Bulls end South African drought in Europe

MATCH REPORT: The Bulls scored the first win in Europe by a South African franchise in the 2023-24 United Rugby Championship season.

Using their superior forward power, the Bulls recorded a commanding 52-29 win over a willing, but ultimately outclassed, Zebre in Parma on Saturday.

The eight-tries to-four bonus-point win saw the Bulls move into a top-four position and made amends for last week’s disappointing loss to Ulster.

Inside centre David Kriel scored three of the visitors’ tries – with fullback Devon Williams and hooker Armand van der Merwe both getting a brace. Wing Sergeal Petersen scored the eighth try.

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😎 David Kriel on route to his hat trick for @BlueBullsRugby 🙌 #BKTURC #URC | #ZEBvBUL pic.twitter.com/epsydLxoyM

— BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) November 4, 2023

Zebre got off the mark quickly, as they have done in their earlier matches, with flank Iacopo Bianchi bursting away from a rolling maul near the Bulls’ line to score the opening try.

The Bulls replied with two quick-fire scores – Armand van der Merwe bursting away from a maul and dragging two defenders over with him, before some quick recycling allowed Sergeal Petersen to stroll over on the left wing.

The mounting pressure saw the home team concede a string of penalties – eight in a 10-minute period.

Van der Merwe scored a second maul try, before some nifty footwork by Zebre captain Geronimo Prisciantelli exposed the Bulls’ defence – making it 21-12 to the visitors on the half-hour mark.

Prisciantelli added a late penalty, making it 21-15 to the Bulls at the half-time break.

The Bulls got the second-half scoring going with fullback Devon Williams finishing of a great team try that included some sublime interpassing.

That was followed by David Kriel squeezing over in the right corner, as the Bulls started to race away.

Zebre, ever willing, scored next through right wing Scott Gregory – the gap closing to 22-35, with 20 minutes remaining on the clock.

The home team’s bonus-point try came in the 67th minute through Lorenzo Pani, but the Bulls hit straight with a second Kriel five-pointer – 40-29, with just under 10 minutes remaining.

Any hope of a comeback was dismissed when Williams went over for his second and the Bulls’ seventh try five minutes from time.

Kriel completed his hat-trick in the 78th minute, taking the visitors past the half-century mark – 54-29 the full-time score.

💥 That’s one way to mark your @BlueBullsRugby debut

Sergeal Petersen 👏#BKTURC #URC | #ZEBvBUL pic.twitter.com/JqUEErXWnU

— BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) November 4, 2023

Man of the match: Centre David Kriel (with his hat-trick), fullback Devon Williams, flyhalf Johan Goosen, No.8 Cameron Hanekom, captain Marcell Coetzee and hooker Armand van der Merwe were all impressive. Our award goes to Bulls co-captain and lock Ruan Nortje for his incredible workrate.

The scorers

For Zebra
Tries: Bianchi, Prisciantelli, Gregory, Pani
Cons: Prisciantelli 3
Pens: Prisciantelli

For the Bulls
Tries: Van der Merwe 2, Petersen, Williams 2, Kriel 3
Cons: Goosen 6, Smith

Teams

Zebre: 15 Lorenzo Pani, 14 Scott Gregory, 13 Fetuli Paea, 12 Enrico Lucchin, 11 Simone Gesi, 10 Geronimo Prisciantelli (captain), 9 Alessandro Fusco, 8 Davide Ruggeri, 7 Iacopo Bianchi, 6 Guido Volpi, 5 Andrea Zambonin, 4 Dylan de Leeuw, 3 Muhamed Hasa, 2 Marco Manfredi, 1 Danilo Fischetti.
Replacements: 16 Giampietro Ribaldi, 17 Luca Rizzoli, 18 Ion Neculai, 19 Leonard Krumov, 20 Luca Andreani, 21 Taina Fox-Matamua, 22 Gonzalo Garcia, 23 Jacopo Trulla.

Bulls: 15 Devon Williams 14 Sebastian de Klerk, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 David Kriel, 11 Sergeal Petersen, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Isak Burger, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marcell Coetzee (co-captain), 5 Ruan Nortje (co-captain), 4 Janko Swanepoel, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Armand van der Merwe, 1 Simphiwe Matanzima.
Replacements: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Mornay Smith, 19 Reinhardt Ludwig, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Chris Smith, 23 Wandisile Simelane.

Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Clara Munarini (Italy) and Manuel Bottino (Italy)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)

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