Bulls sweep Sharks aside
Pote Human’s exciting side seems to be improving with every match
● The Bulls may still be a work in progress, but they seem to be gathering steam after seeing off the Sharks 37-14 yesterday.
In condemning the Sharks to a second consecutive defeat the Bulls kept it simple but also showed the flair necessary to unlock the Sharks.
For the visitors there are worrying signs of last season’s inconsistency becoming a habit if left unchecked.
It won't get easier when they host the Rebels on March 23 but they contributed to what was a watchable derby in front of a appreciative crowd.
The Bulls have a bye but having won three of their opening four games they’ll rest easy before they confront the struggling Chiefs on March 23.
There was far more attacking endeavour and the rugby was far smarter than in previous SA engagements.
With the sides possessing world-class back three pace merchants, tactical kicking had to be precise. The Bulls were better in this department.
When the Sharks enjoyed more of the ball in a portion of the first half, Warrick Gelant and his fleet-footed crew were equal to the task.
Though Jesse Kriel’s 20th-minute try was a regulation blindside move that caught the Sharks fast asleep, it was a thing of beauty, flying nearly 70m down the right.
The Bulls backline, superbly marshalled by Handre Pollard, had the synchronisation and the synergy that was desperately missing from the Sharks.
Cornal Hendricks and Rosko Specman were superb, harrying kick-chases very well and getting into the gaps provided for them.
Hendricks was particularly unlucky not to score on the stroke of halftime when he couldn’t gather his own chip after flying down the right wing.
While Pollard was the major-general who guided proceedings, Gelant was the field lieutenant whose darting runs and sniping kicks put pressure on Rhyno Smith, Makazole Mapimpi and S’bu Nkosi.
They responded very well but Pollard’s and Gelant’s pinpoint kicking and incessant chasing didn’t allow them to express their attacking talents.
The Bulls forwards put in a determined and unified shift with Schalk Brits, Tim Agaba and Duane Vermeulen prominent in the ball-carrying stakes.
The Sharks’ reasonably stout defence kept them in the game.
The Bulls owned the scrums and there was parity in the lineouts.
Though the Sharks started the second half quickly with Jeremy Ward’s 42nd-minute try from phase play, the Bulls restored their healthy lead three minutes later with a beautifully worked try by Specman that involved an excellent pass from Pollard and even better acceleration from Gelant.
The visitors tried to stay in the game through a 55th-minute Daniel du Preez try but without the necessary physical domination to earn the right to play their offloading game, the touchdown was just momentary relief.
Pote Human’s side flatlined after their high-octane first half.
In Pollard, who contributed 22 points, the Bulls, and the Springboks by extension, have an intelligent game manager.
To their credit, Robert du Preez’s charges sharpened up their possession and territory act.
However, the litany of first-half errors that saw Pollard convert four penalties hamstrung them.
The Bulls though had the last laugh through a late Pollard drop goal and a clinically beautiful Specman try that put the seal on an aesthetically pleasing showing.