Hendrikse

Yellow cards: Harold Vorster (Bulls, 28 – Cynical foul: No release in the tackle after a line-break), Cameron Hanekom (Bulls, 37 – Dangerous play: Tip tackle beyond the horizontal), Marcell Coetzee (Bulls 39, Cynical foul: Collapsing a maul at speed)

Teams

Bulls: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 David Kriel, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Sebastian de Klerk, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Ruan Nortje (captain), 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Jan-Hendrik Wessels.
Replacements: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Mornay Smith, 19 Jannes Kirsten, 20 Marco van Staden, 21 Zak Burger, 22 Keagan Johannes, 23 Devon Williams.

Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Ethan Hooker, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Siya Kolisi (captain), 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 James Venter, 5 Emile van Heerden, 4 Corne’ Rahl, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche.
Replacements: 16 Fez Mbatha, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Deon Slabbert, 20 Phepsi Buthelezi, 21 Emmanuel Tshituka, 22 Bradley Davids, 23 Yaw Penxe.

Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Sam Grove-White (Scotland), Adam Jones (Wales)
TMO: Mike Adamson (Scotland)