In a heart-stopping finish, Handré Pollard's boot proved decisive as his 79th-minute penalty sealed a dramatic 23-21 victory for the Vodacom Bulls over Scarlets in Llanelli. Pollard, the unerring Springbok flyhalf, was a perfect five-for-five in his kicking duties, starkly outshining his counterpart Joe Hawkins, who left nine crucial points off the board with missed conversions. This nail-biter catapulted the Bulls to seventh place in the Vodacom URC standings, just ahead of Ulster, as the tournament heads into its final two rounds.
The Bulls, expected to dominate against the 14th-positioned Scarlets, made their intentions clear early on. A slick lineout play allowed Cheswill Jooste to slice through the defense, grabbing a pass from Harold Vorster to score. However, Scarlets were quick to respond, with Callum Woolley finishing off a prolonged attack, and Eddie James later piercing through from a lineout to snatch a temporary lead.
Despite being down to 13 men in the second half following yellow cards to Stedman Gans and Francois Klopper, the Bulls showed resilience. Pollard, amidst the chaos, snatched back the lead with a long-range penalty, only for Hawkins to strike back, putting Scarlets ahead 21-20. In a thrilling climax, a Bulls scrum penalty allowed Pollard to yet again display his clutch kicking prowess, slotting the decisive penalty in the dying moments.
"It was a test of character and I'm proud of how the boys stuck to their tasks under pressure,"
Johan Ackermann, the Bulls' coach, remarked post-game.
The victory sets up a crucial finale for the Bulls, who now return to Pretoria to face Zebre and Benetton in their last league matches. With their playoff hopes hanging in the balance, every point and performance counts.
"Every kick felt like a mile but we knew what was at stake. We kept our composure and that was key,"
said a relieved Pollard after his match-winning performance.
SCARLETS – Tries: Callum Woolley, Eddie James, Fletcher Anderson. Penalty: Joe Hawkins.
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In a heart-stopping finish, Handré Pollard's boot proved decisive as his 79th-minute penalty sealed a dramatic 23-21 victory for the Vodacom Bulls over Scarlets in Llanelli. Pollard, the unerring Springbok flyhalf, was a perfect five-for-five in his kicking duties, starkly outshining his counterpart Joe Hawkins, who left nine crucial points off the board with missed conversions. This nail-biter catapulted the Bulls to seventh place in the Vodacom URC standings, just ahead of Ulster, as the tournament heads into its final two rounds.
The Bulls, expected to dominate against the 14th-positioned Scarlets, made their intentions clear early on. A slick lineout play allowed Cheswill Jooste to slice through the defense, grabbing a pass from Harold Vorster to score. However, Scarlets were quick to respond, with Callum Woolley finishing off a prolonged attack, and Eddie James later piercing through from a lineout to snatch a temporary lead.
Despite being down to 13 men in the second half following yellow cards to Stedman Gans and Francois Klopper, the Bulls showed resilience. Pollard, amidst the chaos, snatched back the lead with a long-range penalty, only for Hawkins to strike back, putting Scarlets ahead 21-20. In a thrilling climax, a Bulls scrum penalty allowed Pollard to yet again display his clutch kicking prowess, slotting the decisive penalty in the dying moments.
"It was a test of character and I'm proud of how the boys stuck to their tasks under pressure,"
Johan Ackermann, the Bulls' coach, remarked post-game.The victory sets up a crucial finale for the Bulls, who now return to Pretoria to face Zebre and Benetton in their last league matches. With their playoff hopes hanging in the balance, every point and performance counts.
"Every kick felt like a mile but we knew what was at stake. We kept our composure and that was key,"
said a relieved Pollard after his match-winning performance.SCARLETS – Tries: Callum Woolley, Eddie James, Fletcher Anderson. Penalty: Joe Hawkins.
BULLS – Tries: Cheswill Jooste, Handré Pollard. Conversions: Handré Pollard (2). Penalties: Pollard (3).