Africa-Press – South-Africa. A late Chris Smith drop goal earned the Bulls a nail-biting 30-27 win against the Sharks in their absorbing United Rugby Championship quarter-final at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
A crowd of 22394 bayed on the Bulls in a tense last five minutes as they chose to end the game in regulation time.
After carrying the ball safely and dutifully in the Sharks’ 22, Smith got into the pocket and landed his drop from a snap Embrose Papier pass.
Having lost to the Sharks twice in the round-robin stages, the win was especially satisfying for the Bulls fans, who sang Sweet Caroline after the final whistle.
The Sharks manned up well, but could look back at a wasteful first half, while the Bulls now look forward to a semi-final against Leinster or the Glasgow Warriors.
The Sharks could have and should have done better in the first half. They played all of the rugby and did so in the right areas of the field.
What they didn’t have to show for their effort were the points. Instead, their over-elaborating allowed the Bulls to score the game’s first try in the 13th-minute.
The visitors had taken the lead in the fifth minute from a Curwin Bosch penalty, but in trying to be creative, they went overboard.
A blind-side wrap-around move was well-read by Canan Moodie, who intercepted in the Bulls’ 22 and hared downfield.
With the Sharks’ pace merchants bearing down on him, they chased him down, but his smart in-field kick bounced favourably for Madosh Tambwe, who scored despite Makazole Mapimpi’s close attentions.
The Sharks responded three minutes later when Bongi Mbonambi crossed over from a rolling maul, something the Sharks didn’t use to the best effect.
The rest of the first half saw a fair bit of helter-skelter, but no further try-line incursions, even though Bulls scrumhalf Zak Burger was unfortunately defeated by the bounce from an in-field chip kick.
The second half saw a different Bulls side that took the game by the scruff of the neck. They scored their second try through captain Marcell Coetzee five minutes after the break as the Bulls chose the route one rugby that’s been so effective for them.
Their pillar to pillar rugby wore down the Sharks and once the gap appeared, the home side took the points and ran.
It was rinse and repeat for Cornal Hendricks’s try as the Bulls’ forwards made the necessary close contact hard-yards to create the space out wide for Hendricks.
In the space of 10 second-half minutes, 13-13 had become 27-13, meaning the Sharks now had to play catch-up rugby.
That’s a tall order, especially on the Highveld, regardless if it’s a South African team. The Sharks, whose errors increased with the pressure ratcheted up by their opponents.
They responded in the 58th-minute through the off-colour Jaden Hendrikse, whose passing and general decision-making left a lot to be desired.
The Sharks endeavoured and finally found a way through in the 75th-minute through Sikhumbuzo Notshe, but the build-up of the try was superb.
Instead of taking a lineout, Mapimpi took a quick tap and the Sharks diligently went through the phases.
They found a number of small gaps from where Notshe wormed his way over the line.
Bosch, who had a mixed day from a game-management perspective but an excellent one with the boot, landed a clutch conversion to tie up the game.
The Bulls wanted the game more and played on after the hooter, from where Smith’s drop-goal came and broke the Sharks’ hearts.
Scorers:
Bulls (13) 30
Tries: Madosh Tambwe, Marcell Coetzee, Cornal Hendricks
Conversions: Chris Smith (3)
Penalties: Smith (2)
Drop-goal: Smith
Sharks: (13) 27
Tries: Bongi Mbonambi, Jaden Hendrikse, Sikhumbuzo Notshe
Conversions: Curwin Bosch (3)
Penalties: Bosch (2)
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