Jaco Visagie yesterday scored a late try to snatch a 24-24 draw for the Bulls against the Highlanders in Dunedin, New Zealand, that effectively ended the home side’s playoff hopes.
Visagie’s 75th-minute try, after the Bulls finally cracked the Highlanders’ defensive line in a match that was played at a high tempo, moved his side to 36 points on the table, while the Highlanders lifted to 31.
Divan Rossouw and lock Jason Jenkins also scored tries for the Bulls, who are now fifth on the table, while the Highlanders are 10th and without doubt out of contention for the top eight.
Photo: AFP
Five other teams are between 30 and 35 points and still have to play this weekend.
The Highlanders face the Waratahs in Invercargill, New Zealand, on Friday next week.
Waisake Naholo bid farewell to his adopted home town with two tries and the sound of The White Stripes’ Seven Nation Army ringing in his ears, while fullback Josh McKay also crossed twice for the hosts.
Naholo is joining London Irish after the Rugby World Cup in Japan and has become a cult hero to the “Zoo” section of Otago Regional Stadium, which is dominated by university students who chant his name in time with the song.
The home side’s hopes rested on securing at least one, if not two bonus point victories in their final two matches of the regular season, and they were keen to keep the ball alive and play at high tempo against a big Bulls pack.
However, their ball security was not up to the mark, with the Bulls not much better as both sides failed to build any pressure at all.
Highlanders center Rob Thompson was instrumental in all of his side’s first-half tries, with his strong running and distribution allowing McKay to cross twice, while Naholo also grabbed his first.
However, the All Blacks winger was guilty of gifting Rossouw his try when he let the ball bounce and the fullback pounced to open his side’s scoring before Jenkins also crossed after having an earlier try ruled out.
The Highlanders, who had led 19-14 at halftime, continued to play at a high tempo afterward, with Thompson’s strength and ability to get the ball free in the tackle freeing up space for Naholo to grab his second.
Handre Pollard added a 58th-minute penalty to drag the Bulls back to 24-17, before the visitors virtually camped inside the home side’s 22m area for the rest of the game before Visagie crashed over.
In yesterday’s other match, the Queensland Reds edged the Blues 29-28 in Brisbane, Australia.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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