Chiefs break Bulls hearts
Anscombe forces tie with a late conversion
CONTRARY to the popular theory that visiting teams run out of steam on the Highveld, it was the Bulls who wilted in the final 10 minutes to concede three tries, allowing the Chiefs to steal an unlikely draw.
Replacement centre Gareth Anscombe’s nerveless touchline conversion to share the spoils marked one of the greatest Loftus turnarounds.
Trailing by 16 points going into the final 10 minutes, the Chiefs cut loose and the Bulls couldn’t live with them after fighting back from an early 12-3 deficit to lead 31-16 after 69 minutes.
The match followed a predictable pattern, with the Chiefs unafraid to run the ball from deep in their own half if they sensed a half-chance, while the Bulls looked to dominate field position before attacking.
Victor Matfield rolled back the years, looking like a 2007 version of himself as he reduced the Chiefs lineout to a neurotic mess.
Even when he wasn’t poaching the throw, he put so much pressure on the middle of the set piece that Tom Marshall couldn’t find a jumper to aim at.
On the stroke of half time one of those overthrows led to scrumhalf Francois Hougaard pouncing before being illegally cut down by wing Asaeli Tikoirotuma.
The ensuing penalty — flyhalf Jacques-Louis Potgieter’s third — left the Bulls trailing by only a point at the break.
The Chiefs scored two earlier tries from Bulls mistakes. From a turnover inside their own 22, when the Bulls lost the ball forward, the Chiefs worked the ball through the phases, with centre Andrew Horrell influential in the move that ended with a try for veteran fullback Mils Muliaina.
Flank Liam Messam scored the second after a Bulls clearance kick rebounded off several players, ending in Chiefs possession.
But a typical rolling-maul try on the half hour, after Matfield secured the ball, brought the home team back into the game.
The Bulls continued the onslaught in the second half. From another Matfield-led lineout, in the ensuing rolling maul the Chiefs defence disintegrated and referee Craig Joubert awarded the Bulls a penalty try when the maul was dragged down.
Joubert issued Chiefs lock Matt Symons a yellow card and that tilted the balance the Bulls way.
Moments later it was Matfield who recognised space on the left and freed wing Bjorn Basson with a deft pass. The winger still had a lot of work to do, chipping and collecting to score.
Within 10 minutes after the restart the Bulls had turned a deficit into a 13-point lead.
Potgieter made it 16 points with another penalty which signalled the beginning of the fight back.
Long-range tries from Gareth Anscombe, Symons and Aaron Cruden secured three log points for the visitors.