Much better Bulls charged up to keep the Bears at bay
Seven tries, some scorching three-quarter play, and a first win for a muchimproved inside six days Bulls, Millbrae was a happy place around 5pm on Saturday, writes Matt Vallance.
Sharing the joy was Sean Lineen, with on-field FOSROC Super6 matters coming into his Murrayfield portfolio. “That was good, but it will get better as the players grow into Super6,” was his verdict, as he waited to present Lars Morrice of Bulls with his man-of-the-match medal.
Happy too was Bulls’ coach Peter Murchie, pictured, after what he described as “a long week”.
He said: “We were a lot better than against Heriot’s, but we had to be. Allowing them their two late tries was disappointing, so I am looking for us to start playing for 80 minutes.
“However, it was a huge step up from game one, we had some good individual performances and I thought our two Glasgow guys helped us.”
Opposite number Graham Shiel, after praising how well Bulls played, was “naturally disappointed – we stressed the Bulls, but didn’t follow through and we still have work to do. Our two late tries were welcome, but maybe a bit flattering, since up till then, they wouldn’t give us the ball.”
The first half action came in flurries. Warriors’ Stafford Mcdowall and Rory Hughes combined for the opening try, following a great charge by Morrice, with Frazier Climo converting.
But from the restart Tom Wilson’s tap penalty allowed him home for a try, converted by Gavin Parker, who added a penalty to put the visitors 10-7 ahead.
The Bulls pack then galloped some 30 metres in a terrific driven maul, for hooker Sam Kitchen to put them ahead. Then, before
the break, superb back play left winger Tom Lewis with a walk-in, which Climo converted for 19-10 at the break.
Parker’s second penalty made it a six-point game, but Hughes was on the end of a Mcdowall grubber to secure the bonus point.
Climo added a penalty before Hughes set up Graham Geldenhuys for Ayr’s fifth try and 32-13.
Bears kept going and in the last two minutes Kyle Mcghie converted George Thornton’s try, then finished off a Martin Cimprich break, which he converted.