By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Vodacoms Bulls secured a commanding 41-12 bonus-point win over the Hollywoodbets Sharks in their United Rugby Championship (URC) derby at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
The game was delayed for 15 minutes due to a thunderstorm, but the Sharks would have been hoping it was delayed entirely as they failed to pitch, couldn’t handle the Bulls’ pace and power.
Bulls victory also ensured that the Lions clinched the SA Shield in the tournament for the first time in their history, following their 24-10 victory over the Stormers in the earlier match at Ellis Park.
Following a stop-start affair from both sides, Canan Moodie opened the scoring with an individual moment of brilliance in the 14th minute with a chip and chase effort to dot down.
Sebastian de Klerk scored the Bulls’ second try in the 26th minute off a Handré Pollard crossfield kick following multiple phases of play.
JP Pietersen and Rassie Erasmus will have massive concerns after Bok scrumhalf Jaden Hendrikse was helped off the field on a stretcher after the try had been scored with a head injury suffered whilst attempting to make a tackle. He was taken to the hospital for further assessment.
The Bulls then lit the torch paper at Loftus when Harold Vorster picked up from the base of a ruck on his own 22m and cracked straight through the middle before picking out Embrose Papier who outsprinted the cover defence. Pollard converted to put the Bulls 17-0 in front on the half-hour mark.
Six minutes later, De Klerk chipped the Sharks defence and offloaded to Papier who raced in for his second and the Bulls’ bonus-point try. Pollard missed his third relatively easy conversion of the afternoon.
The Sharks finally got their groove on seven minutes into the second half with good interplay between backs and forwards seeing winger Edwill van der Merwe scoot in at the corner.
The Sharks then launched a furious assault on the Bulls line but the home side held firm until the final quarter when prop Hanro Jacobs powered over from close range. Jordan Hendrikse converted and at 22-12 with 17 minutes to go the game was very much in the balance.
However, it was that man Vorster who shut the door on the Sharks, running onto an offload from Pollard to score. A successful conversion took the score out to 29-12 and the Loftus faithful could breathe easy again.
There was still time for replacement scrumhalf Paul de Wet to score and Vorster to add his second as the Bulls ran riot in the closing stages.
Vodacom Bulls – tries: Canan Moodie, Embrose Papier (2), Sebastian de Klerk, Harold Vorster (2), Paul de Wet. Conversions: Handre Pollard (3)
Hollywoodbets Sharks – tries: Edwill van der Merwe, Hanro Jacobs. Conversion: Jordan Hendrikse.