DAVID SHAPSHAK, Pretoria | Friday 9.15pm.
THE Northern Bulls ended the season on a high by winning their first Super 12 match in 11 starts this season when they beat the Hurricanes 47-33 at Loftus Stadium in Pretoria on Friday.
The home team withstood a tenacious late charge, scoring two tries in the dramatic 17 minutes of an injury time, in which the Hurricanes also scored.
In this tense spell centre Eugene Meyer scored a try and fullback Hannes Venter his second to seal a memorable win.
The Bulls led 23-13 at the break, with flyhalf Jannie de Beer contributing 18 first half points through five penalties and a drop goal before leaving the field injured in the second.
Although the bottom-of-the-log Pretoria team were playing for pride, and hopefully places in the Springbok Test side to be named next week, they have done their countrymen and semi-final hopefuls a favour – especially by denying the Hurricanes
The Cats and Stormers still have a mathematical chance of qualifying if the Stormers beat the Sharks in Durban and the Cats the Blues in Bloemfontein.
“We had so much to play for, not just the guys but the country as well. Let’s just hope the Cats and Stormers can do it,” Springbok captain Joost van der Westhuizen said.
In the drab first half, All Black star Christian Cullen, who was named man-of-the-match, added his usual magic with a brilliant try against the run of play. He made a 90 metre run from a standing start after his scrum won turn over ball as the Bulls lost momentum for the umpteenth time by losing the ball forward. David Holwell converted, adding to an earlier penalty.
However, Venter rounded off a superb run dragging two tacklers with him over the line for his first try.
Daryl Lilley goal a penalty when he temporarily took over the kicking after Holwell took a heavy knock.
After the restart the Bulls seemed to go to sleep, allowing Howell to ghost through from a five metre after a held up try attempt.
Minutes later the Bulls held up another two efforts, but Lilley collected his own chip ahead when two Bulls defenders fell over each other and took the hurricanes into the lead for the first time. Holwell added a penalty.
Once again, Springbok captain Joost van der Westhuizen added spice when he came on as a replacement – as he did in last week’s one point lose to the Highlanders, ironically lost due to a poor pass
The scrumhalf charged down a clearance that led to an extended period in the visitors quarters. He was held up just short from a penalty a few minutes later. Even though he dived on the ball as the resulting scrum drove the ball over the line, referee Stuart Dickinson awarded a penalty try.
Replacement flyhalf Jaco van der Westhuizen converted, after De Beer was stretchered off with an ankle injury. He added another penalty then converted Meyer’s and Venter’s try
However, Hurricanes wing David Fleming broke several tackles to score in the corner but Venter closed in for his second and broke the Hurricanes’ hearts.