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The 42
2 hours ago
- Sport
- The 42
Bulls see off plucky Edinburgh to book home semi with either Sharks or Munster
Bulls 42 Edinburgh 33 THE VODACOM BULLS recovered from an early deficit to beat Edinburgh in an 11-try thriller at Loftus Versfeld Stadium and book a home URC semi-final against either the Sharks or Munster next Saturday. The Bulls twice trailed by two scores in the first half, with Wes Goosen and a Ross Thompson double — initially answered only by a close-range Cameron Hanekom try — putting Edinburgh in the ascendancy on the half-hour mark. Edinburgh's first two tries came with the Bulls down to 14, Sebastian de Klerk sin-binned for a high shot on Darcy Graham. But with Willie Le Roux instrumental and their scrum mostly dominant, the hosts fought back from 21-8 down to move within striking distance at the break. David Kriel firstly capitalised on a poor Edinburgh kick chase to dive over just after the half-hour mark, with Harold Vorster crossing in the left-hand corner soon afterwards after a wonderful chip and chase in transition by De Klerk, who was fresh out of the bin. However, the profligacy of Keagan Johannes and Kriel from the tee meant that Edinburgh's led by three, 21-18, at the end of a frenetic first half. Advertisement The Bulls, however, scored three tries in the first 11 minutes of the second period to pull away from the seemingly exhausted Scots in Pretoria. Canan Moodie's try, supplied by the imperious Le Roux and converted by Johannes, was followed quickly by a wonderful solo score by Johannes himself. The scrum-half-turned-10 added the extras once more for 32-21. A powerful Wilco Louw carry then opened a gap for Bulls skipper Ruan Nortje to dot down on 51 minutes, with Johannes having well and truly found his groove on conversion duty. In a flash, the Bulls led by 18 and Edinburgh's goose was all but cooked. The Scots found a second wind late in the third quarter, however, with Ewan Ashman crossing from close range and JF van Heerden receiving 10 minutes on the naughty step for the Bulls' repeated infringements in the build-up. On the hosts' restart, however, the otherwise excellent Magnus Bradbury dropped the ball cold, and Ross Thompson soon followed Van Heerden to the sin bin as he deliberately knocked on a Bulls pass near the line with Edinburgh's defence in shambles. The hosts took their easy three points through Johannes to extend their lead to 14, but Darcy Graham then initiated a wonderful team score by Edinburgh — eventually finished by Wes Goosen but left unconverted — to leave the scoreline at 42-33 with 17 minutes remaining. The visitors tried in vain to reduce the deficit further, the Bulls earning key turnovers on the ground to thwart glimmers of Scottish momentum and manage their way to victory. Jake White's second seeds will host either South African rivals the Sharks or Munster at Loftus next Saturday. Bulls: Willie le Roux, Canan Moodie, David Kriel, Harold Vorster, Sebastian De Klerk, Keagan Johannes, Embrose Papier, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Johan Grobbelaar, Wilco Louw, Cobus Wiese, J F Van Heerden, Marcell Coetzee, Ruan Nortje (CAPT), Cameron Hanekom Replacements: Akker Van der Merwe, Simphiwe Matanzima, Mornay Smith, Jannes Kirsten, Marco Van Staden, Zak Burger, Stedman Gans, Devon Williams Edinburgh: Wes Goosen, Darcy Graham, Matt Currie, James Lang, Harry Paterson, Ross Thompson, Ali Price, Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman, D'arcy Rae, Marshall Sykes, Sam Skinner, Ben Jamie Ritchie, Hamish Watson, Magnus Bradbury (CAPT) Replacements: Paddy Harrison, Boan Venter, Javan Sebastian, Liam McConnell, Ben Muncaster, Conor McAlpine, Ben Healy, Mark Bennett Referee: Adam Jones (WRU)
IOL News
2 hours ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Jake White celebrates Bulls' comeback URC quarter-final victory and valuable lessons learned against Edinburgh
Bulls No 8 Cameron Hanekom scores the first try against Edinburgh after slicing through a gap in the defence during their quarter-final clash at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. Image: BackpagePix Bulls director of rugby Jake White praised his team's fighting spirit after their comeback win over Edinburgh in Pretoria on Saturday to secure a home semi-final in the United Rugby Championship (URC). Having trailed their Scottish visitors 21-8 at a stage after an early yellow card, the Bulls mounted a superb fightback before and after halftime that blew the opposition out of the water to secure the victory at Loftus Versfeld. They scored six brilliant tries and the interplay between the backs and forwards was outstanding for most of them. Although they leaked five tries, of which at least two were questionable, their defensive effort in the final 20 minutes will give them plenty of confidence heading into the next match. The Vodacom @BlueBullsRugby charged home in the Quarter-Final 😤 Can they keep the momentum up in their home Semi-Final next weekend? #BKTURC #URC | #BULvEDI — BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) May 31, 2025 Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading However, the experienced coach feels they didn't play as well as they could have. He lamented their yellow cards especially, although he believes they might have been a bit harsh. 