Lions’ ruthless first-half display leaves Bulls chasing shadows in Jukskei derby
Fidelity ADT Lions wasted little time asserting themselves against the Bulls, producing a dominant opening-half display that ultimately decided the Currie Cup derby.
The Fidelity ADT Lions wasted no time stamping their authority on the Jukskei derby, producing a clinical first-half performance that proved too much for the Vodacom Bulls during their Currie Cup clash at the University of Johannesburg on August 1. By the halftime whistle, the hosts had already built a commanding 28-point advantage, leaving the visitors with far too much work to do despite a late attempt at a comeback.
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The Lions settled into their rhythm immediately and opened the scoring inside the opening exchanges, when lock Ruan Delport crossed for the first try of the afternoon. Their dominance continued as Conraad van Vuuren added a second, rewarding sustained pressure and keeping the Bulls pinned inside their own half.
Flyhalf Sam Francis kept a clean record from the spot kick, converting both tries to give the home side early breathing room. There was little relief for the visitors as the Lions continued to control territory and possession. Morne Venter powered over before Mahle Sithole rounded off another attacking movement to secure the Lions’ bonus-point try before the break. Francis again made no mistake from the kicking tee as the home side headed into halftime with a 28–0 lead.
At the start of the second half, Lions made the mountain even bigger for Bulls, as Dylan Sjoblom added another to maintained their intensity on both sides of the ball. Francis continued to add the extras, extending the advantage for his team to make it 35–0.
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Bulls eventually found reward for their persistence during the closing stages, through Kebotile Maake putting his team on the scoreboard. Keegan Johannes converted from the spot to make it 35–7. The Bulls found the line again through Devon Williams, with Johannes converting again to decrease the deficit to 35–14. However, a second-half red card further complicated the Bulls’ task, and by then the outcome had already been decided.
Lions’ Asad Moos crossed the line, whilst this time Matthew Coetzee had a turn at converting the try making it 42–14. Shortly after, Bulls’ Riyaad Bam scored a try, but the Lions’ relentless opening-half display remained the defining feature of the contest.
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