Bloemfontein - A physical Bulls forward pack dominated from the start to lead their team to their second Super Rugby win as they thrashed the Cheetahs 51-19 at the Free State Stadium on Saturday.

The Cheetahs showed good intent from the first kick off and flyhalf Johan Goosen got his team off to a good start, slotting a penalty in the 2nd minute to give the home side the early lead. His Bulls counter part Morne Steyn levelled the scores soon afterwards.

But the Bulls used their heavyweights to get their backs on the front foot. Nippy Bulls winger Bjorn Basson almost got a early five pointer in the corner, but was denied by good cover defence from Cheetahs centre Robert Ebersohn.

From the resulting line out the Bulls won against the throw and immediately put the Cheetahs defence under pressure.

Bulls prop Dean Greyling got over the line in what the replay clearly showed was a double movement, but the try was awarded by referee Craig Joubert after consultation with television official Johan Meuwissen. Steyn converted and left the Cheetahs to regroup.

The home side attacked with renewed vigour, but silly penalties at the breakdown allowed the Bulls to shift the momentum and force the Cheetahs back in their own half.

Goosen got his side out of jail thanks to a scrum penalty and what followed was an array of handling errors and dodgy passes on both sides killing any good phases of attack.

The Bulls struggled in the scrums and Goosen got his side back in striking distance with a penalty in the 26th minute. But in the last couple of minutes before half time the Bulls enjoyed possession in abundance thanks to their aggressive forward play and prop Werner Kruger burst over with hooker Chiliboy Ralepele on his back for the visitors' second try. Goosen slotted another couple of penalties, but the Cheetahs were already on the back foot.

Basson and fullback Zane Kirchner both got over in the final minutes of the first half after the Cheetahs were overrun by the visitors' forwards at the breakdown. That secured the bonus point while Steyn converted to achieve his milestone - 1000 points in Super rugby.

Steyn settled things down with a couple of penalties and with 20 minutes left the Cheetahs already looked beaten.

Bulls scrumhalf Francois Hougaard was red carded in the 63rd minute after a dangerous tackle on centre Ebersohn, leaving the visitors with just 14 men.

Finally the Cheetahs got their first try when they capitalised on Hougaard's absence and hooker and captain Andriaan Strauss burst over. But a intercept try from JJ Engelbrecht soon after killed all hopes for the home side.

Kirchner rubbed salt in the Cheetahs' wounds with a brilliant try in the 72nd minute.

Points scorers:

Bulls Tries: Dean Greyling, Werner Kruger, Bjorn Basson, Zane Kirchner (2), JJ Engelbrecht Conversions: Morne Steyn (6).

Penalties: Morne Steyn (3).

Cheetahs Tries: Adriaan Strauss Conversions: Johan Goosen Penalties: Johan Goosen (4).

Teams:

Cheetahs:
15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Rocco Jansen, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Philip Snyman, 11 Willie le Roux, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Tewis de Bruyn, 8 Davon Raubenheimer, 7 Philip van der Walt, 6 Heinrich Brussow, 5 Izak van der Westhuizen, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 WP Nel, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Trevor Nyakane

Substitutes: 16 Hercu Liebenberg, 17 Lourens Adriaanse, 18 Waltie Vermeulen, 19 Ashley Johnson, 20 Piet van Zyl, 21 Sias Ebersohn, 22 Cameron Jacobs

Bulls:
15. Zane Kirchner, 14. Akona Ndungane, 13. Wynand Olivier, 12. Francois Venter, 11. Bjorn Basson, 10. Morné Steyn, 9. Francois Hougaard, 8. Pierre Spies (captain), 7. Jacques Potgieter, 6. Deon Stegmann, 5. Juandre Kruger, 4. Flip van der Merwe, 3. Werner Kruger, 2. Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1. Dean Greyling

Substitutes: 16. Willie Wepener, 17. Frik Kirsten, 18. Wilhelm Steenkamp, 19. CJ Stander, 20. Jano Vermaak, 21. Louis Fouche, 22. JJ Engelbrecht