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Match Result
What a game high scoring and high skilled, if you wanted an exhibition of rugby that was it, hard hitting and no nonsense. Scrums were clean and over with quickly.
Pollard and Lambie were superb with their kicking with both finishing the game with a perfect record, Kriel and Marais were good in the first half but didn’t get involved in the second half.
Labuschagne got through a mountain of work, two questionable tries to the Bulls may have the Sharks feeling a little funny about this game in one they probably should’ve won, but that’s Rugby and sometimes it doesn’t go your way.
Bulls are on the board in 2015. No losing bonus point for the Sharks will hurt as well.
Bulls 43 defeat The Sharks 35
Match Preview
The Sharks and Bulls meet in a heavy-weight encounter that could go a long way to deciding the pecking order in South Africa’s conference this year. Join us for live scores and commentary from 1:55am AEDT.
The Bulls started this season with consecutive defeats at home for the first time since 2011. If they lose tonight it will be the first time since 2005 that the Pretoria side has lost its first three games of the season.
This game could really come down to controlling the ball, with the Bulls giving an astonishing 34 turnovers in two games. The Sharks however aren’t much better, turning the ball over 33 times. The Bulls’ Pieter Labuschagne has laid the most tackles in Super Rugby this year with 38.
The Bulls will be lamenting last week’s game against the Hurricanes as one that got away from them. Grant Hattingh had a chance to score the winning try late but his left hand slid out of play. Some have argued he should have been carrying the ball in his other arm but what’s done is done.
I’m excited to see what Jesse Kriel can produce after showing glimpses of brilliance last week against the Hurricanes. It was his second half that was quiet, but he showed that he could take the next step in becoming a Springbok if he continues that sort of play.
Meanwhile, the Sharks were clinical against a side tipped by many to be the cellar dwellers of the competition in 2015, the Lions. Marcel Coetzee was most damaging, scoring two tries to take an equal lead in the competition’s try-scoring category.
Expect a close game here with four of the last six matches between the two being decided by five points or fewer. However the Bulls have won seven of the last ten meetings between these two.
If the Bulls do win expect it to be close, with their last 12 wins over the Sharks being single figure wins.
Prediction
The Bulls won’t want to lose three in a row at home to start the season; that’s enough motivation to get them the win here.
Bulls by 5.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.