Morne Steyn’s late penalty was just enough to seal a narrow victory for the Vodacom Bulls over Edinburgh in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship match at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
The veteran flyhalf came off the bench to slot a penalty that put the Bulls 33-31 up with one minute to go, and when Edinburgh’s South African-born fullback Henry Immelman missed what would have been the winner in extra time, the hosts survived a late scare.
The Bulls started powerfully in the opening quarter as hooker Johan Grobbelaar finished a tap-and-go move before Elrigh Louw muscled his way across the tryline, but Edinburgh worked their way back through replacement flyhalf Charlie Savala’s score in the corner followed by wing Darcy Graham dotting down to make it a one-point game in favour of the Bulls heading into the break.
The game of cat and mouse continued after the break as wing Cornal Hendricks scored to extend the Bulls’ lead, but the away side was quick to respond as Graham bagged his second after capitalising on a loose ball that struck the upright.
A penalty from Bulls flyhalf Chris Smith only momentarily extended their lead before the scintillating Graham completed his hat-trick to bring Edinburgh back within a point again.
Bulls flyer Stravino Jacobs’ try was followed by Edinburgh wing Damien Hoyland’s score, before centre Mark Bennett’s conversion handed the visitors the lead for the first time in the game but Steyn, as he has done many times before, came off the bench to slot a 79th-minute penalty that would ultimately give the Bulls the win.
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Photo: Twitter/@BlueBullsRugby
