The All Blacks will feel confident ahead of their first Test against the Springboks, after they beat three South African URC sides in eight days.
All Black wing Josh Moorby scored his team’s first two tries against the Bulls. Picture: Johan Orton/Gallo Images
The Bulls became the third South African rugby union to lose to the All Blacks when they were beaten 50-19 at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
The Pretoria side’s defeat came after the visitors beat the Stormers 38-21 in Cape Town and whipped the Sharks 54-0 in Durban.
These results, occurring in the space of eight days, will boost New Zealand’s confidence ahead of their first of four Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Tests against the Springboks at Ellis Park next Saturday.
The visitors were brilliant in attack, opening gaps in the Bulls’ defence at will to score four tries in the first half (24-0 at the break) and another four in the second half.
The Bulls improved in the second period, and scored three tries after a couple were disallowed in the first half. But they were ultimately outplayed.
The All Blacks have now beaten the Bulls four out of five times, in meetings dating back to 1949. The Bulls’ only win came in 1976 as the old Northern Transvaal (29-27).
After the All Blacks play their first Test against the Springboks, they take on the Lions at Ellis Park in their final match against South Africa’s United Rugby Championship-playing unions.
All Blacks score four tries in first half
A potential early Bulls try could not be given when there was no conclusive evidence of a grounding underneath the players.
Instead, All Black wing Josh Moorby scored the first try when the ball was worked down the line, and he sidestepped the last Bulls defender in the 13th minute.
Another Bulls score was not given (Hanro Liebenberg’s try denied for an earlier knock-on), before the visitors made it two when eighthman Peter Lakai, on attack, held off one tackler, and drew in a second before offloading to Moorby to score again in the 18th minute.
Bulls prop Francois Klopper received a yellow card in the 30th minute when he got in the way of a pass while retreating.
The All Blacks were held up shortly afterwards. But captain Codie Taylor scored from a following tap-and-go, a dummy tap first causing Bulls players to hesitate.
He scored for the All Blacks again after a few drives right before half-time. That made it 24-0 at the break.
Bulls hit back with three tries
The Bulls immediately responded in the second half when lock Ruan Vermaak produced a great run and crashed over for his team’s first try.
But the All Blacks hit back when Leroy Carter, and then Rieko Ioane both crossed after impressive backline plays.
Stravino Jacobs scored the Bulls’ second try following good offloads by Jeandré Rudolph and Curwin Bosch in the 55th minute.
The Bulls were held up before Carter scored again for the All Blacks following a few phases in the 66th minute.
Coetzee finally got his try after a few drives in the 74th minute. But Wallace Sititi scored the All Blacks’ eighth try shortly before the whistle to compound the hurt.
Scorers
Bulls: Tries – Ruan Vermaak, Stravino Jacobs, Marcell Coetzee. Conversions – Curwin Bosch 2/3.
All Blacks: Tries – Josh Moorby (2), Codie Taylor (2) Leroy Carter (2), Rieko Ioane, Wallace Sititi. Conversions – Beauden Barrett 1/2, Josh Jacomb 4/6.
