Bulls flatten Lions

The Bulls recorded an ill-tempered, error-riddled 31-17 win over the Lions at Loftus Versfeld on Friday.

Derick Hougaard weighed in with 21 points and wing Akona Ndungane dotted down in the same corner twice to send the Lions back to Johannesburg with their tails between their legs.

The return of Bakkies Botha and IRB Player of the Year Bryan Habana provided the tonic the doctor ordered for the Bulls.

Both players were a bit rusty but still made positive contributions. Habana missed a tackle or two but created attacking opportunities and Botha lived up to his reputation as an "enforcer".

Having crossed the try-line only once in their last two games, the home team seemed out to prove that they are capable of scoring tries.

Fans Ludeke was forced to pick two fly-halves with Morné Steyn starting at inside centre, but it might have been a blessing in disguise as excellent hand-work him and Hougaard resulted in two tries.

Ndungane might have scored those two tries but there won't be too many defenders having sleepless nights tonight, as the Bulls seem unable to run at angles and still rely on their pack to hammer the life out of their opponents to create some pace.

Discipline was once again a problem for the Bulls. Referee JC Fortuin simultaneously sent-off full-back Zane Kirchner and sent Botha to the sin bin in the 30th minute.

Both departing for use of the head while Kirchner's red card was for an off-the-ball spear-tackle.

However, although they played for ten minutes with only 13 men and then another entire half with only 14, they still managed to win. Fourie du Preez's leadership skills once again proved priceless.

Lethal

You didn't need to watch the game to know where things went wrong for the Lions. They outscored their hosts three tries to two and still lost by 14 points!

It's common knowledge in the Super 14 that giving away a penalty within 40 or 50 metres of the posts at Loftus is about as good as conceding three points and Hougaard's right boot was as lethal as ever.

Lions full-back Louis Ludik hasn't been bad under the high ball this season but when Hougaard decided to hoof the ball high into the lights from a free kick and Habana used his sixth sense to get under it, the Lions defence was all at sea.

Great hands from the Bulls' backs saw Ndungane go over in the corner for the game's first try.

The Lions gave away six penalties in the next ten minutes and as a result were trailing 17-0 after 30 minutes.

When the referee produced cards of both colours from his pocket and showed them to the Bulls one would have thought the visitors would be in business.

Dusty Noble scored for the Lions only to see Hougaard kick another penalty and Ndungane score his second soon afterwards.

The team in red come out the tunnel 20 points behind and were forced to play high-risk rugby in the second half.

For all their willingness to play positively, the Lions, once again, lacked poise with ball in hand. At times they seemed to be without any sort of plan other than to recklessly fling the ball around.

Error after error must have had Eugene Ellof pulling at the last locks of hair on his head; it's like they're trying too hard.

But Jano Vermaak's performance for the Lions would have put a smile on his coach's face. The Lions scrum-half stole the ball from the back of the depleted Bulls scrum to create the first try, and scored a second himself when he had the presence of mind to take a quick tap and dart through the sleeping Bulls defence in a classic example of how quick-thinkers can use ELVs to their advantage.