Scarlets 23-22 Vodacom Bulls: Dwayne Peel’s Scarlets dig dip to secure a historic win over South African Opposition.   

After a hard-fought win last time out, the Scarlets build on that by edging out last year’s BKT United Rugby Championship runners-up after a late Tom Roger’s try. 

Also crossing the whitewash was captain Josh Macleod and Blair Murray, which was accompanied by the boot of Ioan Lloyd, as the West Wallians put a holt on the Bulls’ dominant start as they won their first home game of the season at the Parc y Scarlets. 

Like their start against the Ospreys last weekend, the Bulls started quickly. This time around, through outside centre, Canan Moodie who broke through the host’s defence to begin the South African side’s first attacking threat. Then, after some quick handling scrum-half, Zak Burger offloaded back inside so Moodie could cross the whitewash for the first points of the evening. The hosts then responded accordingly minutes later after the Bulls were penalised five metres out, and after gambling with the tap-and-go, Macleod powered his way over for his first try of the season. Ioan Lloyd added the extras to bring proceedings back level after ten minutes.    

The openside was then penalised for a high tackle after a TMO check, and outside-half Boeta Chamberlain kicked into the hosts’ 22. After a successful take at the lineout and with a penalty advantage, one phase followed, and scrum-half Zak Burger went blind to score the visitors’ second of the match easily.

On 26 minutes, Ioan Nicholas knocked the ball on after attempting to catch the high ball from a Bulls clearance kick. From the resulting scrum, the visitors won a free kick and spread the ball quickly to the left-hand side before returning to the right as they entered the host’s 22. After this try scorer, Moodie assisted in the visitors’ third after breaking through to put his side metres out, then departing Kurt-Lee Arendse crossed after successfully picking up the loose ball up.

Boeta could not add both extras from the visitors tries, which meant the Bulls went into a 12-point lead. Just before the break, Cameron Hanekom was penalised for being off his feet and fly half Lloyd slotted the three points from an impressive distance, reducing the deficit to nine. 

HT: Scarlets 10-19 Vodacom Bulls

It was a quick start to the second-half, and this came from winger Sebastian de Klerk, who kicked the ball out on the full, which meant the hosts had a lineout just outside the visitors’ 22. After recycling at the lineout, Lloyd broke through and offloaded to Murray, who crossed after expertly breaking through the Bulls’ defence. 

Lloyd added the extras to make it a two-point game. After a poor clearance kick from fly half, Lloyd, the visitors had a lineout just inside the hosts 22. From the lineout, Cobus Wiese, wearing the No.25 jersey, regathered and went metres out from securing the bonus point. However, after some heroic defending from the hosts, the ball was held up and from the goal-line dropout, Lloyd kicked to relieve pressure.

Moments later, the Bulls scored their first points of the half. Ryan Elias was penalised for not rolling away, and Chamberlain calmly added the three to extend the visitors lead. However, with the hosts looking to build momentum, Nama Zaba was penalised for not releasing, and Lloyd converted the three for the hosts. Taine Plumtree was penalised from the restart, and the South Africans found themselves back inside the hosts 22. After sharing the work, the visitors found themselves metres away. However, Tongan international Sam Lousi showed his strength by stopping this attack and winning the hosts a scrum. From the resulting scrum, the West Walians kicked to relieve pressure prior to the 60-minute mark.

With the conditions worsening, Plumtree pounced on a loose ball and kicked into the visitors’ 22. 

Australian Max Douglas expertly won the lineout, but any attacking threat was put on hold after Bulls replacement Johan Grobbelaar made direct head contact with his opposite number and fellow South African Marnus van der Merwe. 

From the TMO check, referee Federico Vedovelli deemed it a high degree of danger and awarded the replacement hooker a red card. A catch and drive followed from the kick to the corner, and with another advantage in hand, the hosts looked for their third score, but after a few phases, they returned to the penalty. 

At the second time of asking, the catch and drive was good, and after putting a considerable amount of pressure on the Bulls’ defence, there was nothing apparent after another TMO, but the Scarlets had a five-metre scrum. With the one-man advantage, the ball was spread quickly out wide after a brilliant long pass from Sam Costelow, which played into the hands of Tom Rogers, who showed great footwork and crossed over to put the hosts into the lead. With the clock in the red, the hosts won a penalty at the scrum and kicked the ball dead to win their second consecutive game of the season.