Blue Bulls fight off valiant Kings

Pretoria - Blue Bulls flyhalf Tian Schoeman contributed 14 points to help his team beat the Eastern Province Kings 49-35 (half-time 28-25) in their Currie Cup match at Loftus Versfeld on Friday evening.

The EP Kings got the proceedings underway with two quick tries through hooker Michael Willemse and outside centre Berton Klaasen.

Willemse showed great power to cross the line within two minutes of the first kickoff while Klaasen intercepted a poor pass by Blue Bulls flyhalf Tian Schoeman to score a converted try.

Schoeman responded seven minutes later with a try as he sidestepped his way over the whitewash. Wing Jamba Ulengo followed moments later as he turned on the gas to cross in the corner. Schoeman converted both tries to level the scores.

The teams settled into a pattern of multiple phases of attacking rugby before EP flyhalf Kobus Marais kicked a penalty to hand the lead back to the visitors but it was short lived as flank Jannes Kirsten picked up a loose ball to score. Wing Bjorn Basson capitalised on an EP error to score the bonus point try with minutes left on the clock.

Fullback Johan Tromp cut the deficit to just three points as he scored an unconverted try to bring the first half to an end.

EP started the second stanza as they did the first as wing Siviwe Soyizwapi scored their bonus point try but a Blue Bulls overlap saw centre Burger Odendaal cross the line five minutes later.

In what became the theme of the second half with each team taking turns to score, the Blue Bulls scored their sixth try and Ulengo's second in the 64th minute while EP scored their sixth try through replacement hooker Martin Bezuidenhout. Blue Bulls replacement utility back Joshua Stander was gifted a try as EP ran out of defenders in the 70th minute.

Stander's try proved to be the last points of the half as the Blue Bulls beat the EP Kings 49-35 in what was a hard fought tussle.