FULL TIME: BULLS 56-35 BENETTON
Smith misses the final kick of the match but the Bulls take the win. Moodie got three of the Bulls nine tries. The Bulls take a full five points and move up to second on the log for the time being.
TRY, BULLS, GROBBELAAR, 56-35:
Grobbelaar gets over as the Bulls stay patient in attack.
The Bulls try to go quickly from the penalty but they are called back as there were medics on the pitch. Instead the Bulls set up a lineout inside the Benetton 22.
CONVERSION, SMITH, BENETTON, 51-35:
Smith adds another two.
TRY, BENETTON, ZANON, 51-33:
Zanon powers over to score at last but that will just be consolation and a points difference alteration.
The Bulls knock on off the restart and Benetton have a great attacking platform.
PENALTY, BULLS, SMITH, 51-28:
Smith brings up the Bulls 50.
Benetton are called off the ball and they do not respond and the referee penalises them. Smith calls for the tee.
Benetton survive thanks to a mark from Garbisi and Smith finds a good touch on the halfway line where the Bulls secure the lineout ball.
The scrum goes straight down and the Bulls have a penalty. They kick to touch just inside the Benetton 22.
Albornoz kicks a long touch and finds it just outside the Bulls 22. The Bulls secure the lineout and send back a hoist. Benetton respons with their own tester which Smith gathers and sets up a box kick from Papier. Benetton look for the 50/22 but the kick rolls dead and the Bulls will have the scrum just inside the Benetton half.
CONVERSION, BENNETON, SMITH, 48-28:
Smith converts from out wide.
TRY, BENETTON, HALAFIHI, 48-26:
Benetton have the bonus point as Halafihi goes in at the corner.
The Bulls and Benetton trade kicks and play will restart with a Bulls lineout ten inside their open half.
Nortje knocks on under the high ball and Benetton have a scrum ten inside the Bulls half.
Kriel misses the conversion kick with Goosen down.
TRY, BULLS, MOODIE, 48-21:
The Bulls shred the Benetton defence off the set play and Moodie finishes off after strong runs from Goosen and Kriel.
Benetton are up offside off the restart kick and that was sloppy with Mendy five metres in front of the kicker. The Bulls have a centre spot scrum.
CONVERSION, BULLS, GOOSEN, 43-21:
Goosen converts the try.
TRY, BULLS, KRIEL, 41-21:
Kriel picks up a loose ball after Benetton throw a wild pass and he sprints in to score under the posts.
The Bulls knock on in attack and Benetton have a scrum ten inside their own half.
Goosen cannot convert from out wide.
TRY, BULLS, VAN DER MERWE, 36-21:
Van der Merwe has the try and that is his tenth of the season putting him at the top of the URC tryscorers list.
Benetton are done for obstruction and the Bulls put the penalty into touch inside the Benetton 22.
CONVERSION, BENETTON, SMITH, 31-21:
Smith closes the gap with a conversion.
TRY, BENETTON, UREN, 31-19:
Uren snipes and scores and Benetton edge closer to a bonus point and are back in this contest to boot.
Benetton have started brightly and attack with advantage. Gallo tries the chip and chase but Kriel gets back and they come back for a penalty to Benetton. Benetton set a lineout inside the Bulls 22.
The Bulls gather the restart and exit well but Benetton attack from halfway. Ratave kicks and chases but his kick rolls dead and the Bulls will have a scrum close to the halfway line.
HALF TIME: BULLS 31-14 BENETTON
The First half has been an entertaining one dominated by the Bulls. Benetton are halfway to a bonus point which might prove critical in their pursuit of a playoff spot. The Bulls already have a four-try bonus point but will have to guard against allowing Benetton back into this match.
CONVERSION, BENETTON, SMITH, 31-14:
Smith converts with what will be the last act of the half.
TRY, BENETTON, LUCCHESI, 31-12:
Lucchesi gets over from the maul
Van Staden gets in the way from an offside position and Benetton will have another attacking opportunity from the lineout about seven out.
Goosen cannot convert from out wide but the Bulls lead 31-7 with the break approaching.
TRY, BULLS, MOODIE, 31-7:
Moodie finishes off as the Bulls show slick hands in attack and Benetton run out of tacklers.
