Bulls vs Lyon

2022 - 12 - 10

Post cover — Image courtesy of "SuperSport"

Bulls' angry Bees thwart thrilling Lyon fightback | SuperSport (SuperSport)

Lyon launched a thrilling fightback in what became a riveting and enthralling advert for the Heineken Champions Cup but in the end it was the Vodacom Bulls ...

And it became even more that way when Leo Berdeu kicked a penalty just beyond the hour mark to make it 35-29. Thank goodness for the Bulls’ sake though that they did score that try, for the French team, currently fifth on the Top 14 log, came back at them again to score through Zimbabwean born centre Kyle Godwin and then they came again and again in the final minutes, only to be thwarted by a Bulls defence that found it’s bottle when it mattered. And sure enough, after Bulls wing Stravino Jacobs had weaved his way through for his team’s fifth try not long after the start of the second half, it was Lyon who cracked up the pace with a good try to wing Ethan Dumotier in the right corner followed by Botha’s second score, chasing up his own perfectly placed kick ahead, to ensure his new team of at least a bonus point. There was a lot of talk around the perception that Bulls director of rugby Jake White had chosen a Bulls B team for this game, and in the first 24 minutes it was as if both teams had paid quite a lot of attention to that talk. It certainly did appear that the visitors were caught out by the tempo and intensity with which the Bulls started the game, and it took just 24 minutes for the Bulls to pour through the lax Lyon defensive system four times to notch their try-scoring bonus point in a scoring spree that saw points accumulated quicker than a point a minute. Lyon fought back from a 28-0 deficit after just 24 minutes to come so close to snatching it at the death as they rallied with a thrilling combination of skill, pace and guile to not only grab two bonus points by scoring four tries but also to come within a whisker of winning it as they pressed hard for the winning score off the extended last play of the game.

Fringe Bulls claim victory on Champions Cup debut in Loftus thriller (News24)

It was far from comfortable after a roaring start, but Jake White's perceived selection gamble ultimately paid off with a win for the Bulls over France's ...

Carr was instrumental once more as the Lyon defence allowed the Bulls an abundance of running space. The Bulls looked to be home and dry at that early stage, but a Lyon fightback saw the scoreline reduced to 28-12 at the break and when the visitors scored two early second-half tries - either side of one from Stravino Jacobs - the score suddenly read 35-26 and, with 30 minutes to play, the Bulls had a lot to do. It was a thrilling clash that ended with Lyon throwing everything at a scrambling Bulls defence six minutes after the full-time hooter had sounded in search of what would have been an epic comeback, but somehow the Bulls held on.

Champions Cup: Bulls vs Lyon LIVE scores (The South African)

The Bulls host Lyon in what will be their first Champions Cup outing from Loftus Versfeld from 19:30 on Saturday.

Not only in this game but next week as well and the following week and it goes all the way through to the end of January before we get a break during the Six Nations.” 6 Nizaam Carr, 5 Reinhardt Ludwig, 4 Jacques du Plessis, 3 Jacques van Rooyen, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Dylan Smith. 9 Bernard van der Linde, 8 Muller Uys. 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Marco Jansen van Vuren. “The ethos of the group is that we want to do what is best for the group and not for the player.” Stravino Jacobs of The Vodacom Bulls scoring his try with Henry Immelman of Edinburgh to late to stop him during the United Rugby Championship 2022/23 match between Bulls and Edinburgh held at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, South Africa on 24 September 2022

Champions Cup result: Bulls triumph over Lyon in thrilling try fest at ... (Citizen)

A sparkling opening 25 minutes from the Bulls set them on their way to a thrilling 42-36 bonus point win over Lyon in the Champions Cup.

A ridiculous finish to the match then saw Lyon keep the game alive six minutes into added time, before the Bulls won a crucial turn over to kick the ball out much to the relief of the players and fans. In the 25th minute the Bulls then attacked from a scrum in the Lyon 22m, with Carr receiving the recycled ball to go over next to the uprights, as Steyn added another easy conversion to make it 28-0. In the eighth minute the Bulls then attacked from a lineout, with flank Nizaam Carr breaking to just short of the line, allowing scrumhalf Bernard van der Linde to pick up and snipe over to score, with flyhalf Morne Steyn slotting a second conversion for a 14-0 lead.

Will Jake White's selection gamble pay off for Bulls against Lyon? (Independent Online)

One of the notable selections in the Bulls' 'B-team' is Wandisile Simelane at fullback, where he hasn't quite found his feet as yet, having starred at ...

“A little bit like Kurt-lee when he’s got the ball in his hands and he is running towards you… It’s an opportunity, and I think we are going to have to be clever this week, next week, the following week – it goes all the way through to the end of January before we get another break because of the Six Nations. “Every guy appreciates that we do what’s best for the team. So, Wandisile is playing there because I want him to develop his game. It’s just turned out that a couple of Springboks came back and needed some time off,” he said yesterday. But the side chosen for tonight’s encounter is a real gamble.

Bulls dig deep for first Champions Cup victory (SARugbymag)

The Vodacom Bulls held on to claim a bonus-point win against Lyon on their Champions Cup debut in Pretoria on Saturday night. Bulls boss Jake White named an ...

— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) [ICYMI – Sharks clinch SA’s maiden Champions Cup win](https://www.sarugbymag.co.za/sharks-clinch-sas-maiden-champions-cup-win/)

Bulls hold on to earn vital bonus-point win over Lyon at Loftus (TimesLIVE)

The Bulls began their maiden Champions Cup campaign with a hard-fought 42-36 bonus-point win over stubborn French side Lyon but they made heavy weather of ...

Tries: Arno Botha (2), Liam Coltman, Ethan Dumortier, Kyle Godwin; Conversions: Leo Berdeu (4); Penalties: Leo Berdeu (1) Lyon (12) 36 Bulls (28) 42

Bulls dig deep to tame Lyon (SARugbymag)

The Vodacom Bulls held on to claim a bonus-point win against Lyon on their Champions Cup debut in Pretoria on Saturday night. Bulls boss Jake White named an ...

— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) [ICYMI – Sharks clinch SA’s maiden Champions Cup win](https://www.sarugbymag.co.za/sharks-clinch-sas-maiden-champions-cup-win/)

Bulls B team get an A-plus with remarkable late defensive effort to ... (Independent Online)

The French club bounced back from 28-0 down after just 24 minutes to get within six points of the Pretoria side after centre Kyle Godwin scored a try in the ...

Penalty: Berdeu (1). Conversions: Leo Berdeu (4). It looked like a Sunday afternoon touch rugby game in the first half as the home side powered through for four touchdowns via right wing Sibongile Novuka, a brace by scrumhalf Bernard van der Linde and flank Nizaam Carr. Match.— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) The jink 😍— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) Coming out of the break in style!— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup)

Champions Cup: Morne Steyn predicts a bright future for the Bulls ... (planetrugby.com)

Bulls captain Morne Steyn praised the young players in his side after the men from Pretoria claimed a 42-36 win against Lyon in the Champions Cup.

“I got a bit of cramp in the last 10 minutes but that’s probably the old legs, but it’s great to get an 80-minute fight by the boys.” “I think that was the most important thing; we told the boys in the cloakroom that we wanted a good start and I think that’s what we did. “A great fight from the boys for 80 minutes and I think that’s what we’re going to get every week.

Bulls hold on to earn vital bonus-point win over Lyon at Loftus (SowetanLIVE)

Bulls lock Janko Swanepoel carrying the ball during the Heineken Champions Cup match against Lyon at Loftus Versfeld on December 10, 2022 in Pretoria, South ...

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