Six-try Bulls secure URC semi-final spot with entertaining victory over Edinburgh at Loftus Versfeld

The Bulls are through to another semi-final in the United Rugby Championship (URC) after a hard-fought victory over a fighting Edinburgh at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday.

After struggling to get going for most of the first forty minutes, the hosts scored three crucial tries in the early stages of the second half, completing a 42-33 victory to secure a home semi in the final four of the tournament.

They scored six tries to entertain the 20 000-strong crowd but had to defend for their lives in the final 20 minutes.

That is when the Scottish club found a second wind at altitude and mounted a fightback when they were down 39-21. Two late tries gave them a sniff with 15 minutes to play, but some excellent defensive efforts by the hosts saw them halt attack after attack of the visitors.

It was all Edinburgh when the contest kicked off, and they got off to a better start with two tries within the first 15 minutes of play. They put the Bulls under pressure and a yellow card to Sebastian de Klerk for a shoulder charge after three minutes didn’t help the home side.

However, after they absorbed the pressure of the first quarter and the nerves settled, with fullback Willie le Roux at the helm of the attack, the Bulls mounted their fightback and took control of the game.

Le Roux assisted two of the fightback tries. His distribution down the backline from first receiver was excellent, and the cutout passes he threw caught the Edinburgh defence out a couple of times. That line he ran off an Embrose Papier pass that led to David Kriel's score was sublime. So too was a pass out wide to De Klerk on the left touchline that put the flyer into space. He then chipped the defence and passed to Vorster for the third try in the corner.

Two tries that will be contenders for try of the match in the Bulls camp, were the solo effort of flyhalf Keagan Johannes from almost his own half and Canan Moodie’s try where Le Roux also assisted. As a second receiver, Le Roux took the ball to the line and with a lovely delayed pass, he put Moodie in a gap to run through and score. The build-up to the Moodie try was excellent between the forward and backs

It was those two tries after eight minutes of rugby in the second half that put the Bulls in the driving seat. They got out to a good gap after trailing 21-18 at halftime.

The burrowing try of captain Ruan Nortjé after about 50 minutes of rugby was the final points for the home side, but they built up a good enough lead to defend. That they did with some strong tackles and good turnovers as the visitors continued to look for a way back in the game.

Those two second-half Edinburgh tries, after Bulls lock JF van Heerden was in the sin bin for repeated team infringements, kept the match on a knife’s edge until the final whistle.

However, Bulls’ director of rugby Jake White will be pleased with his side’s response after being under pressure at the start and closing out the quarter-final with some brilliant defensive work.

Points scorers

Bulls 42 (18): Tries: Cameron Hanekom, David Kriel, Harold Vorster, Canan Moodie, Keagan Johannes, Ruan Nortjé. Conversions: Johannes (3). Penalties: Johannes (2). Edinburgh 33 (21): Tries: Wes Goosen (2), Ross Thompson (2), Ewan Ashman. Conversions: Thompson (4).