The Vodacom Blue Bulls came to Hollywoodbets Durban on a mission, using the confidence they gained from last week’s first win in the Currie Cup to exact a 24-20 victory over the Cell C Sharks on Friday afternoon.
It was a win that came off inferior possession and immense pressure, but somehow the visitors manged to score when it counted to build up a strong lead and then hold on when the Cell C Sharks started to exert their dominance late in the game.
Competing at scrum and lineout time and making good gains both in poaching opposition ball and forcing the visitors to concede penalties, Fred Zeilinga took advantage of the fact that the Bulls had conceded twice as many penalties as his team to take a three-point lead inside the opening quarter hour.
But the Bulls struck back almost immediately and somewhat against the run of play, the wind having a big influence on the ball’s trajectory and a high kick was regathered to set up the opening try of the game with Morne Steyn converting.
The next quarter hour was characterised by some determined attack from the Cell C Sharks and long periods of phase play, but the Bulls, forced to make the lion’s share of tackles, managed somehow to keep the home side out despite some enterprising play.
Going into the final 10 minutes of the game, the Bulls had try number two with a maul effort from an attacking lineout for a 12-3 lead and there was almost a big strike back when Reniel Hugo charged down a clearance but in the ensuing attempt to score, the ball was ruled lost forward over the tryline.
Frustrations were raised with the loss of James Venter to a yellow card and the Bulls hit back immediately, exploiting the numbers’ advantage to score in the corner, the conversion taking the visitors into a 19-3 lead which was how the first half ended.
Phikolomzi Sobahle, the Northwood-schooled wing who continues to grow and impress, scored his team’s first try after the Cell C Sharks dominated the opening period of the second half, a powerful run and through the defence to score in the corner, with Zeilinga converting from out wide.
The Cell C Sharks’ flyhalf added a second penalty to chop the lead to six with 25 minutes to go after the Bulls’ indiscipline on defence was penalised.
But after conceding 10 unanswered points, the Bulls managed to capitalise on panic in the 22 and sent the ball out wide for their bonus point try for a 24-13 lead going into the final quarter.
With his first touch of the ball, Zee Mkhabela scored the second try, another dominant scrum and then when the ball went wide and Yaw Penxe drew his man then timed his pass perfectly, there was no-one to stop the replacement player. Lionel Cronje converted and it was a four-point game.
There was a late opportunity as the Cell C Sharks bravely worked their way from their 22 into the same opposition area, looking strong to wrestle a win, but a lack of discipline at the breakdown ultimately closed out the game in the visitors’ favour.