The Vodacom Bulls clinched a crucial bonus-point victory when they beat Glasgow Warriors 29-17 in an entertaining Vodacom United Rugby Championship match at Loftus Versfeld on Friday night.
The Tshwane-based side managed to score four tries during their impressive performance and the visiting Scotsmen responded with three of their own.
The match between the two quality outfits was always going to be a cracking affair with either side expected not to nudge. The first half proved to be exactly that as both sides make their presence felt both on defence and attack.
It was the visitors who were the first to get points on the scoreboard when they were awarded a penalty try as early as the fifth minute which also resulted in Vodacom Bulls No8, Elrigh Louw, being sent to the sin-bin.
Despite being one-man down, the Vodacom Bulls responded two minutes later with a try from scrumhalf, Zak Burger.
Glasgow Warriors then added three points when flyhalf, Duncan Weir, slotted over a penalty, and that would be the only points the visitors would score in the opening half.
The home team was not done yet. Winger Madosh Tambwe scored a magnificent try just before the half-time whistle, adding to an early penalty and subsequent successful conversion from Morne Steyn to give the Vodacom Bulls a 17-10 lead at the midway mark.
In the second half the Vodacom Bulls accelerated their efforts and dominated the visitors from the time lock, Walt Steenkamp, scored the first try of the second half in the 58th minute which was followed by a try from replacement loose-forward, Cyle Brink.
Glasgow Warriors’ only points in the final 40 minutes came when fullback Ollie Smith dotted down in the 74th minute of the game.
The visitors’ efforts of a comeback proved fruitless as the home side had done enough to secure the bonus-point win.
The Vodacom Bulls victory elevated Jake White’s troops from eighth place on the Vodacom URC to momentarily occupying the second spot on the table ahead of the competition’s matches on Saturday.
The side from Tshwane will next be in action in the Vodacom URC when they face Welsh outfit, Ospreys, in Swansea on May 21.
SCORERS
Vodacom Bulls (17) 29
TRIES: Zak Burger, Madosh Tambwe, Walt Steenkamp, Cyle Brink
CONVERSIONS: Morne Steyn (3)
PENALTIES: Steyn
Glasgow Warriors (10) 17
TRY: Penalty Try, Ollie Smith
CONVERSIONS: Penalty Try, Ross Thompson
PENALTIES: Duncan Weir
VODACOM MAN OF THE MATCH: Johan Grobbelaar
