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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