'We learned our lessons from the last time we played them in Edinburgh,' White said. 'We were 24-7 down and today 21-8 down. Not many teams would come back in a quarter-final when you are down by that much and win it as convincingly as we did at the end. One lesson we can't ignore is that we can't play with 14 men and give them two tries while down and think you can always come back and win. 'I am just very happy that there was the fight and resilience and learning. I always talk about being in this competition and learning from what happened previously. We were down but got a (winning) result. Whereas the last time we played them, we didn't.' According to White, people think the team placed seventh should automatically lose to the team that finishes second. He made reference to Leinster losing to Scarlets and his side during the round-robin season and being pushed by the same Scarlets in their quarter-final on Saturday evening. The Bulls mentor added that some choice words went down from the coaching booth to the field when they were so far behind. 'A couple of choice words were said. I can't say that on national TV,' he laughingly said. 'But what are you going to do? You can't shout and scream and behave like a lunatic up there. I just had confidence that it was an 80-minute game and although they had a fast start, going from 21-8 to 21-18 in that space must've given the guys belief that we learned from last time.' Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt said they knew the first 20 minutes were going to be vital and he was happy with how they reacted from the first whistle.
The Citizen
4 hours ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
Flyhalf Johannes stars as Bulls subdue Edinburgh
The Vodacom Bulls booked their place in the United Rugby Championship semi-finals after an six-try win over Edinburgh at Loftus Versfeld. Flyhalf Keagan Johannes starred with boot and ball, scoring 17 points – including a superb solo try – in the Bulls' 42-33 win over Edinburgh. The hosts were dealt an early blow when wing Sebastian de Klerk was sent to the sin bin for a dangerous tackle shortly after kickoff. Edinburgh made the most of the extra man, with fullback Wes Goosen crossing to open the scoring. Despite being down to 14, the Bulls responded with a penalty from Johannes to narrow the gap. The Vodacom @BlueBullsRugby are on the loose Keagan Johannes gets the defender with the dummy and goes all the way to score #BKTURC #URC | #BULvEDI — BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) May 31, 2025 Flyhalf Ross Thompson added a second for Edinburgh, again taking advantage of the numerical edge. Once De Klerk returned, the Bulls struck back. Springbok No 8 Cameron Hanekom powered over to cut the deficit. Edinburgh remained efficient in the red zone, and after a scrum penalty led to a lineout, they moved the ball wide for Thompson to grab his second. The Bulls answered with a well-constructed try sparked by veteran Willie le Roux's linebreak, finished by centre David Kriel. The momentum continued with Harold Vorster finishing a flowing team move to bring the Bulls within one point. However, kicking proved costly in the first half, with the home side managing just one successful kick from four. Edinburgh still led 21-18 at the break. The second half started with the Bulls turning the tide. A dominant spell of possession led to Canan Moodie scoring their fourth try. Johannes soon added a fifth with a brilliant solo effort, before captain Ruan Nortje forced his way over for the sixth, the Bulls' third try of the third quarter. Edinburgh refused to fold, and hooker Ewan Ashman crossed after sustained pressure. The Scottish side then gained a man advantage when JF van Heerden was shown a yellow for repeated infringements, but it was short-lived as Thompson was also sent to the bin for a deliberate knock-on. Goosen's second try of the evening made it 42-33 going into the final quarter, but Edinburgh couldn't find a way back. The Bulls' defence held firm in the dying stages, and they reclaimed possession to close out the win. The result sees the Bulls move on to the semi-finals, where they will face either the Sharks or Munster, who meet in the last quarter-final at Kings Park today. The post Johannes stars as Bulls subdue Edinburgh appeared first on SA Rugby Magazine.
