URC result: Bulls power game earns them hard fought win over Ulster
· Citizen
The Bulls power game proved to be the difference in the end as it helped them earn a hard fought 34-26 win over a fighting Ulster side in their United Rugby Championship (URC) clash at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday afternoon.
The home side dominated the set pieces, with their scrum, lineout and maul firing on all cylinders which saw them take a 21-0 lead just after the 30 minute mark, before Ulster showed tremendous fight to claw their way back into the contest and take it right until the final minute.
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For the Bulls captain Marcell Coetzee had an action packed game, scoring two tries but also picked up a yellow card, while Springbok flyhalf Handre Pollard crucially nailed all his shots at goal, giving him an 11 point haul after slotting four conversions and a penalty.
Flying start
It was a flying start to the match for the Bulls, as they kicked a penalty onto the Ulster 5m, set the maul and powered over for flank Coetzee to score his first, converted by Pollard in the second minute.
The hosts were in for their second in the 18th minute, as some good play in the visitors 22m ended with eighthman Elrigh Louw being driven over the line by a pod of forwards for the score and a 14-0 lead.
In the 32nd minute the Bulls went further ahead, as they powered into the Ulster 22m, got close and Coetzee picked up at a ruck and dived over for his second, with Pollard’s extras giving them a good lead.
But as the half was coming to a close Ulster hit the Bulls with a counterpunch after starting an attack near the half way, some great hands down the line earned a break, and the final pass found wing Chay Mullins to sprint in and score, with flyhalf Jack Murphy converting to make it 21-7 at the break.
It was then a disastrous start to the second half for the Bulls, as Ulster started on the front foot, worked their way into their 22m and onto their tryline, and loose forward David McCann forced his way over for the converted try to cut the deficit to seven points.
Double blow
It was a double blow for the home side as Coetzee sent to the bin for head contact on defence in the lead up to that score, but a 50th minute penalty from Pollard settled the nerves a bit, making it 24-14.
But Ulster just wouldn’t give up and in the 63rd minute the visitors were back in it as they attacked off a lineout, went through numerous phases before a wonderful chicken wing pass earned space out wide for Mullins to secure his double in the corner.
The Bulls however immediately hit back, attacking off the kick off and moving into the Ulster 22m, where hooker Johan Grobbelaar received the ball with a small gap and dived over to give them a 31-19 lead.
It was then an immediate response from Ulster as the back and forth half continued, as the visitors kicked into the Bulls 22m, earned a penalty, tapped it and inside centre Stuart McClosky smashed over from close range, but the missed conversion meant they were five points behind going into the last 10 minutes.
In the 74th minute replacement flyhalf Curwin Bosch missed a penalty from distance and an angle, that would have put them more than a converted score ahead.
But despite Ulster making a last charge into the Bulls territory, a couple of penalties ended their final chance, and on the fulltime hooter Bosch nailed a long range shot at goal to snatch a bonus point away from the visitors.
Scorers
Bulls: Tries – Marcell Coetzee (2), Elrigh Louw, Johan Grobbelaar; Conversions – Handre Pollard (4); Penalties – Pollard, Curwin Bosch
Ulster: Tries – Chay Mullins (2), David McCann, Stuart McClosky; Conversions – Jack Murphy (3)