In-form Bulls trample rookie Elephants in 12-try thumping
The Elephants were found wanting in the lineouts where Bulls locks Jan Uys and Janko Swanepoel made life difficult.
Jan-Hendrik Wessels of the Bulls during the Preparation Series match against Eastern Province. Picture: Christiaan Kotze/Gallo Images
The Bulls showed their future looks bright by annihilating newcomers the EP Elephants 87-10 in their Preparation Series match at Loftus on Sunday.
The Elephants initially showed a lot of intensity on attack but were sadly exposed at this level as the Bulls had a field day running in 12 tries in total.
The visitors finally got a reward with a consolation try by replacement hooker Sithembiso Befile with 20 minutes left, but they were badly beaten.
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The Bulls made their intentions clear despite missing their top players, with two converted tries from their maul by hooker Joe van Zyl and captain and flank Nizaam Carr, who later completed his brace, to take an early lead of 14-3.
The floodgates then opened as the Bulls started to up the pace, and three more tries followed in quick succession as the Elephants defence were left in disarray with the Bulls storming to a 38-3 half-time lead.
Elephants captain and flyhalf Inny Radebe had the honour of scoring the first points of the game but the visitors struggled to get out of their own half, though a big plus was the manner in which flank CJ Velleman put pressure on the home team’s breakdown.
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The Elephants were found wanting in the lineouts where Bulls locks Jan Uys and Janko Swanepoel made life difficult for EP locks Mncedisi Diwengu and Athenkosi Manenze.
The Elephants also struggled with their bind in the scrums, with Bulls loosehead Gerhard Steenekamp making life difficult for Elephants tighthead and vice-captain Lupumlo Mguca.
Scorers
Bulls: Tries: Joe van Zyl, Nizaam Carr (2), Marco Jansen van Vuren, David Kriel, Stravino Jacobs (2), Tim Agaba, Marnus Potgieter, Keagen Johannes (2), Jandre Burger. Conversions: Chris Smith (9), Burger (3). Penalties: Smith
EP Elephants: Try: Sithembiso Befile. Conversion: Inny Radebe. Penalty: Radebe
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