URC result: Bulls first half blitz destroys Cardiff

2026-03-20 - 19:00

A first half blitz from the Bulls saw them run in five of their six tries over the match, which set them up for a strong 40-7 bonus point win over Cardiff in their United Rugby Championship (URC) match at Loftus on Friday night. It was a fantastic effort from the Bulls, as they bounced back well from a disappointing home loss to the Stormers last weekend, and the five points gained improves their position in the competitions top eight. At the start of the match Cardiff stunned the Bulls with an early try in the third minute, as on attack in the visitors half, outside centre Harri Millard superbly read the play and intercepted the ball, running about 50m for the converted score. A eighth minute yellow card to Cardiff loose forward Alun Lawrence for cynical play then cost them dearly as it got the Bulls into the match with two tries while he was off. First in the ninth minute the Bulls kicked to the corner, set the maul and attacked off it, with captain Marcell Coetzee getting over for their opening score, converted by flyhalf Handre Pollard. Three minutes later they took the lead, with a couple of penalties again allowing them to kick to the corner for a 5m lineout, set the maul and rumble it close, where hooker Johan Grobbelaar broke off and dived over to make it 12-7. Arendse show It then turned into the Kurt-Lee Arendse show as the Bulls wing produced two moments of magic to set up two tries as the Bulls pulled away. First in the 27th minute Cardiff lost the Bulls in the Bulls half, Arendse picked it up and spotted a gap and broke away into the visitors 22m, where drew the last defender and put fullback David Kriel away for the try. Eight minutes later Arendse fielded the ball from a box kick, again saw a hole in the defence and streaked away, before drawing a defender and offloading to scrumhalf Embrose Papier to outstrip the last defender and score. On the halftime hooter the Bulls scored their fifth, as they broke into the Cardiff half through outside centre Canan Moodie, before the ball went loose, only for flank Nizaam Carr to send a brilliant cross kick-pass to fellow loose forward Elrigh Louw out wide, with him powering through the last defender for the try. Pollard converted all three tries, which gave the Bulls a superb 33-7 lead at halftime. The second half then became a massive arm wrestle, as both teams tried to gain the ascendancy, but mistakes from both in good positions saw neither take advantage. The only score of the second 40 came in the 55th minute, with the Bulls attacking from a scrum in the Cardiff 22m, getting close and lock Ruan Vermaak received the ball at pace to smash over for the converted score. Scorers Bulls: Tries – Marcelle Coetzee, Johan Grobbelaar, David Kriel, Embrose Papier, Elrigh Louw, Ruan Vermaak; Conversions – Handre Pollard (5) Cardiff: Try – Harri Millard; Conversion – Callum Sheedy