Scotsman
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Edinburgh Rugby emotions run high after Bulls defeat as five players 'absolutely gutted'
Loss at Bulls brings end of an era for some of squad Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Emotions ran high in the away dressing room at Loftus Versfeld as a number of players came to terms with the end of their Edinburgh careers. The 42-33 loss to the Bulls in the quarter-finals of the United Rugby Championship brought the curtain down on the season for Sean Everitt's side and several long-serving stalwarts will now move on. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Jamie Ritchie and Ali Price are both heading to France, while Mark Bennett, Javan Sebastian and Robin Hislop are on the hunt for new clubs. Jamie Ritchie, right, and Ali Price, second right, were playing their last games for Edinburgh. | Getty Images The five were in Pretoria, with all but the latter involved in the 11-try thriller which saw Edinburgh lead 21-8 before being reined back in either side of half-time as the Bulls scored 31 unanswered points. 'It's a very emotional changing room at the moment,' said Sean Everitt, the Edinburgh head coach who took the club into the URC play-offs for the first time in three years. 'We've got five leavers that are sitting in the changing room absolutely gutted. A lot of effort went into this game and the preparation was really good for us. The travel was good. Unfortunately, we just fell short. But yes, very emotional. 'Ali Price has come to work every day since he's joined Edinburgh with a smile on his face, which is really contagious amongst the team and he certainly brought a lot to the table. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'You look at a guy like Jamie Ritchie that's been at the club for 11 seasons. He's been really outstanding since I've been there for the last two years. One of the standout players, Player of the Year last year and was also a nominee for Player of the Year this year. We will miss him. His competitive edge and leadership is something that we will miss and we wish him well going forward. And then there's obviously guys like Javan, Mark and Robin Hislop as well. 'Robin, although he hasn't played much this year, he's been an anchor within the squad, not always available for selection due to injury. And when he came back from injury, he didn't probably get the game time that he wanted. But a guy that carries himself well around the group when things don't go his way, always positive, training to the best of his ability. We miss people like that because it's a good example to our youngsters. Ali Price of Edinburgh kicks clear during the United Rugby Championship quarter-final against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld. | Getty Images 'I think the positive of it all is that Jamie and Ali have got good opportunities in the south of France and they'll enjoy their environment change. It's not the end of their careers. Sometimes a change in environment is good for an individual. It takes them out of their comfort zone. And if possible, we'd welcome them back in Edinburgh, if we can.' Ritchie has agreed a deal to join Perpignan for next season while Price has been heavily linked with a move to Montpellier. In addition, Dave Cherry, Matt Scott, Jamie Hodgson, Emiliano Boffelli, Jake Henry, Nathan Sweeney and Jack Hocking are all also leaving Edinburgh. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Everitt said he was proud of the way his team performed at Loftus Versfeld against last season's URC finalists, and in particular the start they made. 'We knew that the first 20 minutes were going to be vital and I thought that the players reacted very well to that. We wanted a fast start to counteract what the Bulls do to the opposition when they come to Loftus and we certainly got the start that we wanted. 'But then there were a couple of loose kicks, which does happen in rugby, and the Bulls were outstanding in how they cut us there on counter-attack. 'And then they blitzed us in the second half and we conceded three tries in 13 minutes. But the boys fought until the end and did well to come back to within nine points. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I think if you look at the penalty near the end, we went for the corner and maybe, if we had got three points there, then the pressure turns on the opposition because you're then within a score. So, I'm proud of the fight that the guys showed.
