BULLS-DOZED
Blues roll over South Africans in big second half comeback
LEINSTER’S second-half blitz of the Bulls gears them up for the Tigers in Europe by stretching their lead at the top of the URC.
Leo Cullen’s side trailed 14-12 at the end of an ultraphysical first half at the RDS as their scrum came under all sorts of pressure plus the loss of skipper Luke Mcgrath to a HIA and a yellow card.
But a searing five-try salvo after the break, allied with some stout defending, saw the Blues home against their nearest challengers in the table in front of the entertained 16,892 attendance.
With their 11th win of the URC season secured, their focus will quickly turn to hosting Leicester in the Champions Cup last 16 at Aviva Stadium next Saturday.
Johann Goosen kicked Bulls ahead from a scrum penalty and Leinster fell further behind when Cian Healy played the ball in the ruck.
Goosen split the posts from halfway for a 6-0 lead.
It was an uninspired start but the Blues steamed back into it with a searing counter-attack on 18 minutes.
Jack Conan fed Jordan Larmour, whose scintillating run had the visitors in trouble. He off-loaded to Jamie
Osborne and Josh van der Flier was sent clear. The flanker crashed into the upright as he was tackled but managed to dot down.
When Ronan Kelleher finished a lineout drive, it appeared the hosts had woken.
But Cullen’s side shot themselves in the foot when Goosen stepped inside Conan and released Kurt-lee Arendse.
The World Cup winner wasn’t going to be stopped and Mcgrath caught him high as he scored. The scrum-half went off for a HIA just before receiving a yellow.
Larmour moved to No.9 and Leinster did well to deny Bulls a second try but Kelleher coughed up a penalty that Goosen slotted to hand the visitors a twopoint advantage at the break.
Despite still being a man down it was the hosts who came out firing at the restart.
First Lowe finished a superb move in the 45th minute and moments later replacement loosehead Michael Milne grabbed the try bonus point.
Dan Sheehan dived in at the corner in the 64th minute before Conan also helped himself to a try.