A standout all-around performance by Jeandré Rudolph was the main event in the Bulls' 54-26 victory over Scarlets at Loftus Versfeld stadium. Thanks to this, Johan Ackermann's team secured second place in the United Rugby Championship table before the November international break.
The former forward for Pumas and Cheetahs scored the first try, made a decisive tactical tackle, and then delivered a beautifully executed pass for another score. His play demonstrated multifaceted qualities.
At 32 years old, Rudolph is showing the best game of his career. He is starting to resemble veteran Deon Fury, and if the latter could have played for the Springboks at 40, Rudolph would undoubtedly be on the list of candidates, had Rassey Erasmus not lacked forwards due to injuries.
Rudolph helped the Bulls start the game in the 10th minute after Hutha Mchunu, brother of Stormers player Ntuthuko, won a penalty kick during a scrum play roughly mid-field. Kurwin Bosch successfully executed the corner kick, and after several powerful drives forward, Rudolph managed to cross the goal line.
He soon participated actively again on the opposite end of the field, holding off Scarlets scrumhalf Gareth Davies as he charged toward the try line. The main ball carriers for the Bulls, including Cameron Hanekom in the defensive line, created chaos in the Welsh defense. Their strength opened up space for quick backline attacks, and Willie le Roux exploited the gap, scoring the second try.
Bosch failed to convert a relatively simple extra try, continuing the worrying trend in his game this season. This sharply contrasts with Handrie Pollard, who maintained a one hundred percent conversion rate in the URC.
The third Bulls try was magnificent. The Scarlets attack was stopped halfway down the Bulls' field, and Le Roux initiated an exciting counter-attack, delivering a perfectly placed cross-pass towards Stavrino Jacobs. The ball then went through several sets of hands before Rudolph made a superb pass, sending Dylan Mart forward. Bosch converted, but the Bulls immediately spoiled their good work by weakening defensive discipline. While celebrating Mart's try, they allowed hooker John McCarthy to fumble the ball in the corner.
Scarlets capitalized on this gift, and the Tongan international Sam Lowes scored a superb try after the Bulls' defense was breached in the middle of the field. Unfortunately for the visitors, the 35-year-old flanker sustained an injury while trying to reach the line and left the field.
Leading 19-0 and playing brilliantly, the Bulls suddenly found themselves fighting back to 19-12 at halftime. Two minutes after the restart, Scarlets thought they had closed the gap when Carwyn Legatt-Jones delivered a pass over the defense, which Davies collected and scored. However, the Technical Offside Monitor (TMO) detected the Welsh player ahead of the ball, and the try was disallowed.
The Bulls lost momentum, and Ackermann brought captain Marcell Coetzee off the bench. The veteran did not hesitate, showed himself, and scored a try just seconds after entering the game.
Scarlets, who struggled against Stormers the previous weekend, refused to give up. Another drive into the Bulls' in-goal area led to a tense moment when Mart and winger Archie Hughes touched the ball simultaneously. The ball was not counted.
The game changed again when Stedman Gans received a yellow card for professional foul play. Scarlets almost immediately capitalized on the numerical advantage, giving Hughes open space to finish the attack without opposition. When Joe Roberts, the hero of last week's hat-trick against Stormers, scored, the Bulls suddenly leveled the score at 26-26 and gained a real chance at victory.
But Coetzee was once again the savior, breaking through for his second try and restoring the home team's lead. The depth of the Bulls' bench proved decisive. Sebastian de Clercq, called up to the Springboks, sealed the clean sheet, and Johan Grobbelaar, who was not included in the November Springboks tour, made his presence felt with a powerful try. Mart completed his brace as the Bulls surpassed the 50-point mark.