The Bulls secured a hard-fought 23-21 victory over the Scarlets in their United Rugby Championship encounter in Wales, thanks to a masterclass performance from Handré Pollard, who scored 18 points.
The Pretoria-based side’s win ensures they leave Wales with a healthy nine points from two matches, putting them in a strong position to make a run for a home quarter-final in the final two rounds of the regular season.
Key Performance from Pollard
Pollard’s unerring boot proved to be the difference between the two teams, as he slotted over the winning penalty in the 77th minute to seal the victory for the Bulls.
Earlier in the match, the Bulls’ Cheswill Jooste opened the scoring in the second minute, before the Scarlets responded with two tries through Callum Woolley and Eddie James.
First Half Highlights
The first half was a frantic affair, with the Bulls launching a scathing counter-attack as the first half-hour clicked over, with Pollard finishing off Embrose Papier’s breakout.
Pollard’s boot ensured a narrow 14-10 lead at the end of the first half, after he slotted over both conversions, while his Scarlets counterpart, Joe Hawkins, missed both of his shots at goal.
According to the United Rugby Championship rules, a win is worth four points, with a bonus point awarded for scoring four or more tries.
The Bulls will face Zebre and Benetton in their final two matches of the regular season, and will be looking to build on this momentum to secure a home quarter-final spot.
Here are the key stats from the match:
- Tries: Woolley, James, Anderson (Scarlets), Jooste, Pollard (Bulls)
- Conversions: Hawkins (Scarlets), Pollard (Bulls)
- Penalties: Hawkins (2) (Scarlets), Pollard (3) (Bulls)
