THE VODACOM BULLS will be hoping to make it third time lucky after booking their return to another URC Grand Final with a 25-13 win against the Hollywoodbet Sharks in Loftus Versfeld on Saturday evening.
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Ethan Hooker thought he had given the visitors a dream start in the seventh minute when he pounced for an intercept to score, but was deemed to be fractionally offside following a TMO review.
And the Bulls took full advantage of that narrow escape when Sebastian de Klerk wriggled through some despairing Sharks tackles for the game’s opening try.
A slip from Sharks scrum-half Jaden Hendrikse — castigated as the villain in last week’s shootout win over Munster — gifted the Bulls a second try in the 21st minute, finished in the corner by Canan Moodie, for a 15-3 lead at the break.
But the Sharks fought their way back into the contest and trailed just 15-13 by the 52nd minutes, their tries coming through Makazole Mapimpi and Hooker.
That was as close as the visitors got, however, as Keagan Johannes extended the Bulls’ lead with a penalty before David Kriel crossed for the decisive try with 14 minutes to play, sealing their return to a third Grand Final in four seasons.
They’ll travel to Croke Park for next Saturday’s Grand Final (5pm) against a Leinster side who they beat in last season’s semi-finals, and again when the sides met in the regular season in March.
Tickets, which will start at €20, go on sale at 10am on Monday.
—- Updated 07.20: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that the Bulls’ winning try was scored by Jesse Kriel; it was scored by David Kriel.
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Leinster set for grudge match against the Bulls in URC Grand Final
Vodacom Bulls 25
Hollywoodbet Sharks 13
THE VODACOM BULLS will be hoping to make it third time lucky after booking their return to another URC Grand Final with a 25-13 win against the Hollywoodbet Sharks in Loftus Versfeld on Saturday evening.
Ethan Hooker thought he had given the visitors a dream start in the seventh minute when he pounced for an intercept to score, but was deemed to be fractionally offside following a TMO review.
And the Bulls took full advantage of that narrow escape when Sebastian de Klerk wriggled through some despairing Sharks tackles for the game’s opening try.
A slip from Sharks scrum-half Jaden Hendrikse — castigated as the villain in last week’s shootout win over Munster — gifted the Bulls a second try in the 21st minute, finished in the corner by Canan Moodie, for a 15-3 lead at the break.
But the Sharks fought their way back into the contest and trailed just 15-13 by the 52nd minutes, their tries coming through Makazole Mapimpi and Hooker.
That was as close as the visitors got, however, as Keagan Johannes extended the Bulls’ lead with a penalty before David Kriel crossed for the decisive try with 14 minutes to play, sealing their return to a third Grand Final in four seasons.
They’ll travel to Croke Park for next Saturday’s Grand Final (5pm) against a Leinster side who they beat in last season’s semi-finals, and again when the sides met in the regular season in March.
Tickets, which will start at €20, go on sale at 10am on Monday.
—- Updated 07.20: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that the Bulls’ winning try was scored by Jesse Kriel; it was scored by David Kriel.
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