The Bulls lost to Bristol Bears in their third-round Champions Cup match at Loftus. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images Unnecessary errors cost the Bulls dearly as a determined, in-form Bristol Bears attack outmuscled them 61–49 at Loftus on Saturday. The visitors scored four tries in the first 15 minutes, another three before the half-time whistle, and two more in the second half to ultimately beat a fighting Bulls nine tries to seven.
The Bulls fought back from 47-28 at half-time, scoring three tries in the second half despite a yellow card. But as entertaining as the match was, the Bulls’ third consecutive defeat in the tournament only left them with a sliver of hope of progression thanks to their losing bonus point. Next week’s away match to Section Paloise (Pau) will determine whether they finish fourth in the pool, and so progress to the round of 16, finish fifth and drop into the second-tier Challenge Cup, or finish last and play no more EPCR rugby.
The result extendedBristol’s winning streakto seven matches, while the Bulls slumped to a seventh consecutive defeat. It was also the first time Bristol had beaten the Bulls, after the Pretoria side won their only previous meeting 31-17 in a Champions Cup clash in Bristol in 2024. The visitors got off to a blistering start when South African-born Benhard Janse van Rensburg found a hole in the defence to score in the third minute.
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Three minutes later, prop Max Lahiff powered through for another try, before winger Noah Heward made it three in nine minutes when he intercepted a pass and slipped two tackles to cross. The Bullsbrought one back when Jeandré Rudolph scored following a scrum, picking the ball off the ground and running into a gap in the 14th minute. But this was merely a pause in Bristol’s scoring frenzy.
Winger Kalaveti Ravouvou found a gap and scored the bonus-point try under the posts to make it 28-7 in the 15th minute. Stravino Jacobs, the most threatening Bulls player, scored an overlap try in the 19th minute. But Bristol increased their lead when Heward scored a stunning try, diving past a defender on the sideline.
Two minutes later, scrumhalf Kieran Marmion scored Bristol’s sixth try, finishing after George Kloska’s line break. Jordan’s sixth successful conversion made it 42-14 in the 25th minute.
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