Edinburgh fall to second URC defeat against stubborn Bulls

United Rugby Championship

Bulls (12) 22

Tries: Kirsten, van der Walt, Moodie Penalty: Chamberlain Conversions: van der Walt, Chamberlain

Edinburgh (10) 16

Tries: Ashman Penalties: Thompson (3) Conversions: Thompson

Well-placed kicking from Ross Thompson was not enough to stop Edinburgh from falling to their second defeat of the season as a battling Bulls side took an attritional victory in Pretoria.

A bright start for Edinburgh under the baking sun saw Thompson find the mark early for Edinburgh, sweetly striking his penalty to put the visitors ahead.

But as the match looked in danger of settling down into a groove, Jannes Kirsten received the ball after a darting run through the Edinburgh back line to put down for the try.

And minutes later Bulls extended their lead, capitalising on slow-footed defending deep in the Edinburgh half to send Jaco van der Walt bursting through against his old side.

With half time approaching, Edinburgh managed to reduce the deficit to just two points. A well-worked maul from the line-out saw the visitors drive over the line, before Thompson’s boot converted from an acute angle to wrap up the first period.

But Edinburgh allowed their concentration to waver, giving 14-man Bulls – with Simphiwe Matanzima sin-binned – the chance to restore their lead.

Canan Moodie capitalised on further slack Edinburgh defending to casually run through between the posts, with Boeta Chamberlain followed up from the boot for the extra points.

And as tempers flared between the two sides in the Edinburgh half, the hosts capitalised to send over an easy penalty.

Try scorer Ashman found himself in the sin-bin with ten minutes remaining after delivering a late tackle to David Kriel.

With the clock ticking down, Bulls looked to press home their advantage but, as the ball spilled just before the Edinburgh lines, the visitors broke with a cavalry charge downfield before Duhan Van der Merwe was eventually forced to ground.

Thompson to score from the resultant penalty for offside to bring Edinburgh within six points of Bulls, but Sean Everitt’s side could not find the final points needed to avoid a second defeat on the spin.

Bulls: Kriel, Moodie, Gans, Smit, de Klerk, van der Walt, Papier, Tshakweni, van der Merwe, Klopper, Vermaak, Wiese, Xaba, Kirsten, Hanekom.

Replacements: Grobbelaar, Matanzima, Smith, van Heerden, Coetzee, Johannes, Chamberlain, Dyantyi.

Edinburgh: Goosen, D Graham, Bennett, Scott, van der Merwe, Thompson, Price, Schoeman, Cherry, Hill, Sykes, Gilchrist, Ritchie, Watson, Bradbury.

Replacements: Ashman, Venter, Rae, Hodgson, Dodd, Vellacott, Healy, McCann.

Sin Bin: Hanekom (37), Matanzima (60); Ashman (70)