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Two Bonus Points Keep Finals Hopes Alive as Western Force Go Down to the Bulls
The Emirates Western Force have secured two vital bonus points despite going down to the Bulls 32-29 in a pulsating fixture at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.
Ryan Cross’s try with less than two minutes remaining gave the Force a glimmer of hope, but they could not steal a victory in the dying moments.
The game began at a frenetic pace, with expansive play dominating the early going. Each side crossed for a try within the first ten minutes, after a Morne Steyn penalty goal had opened the scoring.
A shoulder injury forced James O’Connor from the field mid-way through the first half, forcing a change in tactics and robbing the Force of a key playmaker.
Giant prop Werner Kruger pounced on a loose ball to score a second try for the Bulls five minutes before the break, and moments later the home side almost had a third, with only consecutive try-saving tackles from Giteau and Staniforth holding the Bulls at bay.
The Bulls led 15-10 at half time.
The second period began terribly for the Force, with Bulls’ fullback Zane Kirchner finishing a strong backline movement to score in the corner to open a 20-10 lead, while Richard Brown was replaced within minutes of the re-start.
A superbly executed first phase try to Cameron Shepherd gave the Force life, but the boot of Steyn kept the scoreboard ticking over to extend the Bulls lead to 29-15 at the hour mark.
The final stanza of the game saw the Force fly back into contention through a Josh Tatupu try and, after a Burton Francis penalty, Cross’s try brought the margin back to 32-29, but there was no more magic left.
The Emirates Western Force will now play the Stormers in Cape Town.
By the clock:
3rd Min: Penalty Goal to the Bulls kicked by Morne Steyn. Bulls lead 3-0.
5th Min: Try to the Emirates Western Force scored by Drew Mitchell. Converted by Matt Giteau. Emirates Western Force lead 7-3.
10th Min: Try to the Bulls scored by Bryan Habana. Not Converted by Steyn. Bulls lead 8-7.
35th Min: Penalty Goal to the Emirates Western Force kicked by Giteau. Emirates Western Force lead 10-8.
37th Min: Try to the Bulls scored by Werner Kruger. Converted by Steyn. Bulls lead 15-10.
HALF TIME: Emirates Western Force 10 Bulls 15
41st Min: Try to the Bulls scored by Zane Kirchner. Not Converted by Steyn. Bulls lead 20-10.
51st Min: Penalty Goal to the Bulls kicked by Steyn. Bulls lead 23-10.
54th Min: Penalty Goal to the Bulls kicked by Steyn. Bulls lead 26-10.
55th Min: Try to the Emirates Western Force scored by Cameron Shepherd. Not Converted by Giteau. Bulls lead 26-15.
60th Min: Penalty Goal to the Bulls kicked by Steyn. Bulls lead 29-15.
69th Min: Yellow Card to Morne Steyn of the Bulls.
70th Min: Try to the Emirates Western Force scored by Josh Tatupu. Converted by Giteau. Bulls lead 29-22.
74th Min: Penalty Goal to the Bulls kicked by Burton Francis. Bulls lead 32-22.
78th Min: Try to the Emirates Western Force scored by Ryan Cross. Converted by Giteau. Bulls lead 32-29.
FULL TIME: Emirates Western Force 29 Bulls 32
Emirates Western Force 29 (Shepherd, Mitchell, Tatupu, Cross tries; Giteau 3 cons, pen)
Bulls 32 (Habana, Kruger, Kirchner tries; Steyn 4 pens, con, Francis pen)
Replacements –
24th Min: Josh Tatupu replaces James O’Connor
42nd Min: Haig Sare replaces Scott Staniforth (blood)
47th Min: Tamaiti Horua replaces Richard Brown
51st Min: Staniforth returns from blood bin, replaces Sare
67th Min: Gareth Hardy replaces Pek Cowan
78th Min: AJ Whalley replaces Ben Castle