The Vodacom Blue Bulls scored four tries in their 25-24 victory over the Griquas in a packed GWK Stadium in Kimberley on Saturday.

In the opening minutes it was clear that both teams are going to have a full go at one another and although neither managed to score a try in the first ten minutes the Griquas were the first to get on the score sheet when Naas Olivier landed a penalty in the 7th minute.

It was good to see that the Blue Bulls were scrumming a tad better than against the Cheetahs and with Wilhelm Steenkamp and Flip van der Merwe spoiling a couple of the Griquas’ lineouts the team from Pretoria had most of the initiative in the first quarter.

The Bulls continued to put a lot of pressure on the Griquas and in the 16th minute captain Derick Kuün went over for the Bulls’ first try thanks to some good mauling by the forwards.

Francois Brummer missed the conversion and with Olivier slotting his second penalty in the 19th minute Dawie Theron’s team were leading 6-5, but it has to be said that the majority of the first quarter was played in Griquas’ half.

With Brummer and Olivier adding a penalty each the Griquas were back in the lead and in the 33rd minute Egon Seconds extended this lead when he scored the home team’s first try of the match after following up Jonathan Mokuena’ cross kick.

Olivier missed the conversion but the Bulls were right back in the game thanks to a terrific try from Francois Hougaard but unfortunately Brummer missed the conversion and that meant the Griquas were leading 14-13 at the break.

The Bulls had ample possession in the first 40 minutes and the vast majority of the match was played in Griquas’ half but in spite of this Theron’s men were outstanding on the ground and it had the result that the Bulls, who were quite heavily penalised, could not generate the momentum that they wanted to.

Shortly after half time the Griquas’ reserve hooker Rayno Barnes went over for their second try when Hougaard’s kick was charged down and with Brummer missing his third attempt in the 48th minute coach Frans Ludeke decided to send on Burton Francis.

With more than 30 minutes to play Ludeke also used Pedrie Wannenburg and Zane Kirchner as impact players but in spite of the reinforcements the Bulls’ lineout and scrum work weren’t as effective as in the first 40 minutes.

With 20 minutes to play and the Griquas leading 19-13, Springbok Chiliboy Ralepelle and the young talented Frik Kirsten were unleashed but the team from Kimberley continued their rampant form when left wing Trompie Nontshinga extended their lead to 24-13.

Luckily the Bulls got themselves right back into the game via a Gerhard van den Heever try and after this they were playing with a renewed kind of vigour as well as a lot of energy.

The Blue Bulls knew a converted try would take them into the lead and when Rohan Kitshoff as well as Mokuena got yellow cards in the last five minutes Wannenburg bulldozed over to score the Bulls’ bonus point try.

Francis converted and that meant the Bulls pulled off a very dramatic, but highly entertaining away victory.

Scorers:

Vodacom Blue Bulls: Tries: Derick Kuün, Francois Hougaard, Gerhard van den Heever, Pedrie Wannenburg. Conversions: Burton Francis (1). Penalties: Brummer (1).

GWK Griquas: Tries: Egon Seconds, Rayno Barnes, Trompie Nontshinga. Penalties: Olivier (3).