The Bulls had to fight back from a halftime deficit, to eventually power away to a strong bonus point win over Ospreys at Loftus.
The Bulls forwards produced an incredible power game to fight back from a halftime deficit and clinch an entertaining 53-40 bonus point win over Ospreys in their United Rugby Championship (URC) opener at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday afternoon.
It was an absolute try fest, as the hosts outscored the visitors nine tries to six, but it took a strong second half performance to comeback from a 26-19 deficit at the break.
Hooker Johan Grobbelaar dotted down a hattrick, while captain Marcell Coetzee and 19-year-old wing Cheswill Jooste scored doubles, to make sure that the Bulls got their season off to a solid start.
Stunning Ospreys start
It was Ospreys that stunned the Bulls with a brilliant start to the game, as they ran in two early tries to fly into a 12-0 lead after just five minutes.
First wing Keelan Giles ran a brilliant line to hit a gap and sprint away to open the scoring, followed by former Cheetahs star Daniel Kasende breaking wonderfully down the line and putting away inside centre Kieran Williams, with Dan Edwards converting one of them.
The Bulls forwards then started warming up and hit back in the 10th minute, as they attacked onto the Ospreys line and hammered away until flank Coetzee smashed over for the converted score.
In the 20th minute the hosts levelled the scores as the forwards again made their mark with big carries from a lineout, before Coetzee crashed over for his second.
Ill-discipline then cost the Bulls as fullback Devon Williams was yellow carded for a deliberate knock down in the 26th minute.
Ospreys immediately took advantage of the extra man as flank Harri Deaves enjoyed a great run down the line and put away fullback Jack Walsh for the score, followed by Williams scoring his second from close range, with both converted, putting the visitors 26-12 up after 35 minutes.
Importantly the Bulls scored just before the break, Grobbelaar forcing his way over from close range to bring themselves back into the game at halftime.
Bulls fight back
It was a strong start to the second half from the Bulls that set them on their way to their come from behind win, as Grobbelaar dotted down his second off the back of a rolling maul in the 44th minute.
Young wing Jooste opened his Bulls URC account in the 50th minute, scoring a try very similar to Ospreys opener, as he ran the perfect line to find a gap and sprint away to score, giving them a 29-26 lead.
It was then Ospreys turn to rue a yellow card, as James Fender received his marching orders, allowing the Bulls to immediately take advantage, kicking to the corner and rumbling their way over for Grobbelaar to round out his hattrick putting them more than a score ahead in the 57th minute.
Three minutes later lock Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg hit a gap and offloaded to his former Montpellier colleague, inside centre Jan Serfontein to run in and put them up 41-26.
Ospreys finally hit back in the 65th minute, eighthman Morgan Morse finishing from close range, only for the Bulls to respond immediately, replacement hooker Juann Else putting his head down and powering over from close, making it 48-33.
The hosts made the game safe in the 71st minute, Bok centurion Willie le Roux making his presence felt straight after coming on, sending a long pass out to Jooste to go over in the corner for his second.
Ospreys had the final say after the fulltime hooter, Giles finishing the game as he started it, with a try, to end a thoroughly entertaining contest.
Scorers
Bulls: Tries – Marcell Coetzee (2), Johan Grobbelaar (3), Cheswill Jooste (2), Jan Serfontein, Juann Else; Conversions – Keagan Johannes (4)
Ospreys: Tries – Keelan Giles (2), Kieran Williams (2), Jack Walsh, Morgan Morse; Conversions – Dan Edwards (5)
