Bulls maintain winning start to URC season at Ospreys’ expense

Bulls maintained their winning start to the United Rugby Championship season following a 29-19 win over Ospreys at the Swansea.com Stadium.

For the Welsh region it was a third defeat in four outings this season and sees them sit in 12th place in the fledgling table after they failed to take advantage of the South Africans playing more than half-an-hour with 14 men following the dismissal of David Kriel.

Elrigh Louw, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Embrose Papier scored early tries as the Bulls raced into a 19-0 lead after only 12 minutes.

The bonus point was secured after just 22 minutes when Arendse went over for his second and Bulls’ fourth try.

Ospreys did respond with tries from Dewi Lake, Ryan Conbeer and Morgan Morris but the damage had already been done.

Bulls were quick out of the blocks and needed just two minutes to open the scoring. Sebastian De Klerk scooped up a loose ball and it was worked to number eight Louw to charge over, with Boeta Chamberlain adding the extras.

The visitors kept the foot on the gas and breached the Ospreys defence again with 10 minutes on the clock. With the forwards securing good field the position, quick play saw Willie Le Roux and Canan Moodie combine to send Arendse over in the left corner.

As the Bulls’ confidence grew they had the Ospreys defence on the backfoot and stole a lineout ball to enable Papier to scoot over, with Chamberlain again adding the extras from the tee.

The bonus point was in the bag when Le Roux’s precise kick into the corner was pounced on by Arendse to slide over and Chamberlain again converted.

Ospreys got on the board when Dan Edwards’ kick put them five metres out and the rolling maul got to work with Lake crashing over.

Kriel was dismissed nine minutes into the second half for leading with the elbow in a challenge on Edwards.

Ospreys made the extra man count as swift hands through the backs created the space for Conbeer to slide in.

Morris celebrated his 100th appearance for Ospreys with a try but – with Bulls finishing the game with 13 players after a yellow card for Alulutho Tshakweni – they could not get any closer.