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Late drama as Bulls secure URC semi-final spot with win over Sharks

By PA
Cornal Hendricks of the Vodacom Bulls during the Castle Lager Lions Series match at the Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa. Picture date: Saturday July 17, 2021. (Photo by Steve Haag/PA Images via Getty Images)

Chris Smith kicked a last-gasp drop-goal to send the Bulls into the United Rugby Championship semi-finals with a dramatic 30-27 victory over the Sharks in Pretoria.

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The sides were locked at 27-27 and heading for extra time when Smith split the posts with the clock approaching 84 minutes.

It had been a tight affair for the most part, with the sides tied at 13-13 at half-time following tries for Madosh Tambwe and Bongi Mbonambi.

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Marcell Coetzee and Cornal Hendricks went over early in the second period as the Bulls looked to have taken a decisive grip on the match, but the Sharks responded through Jaden Hendrikse and Sikhumbuzo Notshe before Smith’s late intervention.

Curwin Bosch opened the scoring from the tee in the fifth minute and it was the Sharks who made most of the early running.

However, it was the Bulls who crossed for the game’s opening try in the 13th minute, with Canan Moodie’s interception putting the hosts deep in Sharks territory. Although Moodie was shoved off the ball by Makazole Mapimpi on the brink of scoring after chasing down his own kick, Tambwe was on hand to finish the job.

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Smith added the extras, but the Bulls’ advantage lasted only four minutes, with Mbonambi going over from a driving maul and Bosch converting.

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Two more Smith penalties and another for Bosch sent the sides in level at half-time, as execution let both teams down in their respective pursuits of a second try.

Coetzee then crashed over following a period of pressure from the Bulls on the Sharks’ line early in the second half, and there was daylight between the sides when some excellent hands created the opportunity for Hendricks to touch down. Smith converted both for a 27-13 lead.

The Sharks fought back with a Hendrikse try just short of the hour mark that Bosch converted and continued to probe until Notshe went over for a score that opened the door for the fly-half to restore parity with six minutes to play.

However, after some patient work in the Sharks’ 22, the ball found its way to Smith in the pocket to send over a match-winning drop-goal in front of the posts.

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J
JW 15 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

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