Bulls beat Sharks in Pretoria

The South African Super Rugby season kicks off at Loftus Versfeld with a match that is expected to be a huge physical clash between the Bulls and Sharks.

Match detail

We are waiting for the kick off.

The match is underway. Sell out crowd at Loftus.

2.00: The Bulls put the Sharks under early pressure but they also concede a penalty. Lambie clears.

3.00: Bismarck du Plessis runs at the Bulls but he is pushed straight back. The Bulls looks hungry. The Bulls break out and run the ball but they knock on.

5.00: The Sharks win a kickable penalty from a scrum. Lambie will take a shot at goal. The pitch is a bit rough and is tearing up already. Lambie's kick is wide.

7.00: The Bulls test the Sharks with some high balls but they handle them well.

10.00: The Bulls win a line out on the half way line and drive forward.

11.00: Penalty to the Bulls. Morne Steyn takes the kick at goal. He misses.

12.00: Johann Sadie who has just joined the Bulls is off (shoulder). JJ Engelbrecht is on.

15.00: JP Pietersen concedes a penalty so Steyn kicks for touch but he doesn't find it.

16.00: Sharks playing a better territorial game now keeping the Bulls in tehir half. Sadie's injury looks like an AC joint.

17.00: Louis Ludik has a run down the wing but Chilliboy Rallapelle shoves him into touch. The Bulls are putting plenty of pressure on Freddie Michalak.

20.00: Penalty to the Sharks. Riaan Viljoen takes the shot from just inside the Sharks half. Length but not direction. He misses. That was 62m out.

22.00: Bismarck du Plessis gets blown up for a high tackle so the Bulls have a penalty. Steyn misses the penalty.

25.00: Another penalty, this time for the Sharks. Lambie misses as well. Lambie and Steyn never normally miss like this. Early nerves.

28.00: The Sharks build up some pressure but the ball goes to ground. They concede a penalty so Lambie boots it downfield.

31.00: No one is really dominating this match but the Sharks are probably the most likely to score first as they are spending more time in the Bulls half.

32.00: The Sharks have a run but they knock on. Bulls possession 41%.

33.00: The Sharks are attacking but Keegan Daniel's pass is forward.

35.00: The Bulls on attack again but JP Pietersen snatches the ball off them. The Sharks then press the Bulls back into their 25 and Kirchner is pushed out on the 5m line.

38.00: Very high error rate in this match. Plenty of dropped balls. No one really wants to hold on to the ball for long.

39.00: Sharks 58% possession. 12 handling errors from the Sharks and 9 by the Bulls.

40.00: The siren goes for half time. Lambie kicks it out and its half time.

The half time score was Bulls 0 Sharks 0

The second half is underway.

42.00: Keegan Daniel concedes a penalty for going off his feet just 12m out from the posts. Steyn can't miss this one.

43.00: Steyn bangs it over and we have a scoreline.

45.00: A penalty to the Sharks now so Lambie takes the kick in front of 46 111. He slots it and the score are level.

48.00: The Bulls start building some phases. They get to 8 phases and 0m out and they win a penalty. (not rolling away)

49.00: Steyn knocks over the penalty and the Bulls lead.

51.00: Juandre Kruger is doing well at the line our for the Bulls. Anton Bresler comes off and is replaced by Ross Skeate.

52.00: Penalty to the Bulls on the half way line. Steyn slots it and the Bulls are edging ahead.

55.00:Yet another penalty to the Bulls and again Steyn knocks it over.

56.00: The Bulls know they have some breathing space now so they are throwing the ball around a bit more and opening up the Sharks. Penalty to the Bulls again.

57.00: The game is held up while Patrick Lambie gets some attention. Chilliboy comes off the field as Steyn adds the penalty.

60.00: Penalty to the Sharks. Lambie takes the kick and nails it.

63.00: The Bulls are grinding the ball forward. Slowly but surely they edge forward.

65.00: Penalty to the Sharks. Lambie boots the ball downfield.

68.00: Morne Steyn goes for a drop goal and he nails it.

71.00: The Sharks split the Bulls defence and Lwazi Mvovo breaks, he is caught and passes to Jacques Botes who goes over for the first try of the match. TRY!

72.00: Lambie takes the conversion and nails it.

74.00: Sharks have some momentum now. They have a huddle and work out their plan.

77.00: Sharks going through the phases. They edge forward. 11 phases but then they knock on.

78.00: Bulls win a penalty. They will take their time and wind down the clock.

79.00: Bulls win the ball and hold on to the ball.

80.00: The Sharks win a penalty as the siren sounds. They run the ball.

81.00: Another penalty and the Sharks attack again. Bulls turn it over and kick it out. Bulls win.

The full time score is Bulls 18 Sharks 13

Scorers

Bulls
Tries -
Pen - M Steyn 5
Con -
Drop - M Steyn
Cards -

Sharks
Tries - J. Botes
Pen - P Lambie 2
Con - P Lambie
Drop -
Cards -

Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
AR1: Pro Legoete
AR2 : Tiaan Jonker
TMO : Gerrie Coetzee

Teams

The Sharks

1. Dale Chadwick , 2. Bismarck du Plessis , 3. Jannie du Plessis , 4. Steven Sykes , 5. Anton Bresler , 6. Keegan Daniel (Captain) , 7. Marcell Coetzee , 8. Ryan Kankowski , 9. Frederic Michalak , 10. Patrick Lambie , 11. Lwazi Mvovo , 12. Tim Whitehead , 13. JP Pietersen , 14. Louis Ludik , 15. Riaan Viljoen

Replacements , 16. Craig Burden , 17. Wiehahn Herbst , 18. Ross Skeate , 19. Jacques Botes , 20. Charl McLeod , 21. Meyer Bosman , 22. Paul Jordaan

Bulls

Zane Kirchner (54), Akona Ndungane (67), Johann Sadie (7) , Francois Venter (0) , Bjorn Basson (25), Morne Steyn (89), Francois Hougaard (29), Pierre Spies (72, c), Jacques Potgieter (0) , Deon Stegmann (55), Juandre Kruger (0) , Flip van der Merwe (34), Werner Kruger (58), Chiliboy Ralepelle (35), Dean Greyling (15).

Replacements: Willie Wepener (40) , Frik Kirsten (2), Wilhelm Steenkamp (36), CJ Stander (0) , Jano Vermaak (62) , Louis Fouche (0) , JJ Engelbrecht (0) .

(Super Rugby Caps in brackets)

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