Bulls edge Cheetahs as Coetzee sees red

The Vodacom Bulls beat the Toyota Cheetahs 35-26 (halftime 28-5) in their Currie Cup Premier Division match at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday evening.

It was a five-try apiece showdown that fit the “tale of two halves” cliché: the Bulls scored four of their five tries in the first half, with the Cheetahs flipping the script in the second.

Marcell Coetzee was quick out of the blocks, crossing within the first two minutes to give the hosts the lead.

Cheswill Jooste followed before the clock struck ten, and Keagan Johannes’ faithful boot-ultimately the difference between the sides-put the Bulls in command.

Carel Jooste broke the flow in the 16th minute, capitalising on a chaotic passage near his own try-line. The missed conversion set the tone for the evening.

The Bulls extended their lead before the break: Mpilo Gumede dotted down after a textbook rolling maul, and David Kriel crashed over following a dominant scrum and quick pick-and-go. Johannes was flawless from the tee, converting both.

First half in the bag ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/tnUEhLIvZn

— Official Blue Bulls (@BlueBullsRugby) September 6, 2025

The Cheetahs struggled to contain the Bulls’ momentum early on, conceding territory and possession as the home side controlled the set piece and breakdown. But things shifted dramatically early in the second half when Coetzee was shown a red card for a high tackle with no mitigation.

Jooste had already bagged his second, offering some cushion after Coetzee’s dismissal, but playing with 14 men for nearly half an hour was always going to be tough.

Cheswill Jooste is lethal 🐂✨

📺 Stream #CurrieCup on DStv: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw pic.twitter.com/7ZfVZWPG8V

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) September 6, 2025

The Bulls were forced to adjust their defensive shape and slow the tempo, allowing the Cheetahs to mount a spirited comeback.

Jandre Nel, Prince Nkabinde, Pierre-Raymond Uys and Vernon Paulo all crossed the whitewash. The Cheetahs’ flair was evident-Nel’s length-of-the-field effort and Nkabinde’s pace stood out.

But goal-kicking proved decisive. The Cheetahs left valuable points behind, and despite the heart shown in their late surge, it was the Bulls who closed out the match with composed game management and tactical kicking.

© Written by Antoinette Muller

SCORERS:

Vodacom Bulls - Tries: Marcell Coetzee, Cheswill Jooste (2), Mpilo Gumede, David Kriel; Conversions: Keagan Johannes (5)

Toyota Cheetahs - Tries: Carel-Jan Coetzee, Jandre Nel, Prince Nkabinde, Pierre-Raymond Uys, Vernon Paulo; Conversions: Cohen Jasper (3)