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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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AM 43 minutes ago
'Freelancer' Izaia Perese shows the need for true inclusivity in Australian rugby

That's Cron's job though. Australia has had one of the most penalised scrums in international rugby for a long time. Just look at the scrum win loss percentage and scrum penalties. That is your evidence. AA has been the starter during that period. Pretty simple analysis. That Australia has had a poor scrum for a long time is hardly news. If bell and thor are not on the field they are woeful. So you are just plain wrong. They have very little time for the lions so doing the same old things that dont work is not going to get them there.


Ainsley is better than our next best tighthead options and has been playing well at scrum time for Lyon in the most competitive comp in the world. Superstar player? No. But better than the next best options. So that is a good enough guide. The scrummaging in the Prem is pretty good too so there is Sio's proof. Same analysis for him. Certainly better in both cases than Super, where the brumbies had the worst win loss and scrum pen in Super. Who plays there? Ohh yes... And the level of scrummaging in Super is well below the URC, prem and France with the SA teams out.


Nongorr is truly woeful. He's 130kg and gets shoved about. That just should not be happening at that weight for a specialist prop who has always played rugby cf pone with leauge. He has had enough time to develop at 23. You'd be better off with Pone who is at least good around the field for the moment and sending Nongorr on exchange to France or England to see if they can improve him with better coaching as happened with Skelton and Meafou. He isn't going to develop in time in super if he has it at all.


Latu is a better scrummaging hooker than BPA and Nasser. and he's the best aussie player over the ball at ruck time. McReight's super jackling percentage hasnt converted to international level but latu consistently does it at heniken level, which is similar to test level in the big games. With good coaching at La Rochelle he's much improved though still has the odd shocker. He should start the November games.

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