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Bulls continue their charge up the URC table by trouncing Dragons

By PA
(Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

The Bulls continued their charge towards a possible URC playoff place by claiming an emphatic 55-20 victory over the Dragons in Pretoria. The Dragons conceded eight tries at Loftus Versfeld, although they also delivered three of their own in an entertaining if one-sided encounter.

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Full-back Kurt-Lee Arendse and centre Lionel Mapoe each claimed doubles, while there were also Bulls tries for number eight Arno Botha, hooker Johan Grobbelaar, flanker Marcell Coetzee and substitute Zak Burger.

Chris Smith kicked five conversions and a penalty, and Morne Steyn converted Burger’s score, while the Dragons posted tries for wings Rio Dyer and Jared Rosser, plus fly-half Sam Davies, who also booted a penalty and conversion.

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Russel Winter speaks about the Bulls’ progress in the URC

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    Russel Winter speaks about the Bulls’ progress in the URC

    It took only four minutes for the Bulls to display their enviable power up front, and although the Dragons initially thwarted a driving maul, they could not clear and Botha claimed a try that Smith converted.

    Smith extended the Bulls’ advantage through a ninth-minute penalty before the Dragons exerted pressure without reward as they looked to reduce their early deficit. Dragons showed a commendable approach, looking to attack from deep at times, and they were not flustered by the Bulls’ physical approach, with Davies kicking a 24th-minute penalty.

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    But the Bulls always looked capable of moving up a gear, and they did so in ruthless fashion by scoring two tries in three minutes. Mapoe rounded off a slick move to touch down between the posts, then scrum-half Embrose Papier made a touchline break before sending an unmarked Arendse over. Smith converted both scores, and the Bulls were suddenly out of sight, leading by 21 points midway through the second quarter.

    The Bulls were in relentless pursuit of a bonus point, and it arrived two minutes before the break courtesy of Grobbelaar, who touched down following another imposing drive by hungry Bulls forwards.

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    Smith’s fourth successful conversion took the Bulls past 30 points, but the Dragons conjured a consolation through a well-worked move as Davies’ inside pass was collected by Dyer, who sprinted clear to score and make it 31-8 at half-time.

    Dyer’s score lifted the Dragons, and they pounced again two minutes after the restart when Davies intercepted a Bulls pass, found centre Adam Warren in support, and he sent Rosser sprinting clear. Dragons number eight Ollie Griffiths went off injured, and he had barely left the field before the Bulls struck again through a mesmeric score by Arendse that saw him leave defenders trailing from 60 metres out.

    Davies claimed a third try for the visitors, but the Bulls quickly resumed normal service through touchdowns from Coetzee, Mapoe and Burger that underlined their URC dominance.

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    C
    CO 31 minutes ago
    Are other All Blacks better suited to number six than Tupou Vaa'i?

    Some Bok supporters might argue in vain but Vaa’i is the model that superseded the previous model known as the Pieter-Steph du Toit.


    Hansen's pack got beaten to a pulp in 2019 by the English pack and it would've made zero difference who started at six.


    Believing that Scooter starting at six was because they lost that semifinal ignores the reality that Hansen had overstayed his welcome as head coach and having effectively lost the Lions tour and become besotted with SBW should've been fired in 2017 and replaced with any one of Rennie, Schmidt or Joseph.


    Both Nonu and Kaino should've been in that 2019 squad. Proven world cup final starters.


    Frizzell is never getting the six jersey, he had a shocker of a world cup final and is yesterday's man dining out on one good performance against the Bok B team at Mt Smart. Frizzell is a myth.


    The Allblacks current pack needs to bulk up due to it having a lot of small back rowers and no, Finau is not good enough to start, he's not direct enough or punishing enough.


    The Allblacks need to stop anointing Sititi as the greatest thing since sliced bread, he's done very little this year, Christian is looking very solid at eight and seven is Saveas best spot to keep Christian starting.


    Rassie is using loosies at hooker and so should the Allblacks. Playing Vaa’i at six isn't three locks, it's ensuring size to counter the other tier one packs and Vaa'i is fantastic at six.


    Kirifi is okay but again hasn't done much and is too little, Lakai and Kirifi shouldn't be in the squad together.

    123 Go to comments
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