The Northern Bulls ended the five-match winning streak of fellow South African side the Golden Lions in the Super XV with a thrilling bonus-point 35-33 triumph on Saturday.
A large crowd turned up for the Gauteng derby at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria and they were rewarded with seven tries amid a feast of high-tempo running rugby.
The victory lifted the Bulls five places to second on the combined Southern Hemisphere standings, nine points behind the Wellington Hurricanes, while the Lions remained eighth and playoffs contenders.
It was a match of three phases, with scrumhalf Piet van Zyl scoring two early tries to help the Bulls build a 25-13 halftime advantage under the leadership of 37-year-old lock Victor Matfield.
The Johannesburg-based Lions roared back after the break and edged ahead 26-25 on 55 minutes when flyhalf Elton Jantjies converted a try from prop Jacques van Rooyen.
Regular Bulls skipper Pierre Spies then came off the bench to make a decisive contribution, taking a quick tap penalty and barging over the line surrounded by five Lions.
Flyhalf and leading Super XV points scorer this season Handre Pollard converted from the touchline and added a penalty with four minutes left for a 35-26 lead, but back came the indomitable Lions again to secure a losing bonus point via a try by flanker Jaco Kriel that Jantjies converted to close the scoring.
Matfield described the match as one of the best encounters he had been involved in.
“The atmosphere was fantastic, the game was fantastic, and the players and the crowd enjoyed every minute,” 121-cap Springbok legend Matfield said.
CHEETAHS 25, STORMERS 17
Reuters, BLOEMFONTEIN
A late try from fullback Clayton Blommetjies handed the Central Cheetahs a victory over South African conference leaders the Western Stormers in their Super XV clash on Saturday.
Leading by a single point and weathering a storm from the visitors, Blommetjies ran from 40m to claim his first Super XV try.
The Cheetahs led 18-10 at halftime after two tries in four minutes midway through the first half.
Center Michael van der Spuy and wing Rayno Benjamin dived over, while flyhalf Joe Pietersen added a conversion and two penalties.
Winger Dillyn Leyds scored the Stormers’ only try of the first half and when captain Duane Vermeulen barged over on 55 minutes they closed the deficit to one point.
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