Naka Bulle back-to-back champions of the African Rainbow Community Gold Cup

Pretoria’s Naka Bulle secured their second consecutive African Rainbow Community Gold Cup title with a thrilling 22-19 victory over the Northam Rhinos on Saturday.

Despite trailing for much of the match, a determined second-half comeback saw the Bulle defend their title in front of their home crowd.

The Rhinos, known for their physicality, dominated early on. Their forwards controlled the set pieces and breakdowns, leading to their first try in the 13th minute by inside centre Mira Bovu. Fullback Darryn Fortuin converted from a tough angle to give the visitors a 7-0 lead.

The Bulle struggled to find momentum, with their only points in the first half coming from a penalty by fullback Hansie Graaf in the 29th minute. The Rhinos, meanwhile, squandered two penalty attempts, which kept the score at 7-3 at halftime.

The second half began with more pressure from the Rhinos, and their maul powered over the line for a try by hooker Khwezi Mkhafu, with Fortuin adding the extras to extend their lead to 14-3.

However, Naka Bulle refused to give in. Scrumhalf Ethan Williams darted through a gap to score under the posts after the hosts’ maul finally broke down the Rhinos’ defence. Graaf’s conversion brought the score to 14-10, and the momentum shifted.

In the 64th minute, Graaf crossed the line for a try of his own, putting the Bulle in the lead for the first time. Then, with time running out, a charge down led to replacement Ruan Viviers pouncing on a loose ball to score, extending the lead to 22-14.

Although the Rhinos managed a last-minute try via Mkhafu – his second of the day – it wasn’t enough to stop the Bulle from celebrating another Cup triumph.

Naka Bulle’s determined comeback is evidence of their resilience and tactical prowess; prowess that led to them solidifying their dominance in the competition.

Score round-up:

Naka Bulle 22 (3) – Tries: Ethan Williams, Hansie Graaf, Ruan Viviers. Conversions: Graaf (2). Penalty: Graaf.

Northam Rhinos 19 (7) – Tries: Mira Bovu, Khwezi Mkhafu (2). Conversions: Darryn Fortuin (2).