The Blue Bulls stampeded into their third consecutive Absa Currie Cup final with a hard-fought 40-33 semi-final win over the Lions at Loftus on Saturday afternoon.
The Bulls led 17-12 at halftime.
The Bulls scored four tries to three, but the 25 points by flyhalf Derick Hougaard proved the difference on the scoreboard at the end of the bruising 80 minutes.
The Bulls No 10’s points came via a try, four conversions and four penalties on an afternoon on which he missed just one kick at posts.
The Bulls opening score came after just five minutes from turnover ball at a lineout on the Lions 10m line. After early Bulls pressure was repelled, Victor Matfield came away after a mix-up at the lineout.
After several phases of good retention, Hougaard flummoxed the visitors’ defence with a neat pass inside to a galloping Keegan Fredericks to dive over untouched.
The Lions, while definitely playing second fiddle in the opening exchanges, came back strongly to close the gap to a single point via an Andre Pretorius penalty and a drop-goal by the 10th minute.
Hougaard though stretched the lead with his first penalty before the Lions suffered a double blow when flank Cobus Grobelaar was sin- binned for a professional foul and lock Cobus Grobler was wheeled off after twisting his ankle.
The home side then scored their second try just a minute later when Hougaard collected a high ball just outside the Lions 22 and left defenders in his wake.
That made it 17-6 to the defending champions at the end of the first quarter and the signs looked ominous for the Lions.
However, the line held, Grobelaar returned and the Lions gained in confidence.
Enrico Januarie and Doppies la Grange in particular were proving difficult to bring down, while Pretorius’ boot kept the ball in front of his hard-working pack of forwards.
Their honest endeavour resulted in errors by the Bulls and three goalable penalties to the former Springbok pivot. He duly slotted two to keep his team in the hunt at the break, just five points adrift.
And after going the first 40 minutes unable to cross the Bulls line, it took less than a minute for hooker Schalk Brits to barge past four defenders and over in the corner, although television replays showed he had put a toe into touch.
Pretorius’ conversion gave the Lions the lead for the first time in the match, but it was short lived as the next 13 exhilarating minutes saw the lead change hands three times.
First Bulls captain and No 8 Anton Leonard scored after the Bulls pack had demolished the Lions on their put-in five metres out to go 24-19 up.
Then Brits scored his second, this time showing great hands and pace, after the Lions turned the ball over on the Bulls 22m line. 24-26 to the Lions.
Hougaard then kicked a 54th minute penalty to restore the lead for the defending champions and then another nine minutes later to make it a four-point cushion.
Unfortunately for the Lions, the Bulls now had a sniff of victory and they did not let up. A try by scrumhalf Fourie du Preez with a little more than ten minutes remaining was converted by Hougaard and one sensed it was the first nail in the Lions coffin.
Hougaard then kicked his fourth penalty of the afternoon and the matter was beyond doubt at 40-26. The only remaining action of the match came in the form of a consolation try to the Lions’ Bryan Habana in the last minute of the match that was more than just reward for their efforts.
Point-scorers: BLUE BULLS 40 (17): Tries: Keegan Fredericks, Derick Hougaard, Anton Leonard, Fourie du Preez. Conversions: Hougaard (4). Penalties: Hougaard (4). LIONS 33 (12): Tries: Schalk Brits (2), Bryan Habana. Conversions: Andre Pretorius (3). Penalties: Andre Pretorius (3).
– Sapa