The Blue Bulls proved that they are South Africa’s premier domestic rugby team when they produced a near flawless game of rugby to take them to their fifth consecutive Currie Cup final after beating Western Province 45-30 at Loftus on Saturday.
The Bulls saved best performance of the season for the penultimate game as they went on the rampage, scoring five tries with a snap drop-goal from Morne Steyn.
For the hosts, all the banter during the week added insult to injury after Western Province secured two wins over the Bulls during the season.
However, a more determined Bulls side were hungry to regain their status as champions of the Currie Cup and controlled proceedings from the engine room even though they were starved of the ball in the opening exchanges.
Such was the visitor’s early dominance that they were first to rattle the Bulls in the fourth minute when Naas Olivier slotted a penalty.
The lead was quickly neutralised three minutes later when Derick Hougaard kicked a penalty for the Bulls. The Bulls were the first team to score after a clinical lineout drive saw Derick Kuun crash over in the 18th minute.
Western Province could have hauled themselves closer before half-time but timeous intervention by Bulls’ fullback Johan Roets and Heini Adams ensured that Western Province would go into the break without scoring a try.
In the second half, Western Province tried to mount a comeback through a Gerrie Britz try in the 50th minute but their fleeting illusion of a Loftus victory came to an end when Marius Delport bagged his first of two tries in the 54th minute.
Bolla Conradie tried to give the visitors a second wind when he scored a try on the hour mark to bring Province to within eight points at 31-23.
But from the kick-off, Bulls substitute flanker Hilton Lobberts scored with his first touch after Corne Uys had failed to collect the ball. – Sapa