Bulls break losing streak

Pretoria — The Bulls have beaten the Cheetahs 26-21 (halftime 9-18) in their Super Rugby match at Loftus Versfeld yesterday.
Forwards Paul Willemse and Callie Visagie scored second half tries as the Bulls came from behind to beat the Cheetahs to keep alive their hopes of a place in the Super Rugby playoffs.

Lock Willemse and hooker Visagie barged over the line as the Bulls bounced back from a 18-9 halftime deficit to record only a fourth win of the season at Loftus Versfeld on their return from a dismal tour of Australasia.

Junior Springbok flyhalf Handre Pollard converted both tries and landed two penalties in his first start of the season, while the home side added further three-pointers via fullback Jurgen Visser and Pollard’s replacement, Jacques-Louis Potgieter.

Both the Cheetahs’ tries in the all-South African clash came in the first half from centre Johann Sadie and Ghana-born wing Raymond Rhule, with flyhalf Elgar Watts adding a conversion and two penalties to go with another three points from Johan Goosen.

Scorers:
Bulls: Tries: Paul Willemse, Callie Visagie; Conversions: Handre Pollard (2); Penalties: Pollard (2), Jurgen Visser, Jacques-Louis Potgieter

Cheetahs: Tries: Johann Sadie, Raymond Rhule; Conversion: Elgar Watts; Penalties: Watts (2), Johan Goosen

Teams:
Bulls
15. Jurgen Visser, 14. Akona Ndungane, 13. William Small-Smith, 12. Jan Serfontein, 11. Bjorn Basson, 10. Handré Pollard, 9. Francois Hougaard, 8. Grant Hattingh, 7. Jacques du Plessis, 6. Jono Ross, 5. Victor Matfield (captain), 4. Paul Willemse, 3. Marcel van der Merwe, 2. Callie Visagie, 1. Dean Greyling
Substitutes: 16. Bongi Mbonambi, 17. Morné Mellett, 18. Werner Kruger, 19. Jacques Engelbrecht, 20. Wimpie van der Walt, 21. Rudy Paige, 22. Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 23. JJ Engelbrecht

Cheetahs
15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Raymond Rhule, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Ryno Benjamin, 11 Willie le Roux, 10 Elgar Watts, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Boom Prinsloo, 7 Jean Cook, 6 Heinrich Brussow, 5 Francois Uys, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Maks van Dyk, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Caylib Oosthuizen.

Substitutes: 16 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Ligtoring Landman, 20 Teboho Mohoje, 21 Shaun Venter, 22 Johan Goosen, 23 Cornal Hendricks — Reuters.