The Vodacom Blue Bulls moved above Western Province in the standings after claiming a hard-fought 48-27 victory over the EP Kings in Pretoria on Friday.
Despite winning by a 21-point margin, the home side didn't always have things going their way but a strong second half showing paved the way to victory.
The home side outscored the Kings by seven tries to three with captain Lappies Labuschagne leading the way with a brace of five-pointers.
The Kings were competitive throughout and held a 20-17 lead at half-time thanks to well-taken tries from their captain Tim Whitehead and Elgar Watts.
Acccurate goal-kicking from Scott van Breda also helped set up the lead but the home side were kept in the game thanks to Labuschagne's first try and a five-pointer by Arno Botha.
The Bulls' expansive game plan paid dividends as they increased the intensity levels. This seemed to catch the Kings by surprise and the Port Elizabeth-based outfit faltered badly in the second half.
A yellow card to Edgar Marutlulle didn't help the visitors' cause and the Bulls made full use of their numerical advantage. Tries from Dries Swanepoel and Francois Hougaard gave them a handy 29-20 lead and they went further ahead when Werner Kruger barged over from close quarters in the 67th minute.
Ruan Steenkamp added another try five minutes later but although the Kings were well-beaten by then, they didn't surrender.
Their efforts were rewarded when JP du Plessis crossed for their third try in the 75th minute but the Bulls sealed victory shortly before the final whistle when Jacques du Plessis crossed for their seventh try.
The scorers:
For Blue Bulls:
Tries: Labuschagne 2, Swanepoel, Hougaard, Kruger, Steenkamp, Du Plessis
Cons: Schoeman 4, Fouché
Pen: Schoeman
Yellow card: Steenkamp
For EP Kings:
Tries: Whitehead, Watts, Du Plessis
Cons: Van Breda 3
Pens: Van Breda 2
Yellow cards: Marutlulle, S Ferreira
Geluk Bulle. Sort hierdie gepoer-poer in die eerste helfde uit anders gaan julle dit berou.
Baie geluk Nollis, sterkte. Glo my dit is ‘n ondankbare job op sy beste.
HOU BY DIE BLOU MY VOLK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wonder net wie gaan op 4 slot sak vir ons.
Is daar enige nuwe manne geteken om ons groep sterker te maak.
@Martin- ons het vir le Roux Roets van die leeus en Freddy Ngoza van die vrystaat geteken vir volgende jaar.
al 2 kan slot speel maar of hul goed is weet ek nie.
It looks like the Bulls will invest in Jason Jenkins..Irne Herbst and Le Roux Roets as the enforcers...personally I would have signed an experience enforcer...it's a shame Paul Willemse left last year....
Ek her gesien due jong man van die lions is n groot seun, ek dink Jenkins het spoed en die skills maar PSD en Eben gaan ons onder druk sit.
Ek glo hulle moes vir Jenkins n kans gegee het in die Currie Cup. JDP kon die groot games gespeel het en die jong manne die kleiner spanne.
Ek het voorraad opgeneem vir 2016 se Super 18. Dis duidelik die Bulls kort dringend in drie posisies spelers naamlik:
(1) n Vaskop wat rerig kan skrum saam met Marcel (2) n enforcer slot wat nie net strafskoppe afgee nie (3) n baldraer flank soos Oupa Mohoje of Boom Prinsloo. Lyk my ons salnooit genoeg stutte en losvoorspelers hê nie.
Heelagters: Kriel ; Gelant
Vleuels: Basson ; Ulenga ; Ismael ; JJ Engelbrecht (hopelik het hy al die Ludekak in Japan gelos)
Senters: Serfontein ; Odendaal ; Swanepoel ; D Kriel
Losskakels: Pollard ; Schoeman
Skrummies: Hougaard ; Page ; Van Zyl
Loskoppe: Nyakane ; Schoeman ; Mellet (dalk) ; Greyling (noodgeval)
Vaskoppe: Van der Merwe ; Kruger ; nog een
Hakers: Strauss ; Maku ; Jaco Visagie
Slotte: Snyman ; Hattingh ; Orie ; Jenkins ; ????
Flanke: Labuschagne ; Smit ; Stegmann ; Steenkamp ; ????
Agtsteman: Botha ; Liebenberg
Wat weet julle van CJ Stander. Speel hy nog in Ierland?
http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/international-rugby/cj-stander-admits-intention-to-disappoint-dad-and-pursue-future-with-ireland-31191709.html