The Mobil Blue Bulls overcame a fightback by the Falcons either side of halftime to maintain their 100 percent record in the Vodacom Cup with a 34-19 (halftime 17-5) in Mamelodi on Saturday.
However they may yet come to count the cost. Hooker Kobus van der Walt left
the field in an ambulance after being left at the bottom of a pile-up while
wing John Mametsa and lock Francois van Schouwenburg were also injured.
The Falcons compounded their problems with yellow cards in each half for
lock Nico Luus (punching) and flank Jean Pieters (repeated infringements)
although the Bulls may have felt that they deserved more for their spoiling
tactics.
The Bulls eased into a 17-0 lead with tries by Morne Steyn and Ruan
Vermeulen - playing his 50th match for the Bulls - both converted by Gideon
Roux who had opened the scoring with a
penalty.
But the Falcons - who had lost both their first two matches to the Vodacom
Cheetahs and Lions - showed character to fightback with tries just before
and after halftime.
First wing Leon Lubbe crossed in the corner thanks to an overlap built by
several phases of possession before centre burst in under the uprights in
the first minute of the second half.
His try was converted by Ruan Coetzee who had missed two penalty attempts
and the first conversion in the first half along with one long range miss
for centre Jan Cloete.
Gideon Roux settled things down with a penalty before Bulls wing Keegan
Fredericks was driven over from fifth phase to put the Falcons back on the
back foot.
Impressive centre Wynand Olivier eased through a gap for the Bulls' bonus
point try which was converted by Roux to put the home side into a 34-12 lead
before a 15-minute stoppage for Van der Walt's injury.
Falcons scrumhalf Joggie Viljoen broke down the side of a ruck to put the
Falcons in sight of a bonus point with his side's third try, alas it was not
to be.
