Blue Bulls too strong for the Pumas

The Blue Bulls, bouncing back from their disappointing loss to Western Province last week, proved simply too powerful for the Pumas when they beat them 48-17 in a Round Four Currie Cup match in Witbank on Saturday.

The Bulls scored five first-half tries to lead 41-10 at the break, when the game was already over as a contest.

In what turned out to be a bitterly disappointing second half each team scored one more try, as the Bulls simply hung on for what is a deserved - but uninspiring - victory.

But for the Bulls it was a opportunely return to form.

With their pack in total control and some excellent running by their backs, the visitors turned what should have been a tricky encounter into a first-half try-feast and gave new coach Pote Human a morale-boosting victory.

Blessed with the impressive counter attacking skills of Sevens Bok Stefan Basson and winger Marius Delport, the Bulls ran the home team ragged in the first half.

The Bulls struggled in the opening period, but it didn't take long for them to become the dominant force.

The first 12 minutes produced a penalty apiece between the Steyn's - Morne for the Bulls and the Pumas' Casper.

Then the visitors opened the game up with Francois van Schouwenburg dropping a perfect line-out ball into the hands of Heini Adams, who fired a perfect pass to send Dries Scholtz into the game and charging down on the last line of defence.

From the recycle Tim Dlulane continued his excellent form by powering his way over from close range.

But Dlulane soon left the field with what seemed to be a badly injured ankle - which could be a serious blow for the Bulls.

The Bulls added a penalty before Morne Steyn drew the Pumas defence and sent winger Marius Delport away on the blindside. Delport dummied one way, and then left the defence for dead with a brilliant inside jink.

The Pumas managed to grab one back when Ashieq Wise intercepted a short pass between Pedrie Wannenburg and Heini Adams, but the Bulls struck back through Stefan Basson, who picked up a failed clearance and ran through four half hearted tackles to make the score 27-10.

Four minutes later Warren Brosnihan sent Morne Steyn away for another blindside move and the smaller part of the field was utilised again when Wannenburg broke and sent the ball inside to get Hilton Lobberts his try.

The Bulls led 41-10 at the break and were first to score in the second half - after just nine minutes, when Scholtz powered his way over the line from close range.

The Pumas managed a late try by Jonathan van der Schyff, but it was simply too little too late.

The scorers:

For the Pumas:
Tries: Wise, Van der Schyff
Cons: Steyn 2
Pen: Steyn

For the Blue Bulls:
Tries: Dlulane, Delport, Basson, Steyn, Lobberts, Scholtz
Cons: Steyn 6
Pens: Steyn 2

Teams:

Pumas: 15 Casper Steyn, 14 Sasha Marot, 13 Sam Gerber, 12 Hendrik Meyer, 11 Hyron Thysse, 10 Pieter Benadé, 9 Ashieq Wise, 8 Riaan van der Merwe (captain), 7 Danzel Manuel, 6 Corné Steenkamp, 5 Jacques Lombard, 4 Bokkie Swanepoel, 3 Pierre du Toit, 2 Ashton Constant, 1 Jacques Muller.
Replacements: 16 Frikkie de Jager, 17 Simon-Peter Blakeley, 18 Jonathan van der Schyff, 19 Paul Schreuder, 20 Neil Cole, 21 Arno Coetzee, 22 Neil Visagie.

Vodacom Blue Bulls: 15 Stefan Basson, 14 John Mametsa, 13 Frikkie Welsh (captain), 12 Dries Scholtz, 11 Marius Delport, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Heini Adams, 8 Pedrie Wannenburg, 7 Tim Dlulane, 6 Warren Brosnihan, 5 Francois van Schouwenburg, 4 Adriaan Fondse, 3 Rayno Gerber, 2 Gary Botha, 1 Wessel Roux.
Replacements: 16 Kobus van der Walt, 17 Jaco Engels, 18 Hottie Louw, 19 Hilton Lobberts, 20 Neil Powell, 21 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 22 Johan Roets.

Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
Touch judges: Johann Meuwesen (Eastern Province, Fakumile Yamile (Eastern Province)
Assessor: Shaun Veldsman (Boland)