The Bulls only managed to secure the win late in the second half.
Dylan Maart dives over the tryline for a try against Scarlets on Saturday. Picture: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images
Dylan Maart and Marcell Coetzee each scored a brace of tries as the Bulls beat the Scarlets at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
After the eight try, 54-26 win, the Bulls will go into the November break with a report card that reads: Satisfactory, could be better.
This was their fourth win in five fixtures and places them in the upper reaches of the URC, but it was a fitful, off-key performance highlighted by numerous defensive lapses.
Their big scrum purred and there was real fizz and energy behind the pack with scrumhalf Paul de Wet in sharp form. The backs had plenty of ball to work with and although there were several early tries, these were counter-balanced by the Bulls dropping their defensive guard to give the dogged Scarlets a sniff.
Hooker Jan-Hendrik Wessels, lock JF van Heerden and centre Harold Vorster got through a ton of work, throwing themselves about, but all it did was leave the crowd wanting more.
Who could blame them?
The Bulls scrum was dominant – they won a free kick and penalty with the first two calls – and the Scarlets had to perpetually scramble.
At 19-0, you’d think the Bulls would have buried them. Instead, they opened the door and for the first 60 minutes it was a ferocious contest of give and take. Only late in the game did they take it away from the Welshmen.
The Scarlets scampered through for several tries, thanks to a leaky Bulls defence, but their momentum was checked by several vital changes, not least the introduction of Coetzee. The big man barrelled his way over for two tries to stem the Scarlets’ momentum.
With centre Stedman Gans yellow-carded for a careless trip, the Bulls further emptied their bench to the desired effect.
Crowd favourite Sebastian de Klerk roared in for a try and then the flourish was provided by replacement hooker Johan Grobbelaar and winger Maart, and flyhalf Curwin Bosch, whose kicking and general play was outstanding.
This story first appeared on sarugbymag.co.za. It is republished here with permission.
