Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Bulls too strong for Benetton

By PA
(Photo by Roberto Bregani/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

The Bulls were made to work hard for a 46-29 United Rugby Championship victory over Benetton in Pretoria.

ADVERTISEMENT

Benetton were shock 35-8 winners when these sides met for the first time in last season’s Rainbow Cup final in Treviso but were not fancied to repeat the feat on South African soil.

However, Marco Bortolami’s men dominated the early stages at Loftus Versfeld, opening up a 13-0 lead thanks to a Tommaso Menoncello try and the boot of Rhyno Smith.

Video Spacer

Zach Mercer – Life in Montpellier & England Ambitions | RugbyPass Offload | Episode 30

Video Spacer

Zach Mercer – Life in Montpellier & England Ambitions | RugbyPass Offload | Episode 30

Cyle Brink and Kurt-Lee Arendse went over before half-time to reduce the deficit to 16-12 before a second Arendse touchdown and more from Marcell Coetzee, Canan Moodie and Simphiwe Matanzima saw the Bulls to a bonus-point win.

Menoncello added a consolation after Niccolo Cannone had been red-carded for a closed fist to the chin of Arno Botha.

The result strengthens the Bulls’ play-off prospects, having come into the weekend in the eighth and final qualifying berth.

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

f
fl 23 minutes ago
‘The problem with this year’s Champions Cup? Too many English clubs’

"Yes I was the one who suggested to use a UEFA style point. And I guessed, that based on the last 5 years we should start with 6 top14, 6 URC and 4 Prem."

Yes I am aware that you suggested it, but you then went on to say that we should initially start with a balance that clearly wasn't derived from that system. I'm not a mind reader, so how was I to work out that you'd arrived at that balance by dint of completely having failed to remember the history of the competition.


"Again, I was the one suggesting that, but you didn't like the outcome of that."

I have no issues with the outcome of that, I had an issue with a completely random allocation of teams that you plucked out of thin air.

Interestingly its you who now seem to be renouncing the UEFA style points system, because you don't like the outcome of reducing URC representation.


"4 teams for Top14, URC and Prem, 3 teams for other leagues and the last winner, what do you think?"

What about 4 each + 4 to the best performing teams in last years competition not to have otherwise qualified? Or what about a UEFA style system where places are allocated to leagues on the basis of their performance in previous years' competitions?

There's no point including Black Lion if they're just going to get whitewashed every year, which I think would be a possibility. At most I'd support 1 team from the Rugby Europe Super Cup, or the Russian Championship being included. Maybe the best placed non-Israeli team and the Russian winners could play off every year for the spot? But honestly I think its best if they stay limited to the Challenge Cup for now.

39 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Japan shock the world to win title over New Zealand and Australia Japan shock the world to win title
Search