Bulls hammer Lyon to make Champions Cup quarters
After their mauling at the hands of Leinster last weekend, Vodacom Bulls coach Jake White had demanded a response from his side.
On Saturday, they emphatically answered that call, demolishing French side Lyon 59-19 in their Investec Champions Cup round-of-16 clash at Loftus Versfeld.
It was a pity that only 7 554 fans turned up for the lunchtime clash, but the sanity in scheduling the game at the same time as a massive school derby down the road didn’t help. Still, those who were there saw a classy Bulls performance that kept up their unbeaten home record against European opposition and the reputation of Loftus Versfeld as a fortress intact.
The Bulls now will have to wait to see which of Northampton or Munster survive their clash later on Sunday. A Northampton win would see the Bulls head north for a quarterfinal while the Irish side would head to Loftus if they win that game.
Even though the Bulls lost Ruan Nortje before the game to injury, his replacement 19-year-old JF Van Heerden - was a colossus in both the lineouts and general play. The former Grey College prodigy certainly has a bright future ahead of him.
But it was a day that everything seemed to click for the Bulls. From Johan Goosen’s kicking game to Willie le Roux’s flat passes, the Bulls did so many things right it was almost as if it was a different side that played in Dublin a week earlier.
Lyon actually started the stronger side, and had the Bulls pinned in their 22 but the defence held out for the opening barrage in style. And then the Bulls struck. A penalty to the corner, lineout maul and several forays at the line set things up for Le Roux’s massive long pass to find winger Sebastian de Klerk in the corner.
Seven minutes later the Bulls burgled their second try, this time from an overthrown Lyon lineout that was pounced on by Kurt-lee Arendse, who danced past the defence and then offloaded inside for Embrose Papier to score his first try. (Supersport)