A sparkling opening 25 minutes from the Bulls set them on their way to a thrilling 42-36 (halftime 28-12) bonus point win over Lyon in a Champions Cup match that ended after 86 minutes at a bouncing Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday night.
It was a largely second string Bulls that had the tough task of opening their Champions Cup campaign, however they looked like they would run away with it after they tore into a 28-0 lead after just 25 minutes, but ended up winning with six tries to five from the visitors.
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But Lyon just wouldn’t go away, fighting back every time it looked like they were out of the match, and then kept the game alive long after the fulltime hooter, before the Bulls managed to survive a frantic finish.
In the match the Bulls got off to a flying start as wing Sibongile Novuka scored a superb solo try, receiving the ball just outside Lyon’s 22m with not much on, with him then brushing off a tackle attempt, stepping inside and sprinting away to score under the posts after just four minutes.
In the eighth minute the Bulls then attacked from a lineout, with flank Nizaam Carr breaking to just short of the line, allowing scrumhalf Bernard van der Linde to pick up and snipe over to score, with flyhalf Morne Steyn slotting a second conversion for a 14-0 lead.
Steyn missed an easy penalty in the 16th minute, but four minutes later were over the tryline again as they attacked from a lineout, with Van Der Linde then throwing an outrageous dummy and going over for his second, with the extras putting them 21-0 up.
In the 25th minute the Bulls then attacked from a scrum in the Lyon 22m, with Carr receiving the recycled ball to go over next to the uprights, as Steyn added another easy conversion to make it 28-0.
Lyon then finally woke up and enjoyed a strong finish to the half as they turned to their maul, leading to flank Arno Botha and hooker Liam Coltman dotting down, with fullback Leo Berdeu slotting one conversion to make it 28-12 at the break.
The second half then got off to a flying start with three tries in the opening eight minutes, as first wing Stravino Jacobs received a pass from fullback Wandisile Simelane, before cutting inside the defensive line and sprinting away to score a converted try under the posts.
Lyon however hit straight back from the kick-off as wing Ethan Dumortier showed superb strength to power over in the corner, with Berdeu’s extras making it 35-19.
Botha then scored a brilliant solo try, picking the ball up at the back of a scrum near the halfway, before breaking downfield, kicking ahead and following up to dot down, with Berdue’s conversion bringing them back into the match at 35-26 after 48 minutes.
A Berdue penalty in the 61st minute then brought the visitors within seven, only for the Bulls to run in a top converted try to Chris Smith five minutes to give them a 42-29 lead.
The crazy match however wasn’t over as Lyon inside centre Kyle Godwin finished off a chip and chase in the 75th minute, with Berdeu’s touchline conversion making it a six point game once again.
A ridiculous finish to the match then saw Lyon keep the game alive six minutes into added time, before the Bulls won a crucial turn over to kick the ball out much to the relief of the players and fans.
Scorers
Bulls: Tries – Sibongile Novuka, Bernard van der Linde (2), Nizaam Carr, Stravino Jacobs, Chris Smith; Conversions – Morne Steyn (6)
Lyon: Tries – Arno Botha (2), Liam Coltman, Ethan Dumortier, Kyle Godwin; Conversions – Leo Berdeu (4); Penalty – Berdeu
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