By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Photo Credit: Suresh Rajcoomar/ Fullview.
The Vodacom Bulls produced another dominant performance at Loftus Versfeld stadium, beating Benetton 45–19 to finish the United Rugby Championship (URC) season strongly.
The bonus-point victory lifted Bulls to third on the table after 12 wins. That means the Bulls will host a quarter-final.
The Bulls got off to a fast start with Sergeal Petersen crossing the line in the right-hand corner for the opening try in the fourth minute, sparked by a Canan Moodie linebreak.
Ten minutes later, veteran fullback Willie le Roux took a flat pass from flyhalf Handré Pollard to cross under the posts.
After the early shock, Benetton settled and started to gain a foothold in the match on the back of their powerful maul.
A series of lineout mauls close to the Bulls line eventually saw South African flyhalf Rhyno Smith create the space for wing Louis Lynagh to score.
But the Bulls responded with some powerful mauling of their own and on the half-hour mark hooker Johan Grobbelaar was on hand to make the score 19-5.
The Bulls were denied two more tries for knock-ons during a perplexing period of play which also saw Benetton scrumhalf Alessandro Garbisi yellow-carded for a deliberate knockdown.
It mattered little as lock Cobus Wiese finally crashed over under the posts for the bonus-point try.
However, there was still time for Smith to light up Loftus with a terrific solo try from broken play, and his conversion made it 26-12 at half-time.
There was another shock in store for the home side when Lynagh scored his second less than two minutes into the second half, and suddenly there was a nervousness around Loftus.
Crucially, the Bulls were next to score as Petersen went in for his second.
Further tries by substitute loose forward Mpilo Gumede and captain Ruan Nortjé secured a comfortable win and a home playoff in two weeks.
Scorers
Vodacom Bulls – tries: Sergeal Petersen (2), Willie le Roux, Johan Grobbelaar, Cobus Wiese, Mpilo Gumede, Ruan Nortje. Conversions: Handre Pollard (5).
Benetton – tries: Louis Lynagh (2), Rhyno Smith. Conversions: Rhyno Smith (2).
Meanwhile Hollyhoodbets Sharks secured an emphatic 54-19 bonus-point victory over Zebre Parma in their final United Rugby Championship (URC) match of the season at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in Durban.
Elsewhere the Lions confirmed their place in the playoffs for the first time, ahead of their final pool match against Munster in Limerick on Saturday night, after Glasgow Warriors beat Ulster in Belfast. The Lions needed one of three results to go their way on Friday night, and in the end it did curtesy of Glasgow.
With inputs from SA Rugby Mag.