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Superior forwards play sees Bulls claim bonus-point win in Wales
By PA
The Bulls moved up to third in the United Rugby Championship with a bonus-point 29-14 victory against a spirited Dragons side.
The South African side made an explosive start to take a 17-0 lead but the Dragons dragged it back to a deficit of only three points before the visitors emphasised their superiority in the final quarter.
Kurt-Lee Arendse, Harold Vorster and Bismarck du Plessis scored the visiting team’s tries, while there was also a penalty try, two Johan Goosen conversions and one penalty.
Bradley Roberts and Max Clark scored tries for the Welsh side, both of which Sam Davies converted.
Bulls took a fourth-minute lead with a superb try. From just outside his 22, Goosen collected an up and under to race past two opponents before sending Arendse on a 40-metre run to the line.
Goosen converted and added a penalty before Dragons’ miserable start continued.
Bulls wing Canan Moodie chased a kick ahead to put Lewis Jones under pressure, with the scrum-half deliberately knocking the ball dead.
A penalty try was awarded with Jones yellow-carded as the home side trailed 17-0 at the end of a one-sided first quarter.
Despite playing with 14 men, Dragons responded with their first period of sustained pressure and were rewarded when Roberts forced his way over from close range.
Jones returned from the sin-bin to give his side a further boost and they roared back into contention when skilful passing created the space for Clark to slide over in the corner.
A second touchline conversion from Davies reduced Bulls’ lead to just three points at the interval.
Three minutes after the restart, a long-distance penalty from Davies rebounded back off the crossbar, but his side continued to be second best up front and were forced into conceding frequent penalties
It therefore came as no surprise when the visitors scored two tries in quick succession to pick up their bonus-point and seal victory.
First, from a five-metre scrum, Vorster picked his way through a threadbare defence before replacement Du Plessis finished off a driving line-out.
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Latest Comments
No he's just limited in what he can do. Like Scott Robertson. And Eddie Jones.
Sometimes it doesn't work out so you have to go looking for another national coach who supports his country and believes in what he is doing. Like NZ replacing Ian Foster. And South Africa bringing Erasmus back in to over see Neinbar.
This is the real world. Not the fantasy oh you don't need passion for your country for international rugby. Ask a kiwi, or a south african or a frenchman.
Go to commentsDont complain too much or start jumping to conclusions.
Here in NZ commentators have been blabbing that our bottom pathway competition the NPC (provincial teams only like Taranaki, Wellington etc)is not fit for purpose ie supplying players to Super rugby level then they started blabbing that our Super Rugby comp (combined provincial unions making up, Crusaders, Hurricanes, etc) wasn't good enough without the South African teams and for the style SA and the northern powers play at test level.
Here is what I reckon, Our comps are good enough for how WE want to play rugby not how Ireland, SA, England etc play. Our comps are high tempo, more rucks, mauls, running plays, kicks in play, returns, in a game than most YES alot of repetition but that builds attacking skillsets and mindsets. I don't want to see world teams all play the same they all have their own identity and style as do England (we were scared with all this kind of talk when they came here) World powerhouse for a reason, losses this year have been by the tiniest of margins and could have gone either way in alot of games. Built around forward power and blitz defence they have got a great attack Wingers are chosen for their Xfactor now not can they chase up and unders all day. Stick to your guns its not far off
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