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Bulls power through to semi-finals after Edinburgh threaten to rip up play-off script in Pretoria
Pretoria Bulls 42 Edinburgh 33 RETURNING home to South Africa, Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt enjoyed some dinner on Friday night with his Bulls counterpart Jake White. The pair are close friends and fired up the grill for a Braai, a traditional South African barbecue, at White's house just hours before this quarter-final clash in the United Rugby Championship. But it was Everitt and his Edinburgh players whose goose was cooked in Pretoria as the Bulls feasted on six tries to claim their place in the semi-finals. This was not the hammering that many feared it might be for Edinburgh. On the contrary, this was very much a case of what might have been. Everitt's side led 21-8 after half an hour thanks to two tries from Ross Thompson and one from Wes Goosen. They were in the process of ripping up the script. But the surroundings at Loftus Versfeld can do strange things to visiting teams. Perhaps it was the altitude of the Highveld and the thought of scaling such heights on the field, Edinburgh suffered a collective nose bleed. They collapsed midway through the game, conceding all six tries in the space of little more than half an hour, and three in little more than 10 minutes after half-time, before finding a second wind again near the end. There was a lot to like about their performance, a lot to be proud of away from home in such a testing arena, but the reality is that their season is now over. Knockout rugby offers no second chances and no pats on the back. Having been in such a commanding position after half an hour, the reality is that Edinburgh threw this one away. 'We started the game really well,' said Everitt. 'We looked really dangerous, caused the Bulls a lot of problems, and got ourselves into a lead. 'But then there was a 12-minute blitz from the Bulls where they scored three tries early in the second half to take the game away from us a little bit. 'I am really proud of the guys in terms of how they still fought back towards the end. It's been a long, tough season but we still kept going right until the end. We've improved a lot this year and we should be proud. 'Congratulations to the Bulls. They have got a home semi-final now to look forward to and they are a very hard team to stop when they have momentum.' Playing at such altitude on the Highveld, and with baking-hot sunshine beating down as the match kicked-off, this would be a test of Edinburgh's fitness and mental fortitude as much as anything. The Bulls had finished the regular season in excellent form, with six straight victories ensuring they came into the play-offs as one of the form sides in the competition. But it was Edinburgh who made the perfect start and took the lead on five minutes, just seconds after Bulls winger Sebastian de Klerk had been sin-binned for a high shot on Darcy Graham. Harry Paterson played a key role in the build-up as Edinburgh worked the ball out wide, with Hamish Watson eventually delivering the final pass for Goosen to score in the corner. The sense of shock among the home crowd when a rampant Edinburgh scored a second try on 13 minutes to race further clear. It was a brilliant finish from Thompson, with the fly-half waltzing through a gap and showing great footwork before touching down. The Bulls made a dent on the scoreboard thanks to a penalty from fly-half Keagan Johannes, before they finally clicked into gear and scored their first try on 19 minutes. It was their talismanic No 8 Cameron Hanekom who powered over from close range. Having made his international debut last year, it wasn't hard to see why 23-year-old Hanekom is viewed as the next big thing in the Springboks' back row. Credit to Edinburgh for the way in which they kept asking questions of the Bulls. Their enterprising approach was rewarded with a third try on 29 minutes. After James Lang made a good line-break, the ball was fed to Thompson and he darted over for his second try of the afternoon. Leading 21-8 after half an hour, Edinburgh were threatening a huge shock. But the Bulls came roaring back with two tries in the space of half an hour just before half-time. Veteran full-back Willie Le Roux broke through a gap and fed the prolific centre David Kriel to score, before his midfield partner Harold Vorster went over in the corner. From Edinburgh's point of view, the defending was poor. Ali Price, in particular, should have done far better to make a tackle and get Vorster into touch as he neared the try-line. But the Bulls were profligate with their kicking and another missed conversion ensured that Edinburgh still led 21-18 as the teams went in at half-time. But it was clear that the home side now had the bit between their teeth. Perhaps starting to smell blood, the Bulls took the lead just two minutes after the break when Springbok winger Canan Moodie scored after a lovely offload from Le Roux. Edinburgh were starting to wilt in the searing heat and energy-sapping altitude, with the Bulls making it a quickfire double when Johannes broke through a gap and raced away to score his team's fifth try of the day. Trailing 32-21, Edinburgh knew they really needed to find the next score if they were to claw their way back into the game. But the Bulls put the matter beyond doubt when skipper Ruan Nortje powered over from close range on 53 minutes after a period of sustained pressure. Edinburgh finally got going again when the ball was recycled quickly from a ruck and hooker Ewan Ashman crashed over on 59 minutes, with the Bulls down to 14 men again as lock JF van Heerden was yellow-carded. But Edinburgh's momentum was halted immediately when Magnus Bradbury fumbled the restart and gifted possession back to the home side, with Thompson then sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on shortly after. Another penalty from Johannes stretched the Bulls' lead to 42-28, before Edinburgh replied again when Goosen touched down in the corner after a flowing team move from the visitors. With Thompson off the pitch, it was Mark Bennett who took aim with the conversion but the ball sailed wide of the posts. A chaotic game rather fizzled out in the final 10 minutes, with the Bulls seeing it through for the victory. Having been chewed up and spat out, Edinburgh were left to ponder a missed opportunity.
