Handre Pollard scored 20-points as the Bulls completely outplayed the Stormers to win 40-3 at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
As good as the Bulls were in scoring their four tries, it was their intensity on defence that won them the game. The men from the Cape were completely outmuscled at the contact point and never looked like scoring a try.
The Stormers lost as many as five lineouts in the first half alone and battled to gain any kind of ascendency early on. The loss of skipper Siya Kolisi in the first-half certainly didn’t help matters, with the likes of Duane Vermeulen and Hanro Liebenberg bossing the physical exchanges in his absence.
If there were ever any doubts regarding Rosko Specman’s place at Super Rugby level, they were put to bed as early as the fourth minute when the 29-year-old Blitzboks flier received possession on the left wing, stepped inside and blazed away to score his side’s first of the afternoon.
He wasn’t done there, though, and bagged his second after a neat inside pass from Warrick Gelant allowed him to speed away despite flailing attempts from Dillyn Leyds and Jano Vermaak.
Johnny Kotze also got in on the act to extend his side’s lead as the men in blue began to tighten their grip on the match.
All the visitors could muster in the first forty was an SP Marais penalty as the sides headed for the shed with the Bulls enjoying a commanding 21-3 lead.
The Bulls all but ended the game as a contest just after the break when Pollard executed a fantastic chip in behind a rushing Stormer’s D that was gathered by Jesse Kriel who dotted down under the posts.
Pollard went on to sink four penalties as the three-time champions recorded a famous win.
Point Scorers:
Bulls
- Tries: Specman (2), Kotze, Kriel
- Cons: Pollard (4)
- Pens: Pollard (4)
Stormers
- Pens: Marais
Bulls – 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Johnny Kotzé, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Rosko Specman, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Hanro Liebenberg, 6 Ruan Steenkamp, 5 Lood de Jager (c), 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Lizo Gqoboka.
Subs: 16 Corniel Els, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 19 Eli Snyman, 20 Thembelani Bholi, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Dylan Sage.
Stormers – 15 Dillyn Leyds, 14 JJ Engelbrecht, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 SP Marais, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ali Vermaak.
Subs: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Corné Fourie, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Chris van Zyl, 20 Kobus van Dyk, 21 Herschel Jantjies, 22 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 23 Dan du Plessis.
Written by Shaun Goosen for Hollywoodbets
