Derick Hougaard kicked 17 points to lead South Africa’s Bulls to a 22-13 win over the Otago Highlanders in a Super 14 rugby match on Saturday.
Hougaard provided the Bulls’ first 15 points from penalties then converted their only try, scored by fullback Jaco van der Westhuizen, to finish with six goals from seven attempts.
His first four penalties, and Nick Evans’ two goals for the Highlanders, were the only points of a tame first half which the Bulls led 12-6.
Van der Westhuizen’s 60th-minute try gave the Bulls a telling 22-6 advantage and the Highlanders’ only try, scored by halfback Jimmy Cowan and converted by Evans, came too late to bridge the gap.
The Highlanders led 3-0, with a penalty to Evans after two minutes, and 6-3 after an exchange of penalties between Evans and Hougaard in the 10th and 22nd minutes. Hougaard added penalties in the 26th, 34th and 38th minutes to provide the Bulls with their six-point halftime margin.
The Bulls flyhalf, who ended the game in the sinbin, landed his fifth goal in the 52nd minute then slotted a conversion after van der Westhuizen scored in an overlap midway through the second half.
Cowan scored the Highlanders’ sole try from an attacking scrum in the 70th minute and although Evans landed the conversion, he missed an injury time penalty which would have given the home team a bonus point for a loss by less than seven points. The win was the Bulls’ third on a five-match road trip and was their first in Dunedin since Super rugby began in 1996. The Highlanders lost at Carisbrook for the first time this season.
”It’s a lovely feeling to get a win here,” Hougaard said. ”Lucky for us everything seemed to work out tonight. It was a classy team effort. We had to defend well.”
The Highlanders endeavored to play expansive rugby from a strong set piece foundation but were betrayed by handling errors and turnovers at rucks.
The Highlanders were more heavily penalised for ruck infringements.
”We’re very disappointed. We were our own worst enemies,” said Otago captain Josh Blackie.
”Little mistakes cost us big time. Those penalties aren’t good enough. We didn’t need to put so much pressure on in rucks and the ref was quite right to penalise us.” ‒ Sapa-AP