Smith steers Bulls to win over Lions
MATCH REPORT: United Rugby Championship finalist the Bulls opened their season with a 31-15 win over Lions on Saturday at Ellis Park.
Bulls outscored the Lions three tries to two – captain Marcell Coetzee along with Cornal Hendricks and Jan-Hendrik Wessels got over the line for the visitors.
Francke Horn and Marius Louw got their names on the scoresheet for the Lions.
*To recap all the action CLICK HERE!!!
The Trans-Jukskei derby was very intense with two sides also being locked at 15-all just after the break.
However, the boot of Chris Smith proved to be the difference.
The Bulls kicked four penalties and a conversion adding 14 points to his team’s tally.
Smith eventually made way for Morne Steyn in the 70th minute.
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Bulls skipper and loose forward Marcell Coetzee opened the scoring very early on, while flyhalf Chris Smith added the extras for a 7-0 lead.
Jordan Hendrikse replied with a penalty goal shortly thereafter, with Smith doing the same to take the score to 10-3 in favour of the blue jerseys.
Just before the half hour mark, Cornal Hendricks went over in the right corner to round off a well-crafted team try which started with a clearance behind the Vodacom Bulls’ goal line by new recruit Wandisile Simelane, playing against his former teammates.
The home side replied with a brilliant maul try from an attacking lineout which saw No 8 Francke Horn cross the line to narrow the deficit to 15-8.
Although the side from Pretoria deserved their half-time advantage, the Highvelders spilled some easy opportunities to put more points on the scoreboard. Hendrikse steered his conversion attempt just wide of the upright, while a more straightforward penalty attempt ballooned well wide.
It was the home side who made the made of a fast restart which saw hard-running inside centre Marius Louw crossing the line with a strong carry for a converted try to level the scores at 15-15.
However, their lead was very short-lived as Smith put the visitors back in the lead at 18-15 with an easy penalty goal, and he repeated the action later with two more successful strikes to take the advantage to 24-15 with 15 minutes of play still remaining.
The home side went into striking distance of the whitewash, but Sbu Nkosi prevented a certain try when he forced a turnover to take thwart of the attacking threat.
The Bulls then added to their try tally when replacement hooker Jan-Hendrik Wessels was helped over the line for a maul try, which was converted by 38-year former Springbok flyhalf Morne Steyn to give the Pretoria outfit a commanding 31-15 lead which they defended until the end.
The scorers:
For Lions:
Tries: Horn, Louw
Con: Hendrikse
Pens: Hendrikse
For Bulls:
Tries: Coetzee, Hendricks, Wessels
Cons: Smith, Steyn
Pens: Smith 4
Teams
Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Marius Louw, 11 Quan Horn, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Morné van den Berg, 8 Francke Horn, 7 Ruhan Straeuli, 6 Sibusiso Sangweni, 5 Reinhard Nothnagel (captain), 4 Ruan Venter, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Pieter Botha, 1 Sithembiso Sithole.
Replacements: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Jean-Pierre Smith, 18 Ruan Smith, 19 Pieter Jansen van Vuren, 20 Emmanuel Tshituka, 21 Sanele Nohamba, 22 Gianni Lombard, 23 Zander du Plessis.
Bulls: 15 Wandisile Simelane, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 David Kriel, 11 Sibusiso Nkosi, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Mihlali Mosi, 7 Ruan Vermaak, 6 Marcell Coetzee (captain), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Walt Steenkamp, 3 Mornay Smith, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Janko Swanepoel, 20 Marco van Staden, 21 Izak Burger, 22 Morné Steyn, 23 Stedman Gans.
Referee: AJ Jacobs (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Cwengile Jadezweni (South Africa), Griffin Colby (South Africa)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuisen (South Africa)
