The Vodacom Bulls suffered a 35-28 defeat to the Cell C Sharks at Durban’s Jonsson Kings Park, but managed to secure a bonus point in the Carling Currie Cup encounter on Friday night.
It was a game of two halves between the two rival sides with the Vodacom Bulls enjoying a better first half performance and going into the half-time break with a 13-20 lead as a result of two converted tries via Elrigh Louw and Lizo Gqoboka, and two successful penalties from Johan Goosen.
The home team returned from the break with the intention of turning things around, and they managed to come back gallantly to add to the first half converted try by lock Le Roux Roets and penalty.
The Cell C Sharks scored three tries (Kerron van Vuuren, Grant Williams and Murray Koster) in the second half to secure a bonus point, with flyhalf Lionel Cronje adding the rest of the points with his boot.
Discipline let both teams down which resulted in Stedman Gans receiving a yellow card early in the second half for the Vodacom Bulls, while the Cell C Sharks played with 14 men twice as Dylan Richardson (first half) and Thembelani Bholi (second half) were sent to the sin-bin.
The win catapulted the Cell C Sharks to the top of the Carling Currie Cup log, with the Vodacom Bulls now close behind in second place.
TRY SCORERS:
Cell C Sharks (13) 35
TRIES: Le Roux Roets, Kerron van Vuuren, Grant Williams, Murray Koster
CONVERSIONS: Lionel Cronje (3)
PENALTIES: Cronje (3)
Vodacom Bulls (20) 28
TRIES: Elrigh Louw, Lizo Gqoboka, Arno Botha
CONVERSIONS: Johan Goosen (2)
PENALTIES: Goosen (2), Chris Smith
