Bulls power past resilient Ospreys

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The Vodacom Bulls scored seven tries against Ospreys at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday to claim a third consecutive Vodacom United Rugby Championship victory.

Despite Ospreys staging a second-half fightback, a powerful start from the Bulls ensured they finished 43-26 victors.

The hosts opened the scoring when David Kriel finished off an electric backline move to dot down for his second of the season.

Finding himself on the wing, flanker Nizaam Carr displayed neat footwork to score the Bulls’ second try of the afternoon before fellow flanker WJ Steenkamp finished in the corner to extend the hosts’ lead.

Flyhalf Jack Walsh went over for Ospreys’ first try of the afternoon and converted his own score before Kriel bagged his second try following a sublime offload from Lionel Mapoe.

Ospreys pulled another one back as centre Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler scored with Walsh adding the extras, but their joy was short-lived as Bulls No 8 Elrigh Louw scored a powerful try to make it 31-14 in favour of the hosts heading into the break.

A subdued second half came to life in the 57th-minute when centre Kieran Williams scored Ospreys’ third try to narrow the deficit.

Captaining the Bulls for the first time, lock Ruan Nortje crashed over for his side’s sixth in the 69th-minute before Ospreys’ replacement prop Rhys Henry crossed the whitewash.

The Bulls finished the clash on their terms, replacement scrumhalf Zak Burger scoring the hosts’ seventh as they finished 43-26 victors.

Photo: Twitter@BlueBullsRugby

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Rienk De Beer