The Vodacom Bulls closed their campaign on a high note with a nail-biting 35-31 victory over the Toyota Cheetahs at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

It was a game of two halves, the hosts dominating the opening stanza before a spirited Cheetahs fightback set up a tense finish.

Bulls skipper Marcell Coetzee opened the scoring with an early try, setting the tone for a powerful first-half display.

Junior Bok flyer Cheswill Jooste and Mpilo Gumede soon added their names to the scoresheet, with David Kriel finishing off another attacking surge just before the break.

With Keagan Johannes flawless from the kicking tee, the Pretoria outfit carried a commanding 28-5 lead into halftime.

The momentum swung dramatically in the second half when Coetzee was shown a red card for a dangerous tackle. The Cheetahs took full advantage, running in tries through Jandre Nel, Prince Nkabinde, Pierre-Raymond Uys and Vernon Paulo to close the gap.

Despite the late surge, missed conversions proved costly for the visitors, while Johannes’ earlier accuracy with the boot ensured the Bulls held firm to secure a dramatic four-point win.

The result marked the Bulls’ third victory of the season and a morale-boosting finish to their campaign.

Scorers:

Vodacom Bulls 35 (28), Toyota Cheetahs 31 (5)

Bulls – Tries: Marcell Coetzee, Cheswill Jooste (2), Mpilo Gumede, David Kriel. Conversions: Keagan Johannes (5).