URC result: Bulls get season underway with good win against Zebre
· Citizen
The Bulls got their URC campaign underway in the best possible way by thrashing Zebre in a ruthless display in Parma on Saturday night.
Last season’s finalists scored seven tries, including a penalty try, in a 47-13 victory to give the South African teams a clean sweep in round one.
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The hosts controlled much of the opening 20 minutes, with the Bulls struggling to build any attacking rhythm as handling errors repeatedly disrupted their attempts to play with ball in hand.
Zebre opened the scoring through fullback Tommaso Allan, who kicked a 13th-minute penalty goal, before the Bulls were handed a major opportunity when lock Matteo Canali was yellow-carded for illegally stopping a maul.
The Bulls were awarded a penalty try in the 26th minute which seemingly turned the momentum in their favour.
Allan brought the hosts back within a point with another penalty shortly afterwards, but lock Reinhardt Ludwig then powered over for the Bulls’ second try in the 31st minute, with flyhalf Curwin Bosch adding the conversion to put the visitors 14-6 ahead.
The Bulls continued to apply pressure and were rewarded again just before the break when scrumhalf Paul de Wet intercepted a wayward pass and ran 40m to score. Bosch converted once more to give the Pretoria-based side a 21-6 advantage at half-time.
It was one-way traffic after the break as lock Ruan Vermaak and centre Harold Vorster dotted down to stretch the Bulls’ advantage. Bosch remained perfect off the kicking tee, converting both tries.
As play entered the final quarter, there was finally something for the Zebre supporters to cheer about as captain Allessandro Fusco stepped his way over the line.
The Bulls continued pounding away at the Zebre line in the dying minutes, and were rewarded when Ludwig crashed over for his second of the night and replacement wing Zak Burger dived over in the corner to seal an accomplished performance on the road for Johan Ackermann’s team.
The Bulls now travel to Limerick where they’ll take on Munster next Saturday.
ZEBRE PARMA – Try: Allessandro Fusco. Conversion: Tommaso Allan. Penalties: Allan (2).
BULLS – Tries: Penalty try, Reinhardt Ludwig (2), Paul de Wet, Ruan Vermaak, Harold Vorster, Zak Burger. Conversions: Curwin Bosch (4), Willie le Roux.
This story first appeared on sarugbymag.co.za. It is republished here with permission.