Last season’s United Rugby Championship runners-up, the Bulls, produced a good response to their recent losses by overcoming Benetton 44-22 on Friday.
In a first half full or errors, the Italian outfit made slightly fewer and deservedly moved 9-3 ahead at the interval thanks to the accurate kicking of Tomas Albornoz.
Chris Smith responded for the Pretoria-based side before adding a second off the tee after a positive start to the final 40 minutes from the South Africans.
They remained in the ascendency and were rewarded with tries for Ruan Nortje and Elrigh Louw before Benetton went back in front after Manuel Zuliani went over and Albornoz kicked another three-pointer.
But the Bulls would finish the stronger and converted tries by Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Marcell Coetzee and Stravino Jacobs sealed an important URC win for the Bulls.
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Jake White’s men enjoyed a positive start to the campaign, winning their opening three matches, but they went into this game off the back of disappointing defeats to Glasgow Warriors and Munster.
Their final match of the tour initially saw them once again struggle to gain a foothold in the match as the hosts controlled matters in the first half.
Benetton dictated proceedings and deservedly went 6-0 ahead via a pair of Albornoz penalties.
The Bulls rarely found their way into the opposition half, despite Coetzee’s carrying ability and the pilfering brilliance of Bismarck du Plessis.
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When the away side did finally put the Italians under some pressure, they earned a penalty which Smith easily dispatched to reduce the arrears.
Almost immediately, however, the Bulls infringed and another successive Albornoz three-pointer gave Benetton a 9-3 advantage at the break.
Superb second half from the Bulls
White needed a response from his charges and he got it in the early stages of the second period. Firstly, Smith kicked a successful effort off the tee before they manufactured the opening try of the match.
It was brilliantly worked as Marco van Staden made the initial incursion with a bruising carry through the heart of the Benetton rearguard. With the opposition defence in retreat, Embrose Papier sniped around the fringes and Nortje was on hand to cross the whitewash.
Although Albornoz responded with a fourth penalty soon after, the Bulls had the momentum and they touched down for the second time when Louw went over from close range.
Zuliani’s converted try and Albornoz’s three-pointer took the hosts back ahead, but the away team’s physicality was beginning to tell.
The visitors were much the better side in the final 15 minutes and, after Smith had regained their advantage, Wessels crossed the whitewash to move them eight points clear.
The job was not quite done just yet but Coetzee and Jacobs put the result beyond doubt with late scores.
Connacht ease to victory over Scarlets
Mack Hansen hunted down a Jack Carty kick for Connacht’s fifth and final try in a runaway 36-14 victory over the Scarlets at the Sportsground.
Andy Friend’s men picked up their first bonus point of the United Rugby Championship season, finishing strongly with a penalty try and Hansen’s second score.
Adding to Niall Murray’s first-minute opener, Hansen touched down to give Connacht a 16-11 interval lead. Steff Evans crossed for the Scarlets, while Jack Carty and Sam Costelow kicked two penalties each.
In the second half, Connacht replacement prop Jack Aungier barged over for his third try of the season and David Hawkshaw also split the posts.
The Scarlets struggled for the remainder, replacement Rhys Patchell kicking their only points, and Sione Kalamafoni and Dan Thomas were both sin-binned late on.