New Zealand rounded off the franchise leg of their tour with a comfortable 50-19 win over the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus Versfeld, a result built on a first half the hosts never came close to living with. The tourists led 24-0 at the break and, while the Bulls found more rhythm after it, the contest was already gone.
Vodacom Bulls
New Zealand
R. Vermaak (41'), S. Jacobs (53'), M. Coetzee (72')
Tries
J. Moorby (13', 18'), C. Taylor (31', 40'), L. Carter (43', 65'), R. Ioane (48'), W. Sititi (76')
C. Bosch (42', 73')
Conversions
B. Barrett (19'), J. Jacomb (40+1', 49', 66', 77')
This was the last provincial hit-out before the four-Test series against South Africa, and New Zealand used it to sharpen their edges. Their pace and handling were too much for a Bulls side that could not match the tempo, even if the home side were more competitive after the interval.
How the first half was won
Josh Moorby set the tone with an early brace, crossing on 13 and 18 minutes to put the tourists 12-0 up inside 20 minutes. The Bulls were struggling to contain the wide threats, and things got worse when tighthead Francois Klopper was yellow-carded on 28 minutes.
New Zealand made the extra man count. Codie Taylor scored on 31 minutes and again after the half-time hooter to make it 24-0 at the break. The Bulls also had tries denied in the first half, which only added to a frustrating opening 40 for the hosts. They could not exit cleanly and could not get their carriers over the gainline with any consistency.
Bulls rally, but the gap holds
To their credit, the Bulls came out with more purpose after the interval. Ruan Vermaak went over almost immediately at 41 minutes, and Stravino Jacobs (53') and Marcell Coetzee (72') added further scores, with Curwin Bosch converting twice.
The problem was that New Zealand kept answering. Leroy Carter scored at 43 and 65 minutes, Rieko Ioane crossed at 48, and replacement Wallace Sititi rounded things off at 76. Every time the Bulls threatened to make inroads, the tourists struck back through the middle or the edges.
Match Stats
CARRIES
CLEAN BREAK
DEFENDER BEATEN
TACKLE
MISSED TACKLE
TURNOVER WON
TURNOVERS CONCEDED
PENALTY CONCEDED
YELLOW CARD
POSSESSION
SCRUMS
LINEOUTS
The numbers point to where the match was decided. New Zealand made 12 clean breaks to the Bulls' one, and beat 42 defenders to 12. The hosts made 159 tackles but missed 42, a sign of a side chasing the game and being pulled out of shape. The set-piece also told a story: the Bulls' lineout returned 75 per cent against the tourists' 92.
Standout performers
Flanker Anton Segner was named man of the match and earned it through sheer work-rate, finishing with 12 carries and 13 tackles, while also making telling interventions at the breakdown. Head coach Dave Rennie praised him afterwards, saying there had been "a lot of good performances" and that "Anton was massive."
In the backs, Rieko Ioane was a constant threat with 92 metres from 15 carries and four offloads, while Leroy Carter made five clean breaks. Josh Moorby also did heavy damage, beating seven defenders, while Codie Taylor's brace capped a busy shift at hooker.
Segner, for his part, was careful not to overstate the win. He said the scoreboard did not reflect how hard the contest was, especially in the second half, and noted the effect of the altitude at Loftus.
Vodacom Bulls
Forwards
- 1Alulutho TshakweniLoosehead Prop
- 2Juann ElseHooker
- 3Francois KlopperTighthead Prop
- 4Ruan VermaakSecond Row
- 5JF van HeerdenSecond Row
- 6Marcell CoetzeeFlanker
- 7Hanro LiebenbergFlanker
- 8Jeandre RudolphNumber Eight
Backs
- 9Embrose PapierScrum Half
- 10Curwin BoschFly Half
- 11Stravino JacobsLeft Wing
- 12Harold VorsterInside Centre
- 13Stedman GansOutside Centre
- 14Thaakir AbrahamsRight Wing
- 15Willie le RouxFull Back
Replacements
- 16Johan GrobbelaarSubstitute
- 17Sti SitholeSubstitute
- 18Khutha MchunuSubstitute
- 19Reinhardt LudwigSubstitute
- 20Elrigh LouwSubstitute
- 21Paul de WetSubstitute
- 22Katlego LetebeleSubstitute
- 23Hakeem KuneneSubstitute
New Zealand
Forwards
- 1Xavier NumiaLoosehead Prop
- 2Codie TaylorHooker
- 3Tyrel LomaxTighthead Prop
- 4Fabian HollandSecond Row
- 5Patrick TuipulotuSecond Row
- 6Simon ParkerFlanker
- 7Anton SegnerFlanker
- 8Peter LakaiNumber Eight
Backs
- 9Cortez RatimaScrum Half
- 10Josh JacombFly Half
- 11Josh MoorbyLeft Wing
- 12Anton Lienert-BrownInside Centre
- 13Rieko IoaneOutside Centre
- 14Leroy CarterRight Wing
- 15Beauden BarrettFull Back
Replacements
- 16Samisoni Taukei'ahoSubstitute
- 17George BowerSubstitute
- 18Siale LauakiSubstitute
- 19Josh LordSubstitute
- 20Wallace SititiSubstitute
- 21Kyle PrestonSubstitute
- 22Timoci TavatavanawaiSubstitute
- 23Emoni NarawaSubstitute
What went wrong for the Bulls
The Bulls were second best in the areas that mattered. Their first-half discipline and defensive spacing let New Zealand in too easily, and by the time they found some cohesion the deficit was too large. There were positives, though. Marcell Coetzee led from the front with 74 metres, four defenders beaten and 16 tackles, while Jeandre Rudolph matched him for tackles and carried with purpose. Stravino Jacobs looked dangerous whenever space appeared.
What it means next
For New Zealand, the win completed the franchise portion of the tour and set up the Test series against South Africa. Rennie struck a note of caution afterwards, saying the side would need to lift again for what awaits next week. There was also one injury concern, with scrum-half Cortez Ratima suffering a knee injury and Noah Hotham called into the squad as cover.
Plenty to take from the run-out, then, but the real test lay ahead.