The Vodacom Bulls booked a home tie in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship play-offs by beating Benetton 56-35 at Loftus Versfeld.
Jake White’s team scored nine tries, securing a bonus-point victory which ensured a top-four finish with one game of the regular season left.
It was job done after just 25 minutes as Canan Moodie, David Kriel, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Ruan Nortje claimed touchdowns, with Johan Goosen kicking three conversions.
Moodie added two more tries to finish with a hat-trick, and there were further scores from Kriel, Akker van der Merwe and Johan Grobbelaar, plus another Goosen conversion and a Chris Smith penalty.
Benetton posted scores from Onisi Ratave, Gianmarco Lucchesi, Andy Uren, Toa Halafihi and Marco Zanon, all converted by Rhyno Smith, as a try bonus-point kept them in play-off contention.
The Bulls made a flying start, monopolising territory and possession as they scored three tries during the opening 20 minutes.
Moodie struck for the opener, with Goosen adding the extras, and that was a cue for wave after wave of attacking play that stretched Benetton’s defence in all directions.
They managed to keep the Bulls out for another 15 minutes with some outstanding last-ditch tackling but such resilience could not last.
Arendse took out two defenders as he delivered a decisive pass to Kriel – Goosen converted – then Arendse turned scorer following more relentless phase-play and Benetton trailed 19-0.
Matters did not improve for the visitors as a piece of brilliant creative play from Bulls full-back Willie Le Roux created space for skipper Nortje to claim try number four that secured a bonus point.
Benetton rallied through Ratave’s try nine minutes before half-time but normal service was quickly resumed when Bulls centre Harold Vorster broke clear and Moodie finished off for his second try before Lucchesi touched down and Smith’s two conversions made it 31-14 at the interval.
It was an excellent response by Benetton that continued when Uren darted over eight minutes into the second period and the Bulls reverted to their power-game that saw Van der Merwe cross from an attacking lineout.
Kriel’s second try – a breakaway solo effort from 50 metres – took the Bulls past 40 points, then he turned creator through a sublime break that sent Moodie over to complete his treble.
Benetton knew the importance of collecting at least one bonus point and Halafihi’s 64th-minute score delivered the goods to maintain hope of a top-eight finish before Zanon added a fifth touchdown for the visitors and Grobbelaar completed the scoring.
Vodacom Man of the Match
Bulls and Springboks wing Arendse would have been challenged strongly for the accolade by team-mate Kriel but it was another eye-catching display from him. He scored one of his team’s five first-half tries and produced a prodigious work-rate with his running off the ball.
Play of the match
An entertaining contest produced 14 tries and there were several stand-out performers but Bulls centre Kriel capped a two-try display with an impressive assist for Moodie’s hat-trick score. Kriel received the ball 50 metres out and he backed his pace and strength to brush off Benetton defenders, doing all the ground work to allow Moodie a simple finish.
SCORERS
Tries: Canan Moodie x3, David Kriel x2, Kurt-Lee Arendse x1, Ruan Nortje x1, Akker van der Merwe x1, Johan Grobbelaar x1
Conversions: Johan Goosen x4
Penalty: Chris Smith x1
>>>Story courtesy of www.unitedrugby.com/latest<<<
