The Vodacom Blue Bulls fought their way to a 31-23 (halftime 11-9) victory over the defending champion Free State Cheetahs in an ABSA Currie Cup match in Pretoria on Saturday evening.The home team outscored the visitors by three tries to two, and the lead changed hands three times, but the deciding factor in this encounter was the superiority of the Bulls’ defensive lineout which devalued the quality of the visitors’ possession, and gave the Pretoria outfit free license in the territorial stakes.

Bulls flyhalf Morne Steyn’s 16-point contribution, by means of four penalties and a pair of conversions, complemented the tries scored by winger Akona Ndungane, centre Wynand Olivier, and lock Danie Rossouw.

Similarly, Cheetahs flyhalf Chris Rossouw racked up 13 points with his boot - two conversions and a trio of penalties - as the visitors managed a brace of tries through wing Jongi Nokwe and captain Hendro Scholtz.

Chris Rossouw’s two early penalties gave the visitors a 6-3 lead at the close of the first quarter. But with 13 minutes remaining in the half, Bulls number eight Pedrie Wannenburg made a strong run in midfield - throwing a tackler aside and grabbing a second by the scruff of his neck - before push-passing the ball to wing Akona Ndungane who sped over to give his team a two-point lead.

Steyn added his second penalty from 45-metres out with five minutes remaining, but the Cheetahs flyhalf quickly replied with his third successful kick, and the home team left the field with an 11-9 lead at the break.

The second half brought with it a colossal cloudburst of rain, but in spite of the deteriorating conditions the game somehow sprung to life.

The Cheetahs moved the ball to left winger Jongi Nokwe five minutes after the restart and - with three defenders closing in on him - Nokwe chipped ahead, waited for the bounce to beat Bulls centre Marius Delport, and gathered to score a great individual try and reclaim the lead for the visitors.

But the Bulls bounced back four minutes later when they snatched a Cheetahs lineout, moved the ball to midfield, and Olivier scythed through the line, carrying defenders over for a converted try and giving the home team a two-point lead.

Steyn notched up his third penalty-kick at the end of the third quarter before yet another stolen lineout ball gave the home team their third try with 15 minutes remaining.

Danie Rossouw anticipated the visitors’ call at a lineout deep in Bulls territory, and the pilfered ball was zipped to Steyn who stepped inside to find an inviting hole in the Cheetahs line. The flyhalf raced to halfway before hitting his fullback, Tiger Mangweni, with a long skip pass to the wing. Mangweni was halted inside the Cheetahs 22 and, after a pick-and-go and a quick recycle, the ball found Danie Rossouw who fittingly scored from his own forced turnover, before Steyn converted to put the Bulls into a healthy 12-point lead.

The defending champions bounced back in the final six minutes when Scholtz scored a converted try off the back of a pushover scrum from five-metres out, but Steyn denied the visitors a loss-margin bonus point with his fourth penalty in the final minute to draw the referee’s final whistle.

The win lifts the Blue Bulls to 14 points and second place on the standings while the Cheetahs find themselves trailing Western Province in fifth place with nine log points.

Scorers:

Blue Bulls - Tries: Akona Ndungane, Wynand Olivier, Danie Rossouw. Conversions: Morne Steyn (2). Penalties: Steyn (4).

Cheetahs - Tries: Jongi Nokwe, Hendro Scholtz. Conversions: Chris Rossouw (2). Penalties: Rossouw (3).

Source: sarugby.com