Waratahs extend winless streak for the Bulls

AN ISRAEL Folau try in the game’s opening 28 seconds proved the difference as the Waratahs ended a nine-year Super 15 losing streak against the Bulls yesterday.

Folau scored his ninth try of the season on his return from a throat injury to propel the Waratahs to a hard-fought win over the Bulls in Sydney.

The win took the Waratahs to within one point of the Brumbies at the top of the Australian conference, while the Bulls remained second behind the Sharks in the South African conference.

Folau was controversially pulled out of the Waratahs match against Western Force in Perth last week by the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) overriding the team’s medical staff on the state of the prized fullback’s bruised throat.

Folau scored his ninth try of the season on his return from a throat injury

But the former rugby league international showed again what immense value he is to the Waratahs as he scored the only try of the game.

Flyhalf Bernard Foley kicked four penalties and a conversion to keep the Waratahs in front against the fast-finishing Bulls.

The Bulls remain winless on their Australasian tour — the only consolation being that they picked up their third losing bonus point after earlier tight defeats to the Highlanders and Hurricanes.

They have lost their last six away games and will get their chance to break their drought in their final tour game against the Force in Perth next weekend.

Folau finished off smart leadup work from Wallabies Kurtley Beale and Adam Ashley-Cooper to score what proved the only try of the match in the opening minute.

The Waratahs raced to a 13-0 lead after 23 minutes, but the Bulls fought back with three penalties from flyhalf JacquesLouis Potgieter to edge them to within four points at 13-9 early in the second half.

Foley kept the home side ahead with two more penalties, one coming from a yellow card on Bulls No 8 Grant Hattingh for a head-high tackle on Michael Hooper.

Bulls scrumhalf Piet van Zyl wrenched his knee in the first half and Beale limped off with a right ankle injury early in the second half. — AFP