A kicking battle ends with Goosen finding touch just inside the Benetton half from inside his own 22. The Bulls win the steal at the lineout and get rumbling forward again.
CONVERSION, BENETTON, SMITH, 31-7:
Benetton convert the try.
TRY, BENETTON, RATAVE, 26-5:
Benetton get on the board as Ratave finds space out wide and the try is cleared by the TMO despite a clear knock on in the build-up.
The Bulls try to run from deep and the Bulls lose it into touch. Benetton can attack from the lineout.
Lucchesi breaks away but his offload goes forward and the Bulls have the scrum feed inside their own 22.
CONVERSION, BULLS, GOOSEN, 26-0:
Goosen quickly converts and the Bulls are rocking and rolling in this one.
TRY, BULLS, NORTJE, 24-0:
The Bulls go crashing through the line again as Le Roux finds a hole and Nortje finishes off.
Benetton are struggling to get over the gain line and are forced to hoist but Arendse knocks on in the air and initially, it is signalled as a scrum to Benetton but the Bulls winger was played in the air and the Bulls have a penalty and they set up a lineout ten inside the Benetton half.
Goosen's conversion goes wide as something finally doesn't go right for the Bulls who have shellshocked the Benetton side.
TRY, BULLS, ARENDSE, 19-0:
Arendse is over as the Bulls' attack is unstoppable once again.
Incredibly the Bulls are back in the Benetton 22 after a 50/22 from Papier.
CONVERSION, BULLS, GOOSEN, 14-0:
Goosen converts.
TRY, BULLS, KRIEL, 12-0:
Kriel gets the inside ball from Arendse and is straight through to score.
Benetton eventually get it clear but the Bulls go quickly from the lineout and have it back in the Benetton 22 soon after.
Papier drops the ball as he powers over the line and the Bulls have wasted a great chance to score again there. Benetton have the scrum feed five from their own line.
Smith intercepts as the Bulls lose patience in attack but he is forced into touch and the Bulls will have another attacking lineout inside the Benetton 22.
Goosen gets onto a loose ball after Benneton throw the lineout long and he sprints clear and kicks ahead. Benetton are held up and the Bulls have a scrum on the Benetton 22.
Benetton earn advantage and maintain their patience in attack well but cannot find a way through the Bulls. They go to the penalty and put it out at the corner.
Benetton win the scrum penalty and kick into the Bulls 22 where they will feed the lineout on attack.
Benetton show good energy off the restart and they run back at the Bulls after the hoisted exit kick. Papier gets a hand onto the ball but knocks on and Benetton have a scrum between the ten and halfway.
CONVERSION, BULLS, GOOSEN, 7-0:
Goosen converts from out wide.
TRY, BULLS, MOODIE, 5-0:
The Bulls maul is stopped but Moodie comes in as the first receiver and Benetton cannot stop him from powering over. Great start from the Bulls.
The Bulls earn a scrum penalty advantage and then send it wide. Benetton don't roll away and the Bulls have another penalty and they pop this one into the corner.
KICK OFF: The Bulls kick very deep and Benetton bang a kick long but Le Roux gathers and swings it inside. The Bulls send up a hoist and the chase is good with Benetton knocking on inside their own 22. The Bulls will feed the first scrum.
Benetton: 15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Ignacio Mendy, 13 Tommaso Menoncello, 12 Ignacio Brex, 11 Onisi Ratave, 10 Leonardo Marin, 9 Andy Uren, 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Sebastian Negri, 6 Alessandro Izekor, 5 Eli Snyman (captain) 4 Scott Scrafton, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Gianmarco Lucchesi, 1 Thomas Gallo.
Replacements: 16 Bautista Bernasconi, 17 Destiny Aminu, 18 Tiziano Pasquali, 19 Edoardo Iachizzi, 20 Toa Halafihi, 21 Alessandro Garbisi, 22 Tomas Albornoz, 23 Marco Zanon.
Bulls: 15 Willie Le Roux, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 David Kriel, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje (captain), 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Replacements: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Reinhardt Ludwig, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Keagan Johannes, 22 Chris Smith, 23 Sebastian de Klerk.
Greetings and a warm welcome to our coverage of the United Rugby Championship match between the Bulls and Benetton Rugby from Loftus Versfeld.
