Bulls centre Chris Barend Smit scored a try and was the Player of the Match against the Pumas. Photo: BackpagePix
The Blue Bulls withstood a fierce second-half comeback from the Pumas to remain on top of the Currie Cup log with a convincing 40-24 victory at Mbombela Stadium on Friday night.
The Bulls had powered into a 26-0 lead in as many minutes as their experience and superior physicality took its toll on the home side.
The Pumas made it a two-point game at 26-24 with 30 minutes to go after a flurry of tries, but the Bulls held their composure to close out the game with aplomb to stretch their unbeaten run to seven matches.
While the Mpumalanga side made a spirited start, they were hampered by poor handling throughout.
It was the Bulls who kept their cool, and Player of the Match, inside centre Chris Barend Smit, created the opening try when he intercepted a Pumas pass and chipped the ball through, and midfield partner Cornel Smit pounced on the loose ball to score in the eighth minute.
The likes of captain Nizaam Carr, locks Sintu Manjezi and Jannes Kirsten, as well as strong No 7 Merwe Olivier punched holes in the Pumas defence with their skills and power game, in contrast to the shaky efforts of the home side.
Manjezi set up the second Bulls try with a burst up the middle, and then quick hands put left wing Sibongile Novuka over in the 14th minute.
Former Pumas stalwart Devon Williams delivered a sumptuous 50-22 kick into the touch a few minutes later, and that led to hooker Joe van Zyl grabbing the third Bulls touchdown from a lineout maul.
Van Zyl did the trick for a second time in the 25th minute, and with scrumhalf Keagan Johannes slotting three conversions, it was 26-0 and one-way traffic.
But there was some respite for the hosts before halftime when Bulls No.13 Cornel Smit was yellow-carded for a cynical infringement, and Pumas hooker Eduan Swart pulled one back with a maul try of his own.
That was just the impetus Jimmy Stonehouse’s team needed, and they came out firing in the second half.
First it was bustling left wing Darren Adonis who motored over following a maul, and then two more tries came in quick succession via flyhalf Clinton Swart and fullback Tino Swanepoel.
It looked like the Pumas had all the momentum at 26-24 behind with half-an-hour to go, but Phiwe Nomlomo’s Bulls side kept cool under the Friday night lights to absorb the pressure and pull away at the end.
Fullback Williams finished off a dazzling move that was started inside the Bulls half, with Carr delivering a deft offload to Manjezi, before Bok wing Canan Moodie pulled out a brilliant back-handed pass for Williams to round off.
The Pumas never gave up, but a series of knock-ons ended any chance of a late rally, with Chris Barend Smit securing the victory with a 66th minute touchdown.
Points-Scorers
Pumas 24 – Tries: Eduan Swart, Darren Adonis, Clinton Swart, Tino Swanepoel. Conversions: Clinton Swart (2).
Bulls 40 – Tries: Cornel Smit, Sibongile Novuka, Joe van Zyl (2), Devon Williams, Chris Barend Smit. Conversions: Keagan Johannes (4), Jaco van der Walt (1).