Bordeaux fightback falls short as van

By BEN JAYCOCK

Bulls ……………… 46pts

Tries: Coetzee 7, 27; Williams 17, Kriel 40, Le Roux 43, Papier 53

Conversions: Goosen 8, 18, 27, 44, 54

Penalties: van der Walt 65, 75

Bordeaux……….40pts

Tries: Buros 14, Coleman 34, Tambwe 50, Tatafu 55, 67; Abadie 60

Conversions: Holmes 15, 35, 51, 56, Garcia 61

The hosts scored six tries through a Marcell Coetzee brace, Devon Williams, man-of-thematch David Kriel, Willie le Roux and Embrose Papier. Fly-half Johan Goosen kicked five conversions, while van der Walt added two penalties.

Bordeaux managed to

THE Bulls held off a late Bordeaux Begles surge to claim victory and qualify for the knockout stages.

Bulls looked to be coasting to victory leading 33-14 early in the second half but Bordeaux rallied with four tries to trail by only three points with 13 minutes remaining.

Replacement flyhalf Jaco van der Walt kicked a penalty to exget close to a statement away win thanks to Romain Buros, Adam Coleman, Madosh Tambwe, a Tevita Tatafu brace and Paul Abadie tries, with Zack Holmes kicking four conversions and Garcia Mateo one.

Bulls skipper Coetzee started the game on a strong note, crossing after just six minutes and Goosen was on hand to add the extras. The visitors did not hang around, though, and ran in a try of their own seven minutes later with a converted Buros effort. Typical of the clash the Bulls quickly struck back through Williams who was played in by a lovely Goosen miss pass, and the fly-half converted.

Scoring slowed down for a while as the teams dealt with the altitude before Australian lock Coleman, formerly of London Irish, pulled a score back for Bordeaux in the 33rd minute with Holmes adding the extras. The Bulls had the last say of the half with Kriel getting a well-deserved try to make it 26-14 at half-time.

The first score of the second period would be vital and a lovely bit of continuity from the Bulls saw full-back le Roux cross under the posts. Former Bulls wing Tambwe hit back for Bordeaux but once again the hosts responded almost immediately as a broken defensive line left a wide open space for Papier, who capitalised well for a try again converted by Goosen.

Replacement back row Tatafu produced a brilliant solo run to score two minutes later, quickly followed over by Abadie on the hour as the visitors mounted a fightback to close to within one score at 40-35. But Bulls won a penalty and van der Walt stepped up to kick his first three pointer and provide a bit of daylight. That was quickly squashed by Tatafu's second try as it began to get nervy for the home side but van der Walt kicked the final points of the game in the 75th minute to power the Bulls home.