Vodacom Bulls centre Wandisile Simelane crossed for two tries to clinch a bonus-point victory in a Champions Cup clash against Exeter Chiefs at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday night.
The hosts claimed a 39-28 victory in a 10-try thriller that had it all, including a dubious red card to Chiefs skipper Henry Slade at the end of the third quarter for a tackle on Bulls flyer Kurt-Lee Arendse that was deemed to meet the threshold for a “high level of danger”.
The call was made by replacement referee Thomas Charabas who took over for Mathieu Raynal (hamstring) 10 minutes after the restart.
"I'm too old"
Referee Mathieu Raynal tweaks a hamstring in the #HeinekenChampionsCup clash between @BlueBullsRugby and @ExeterChiefs and has to go off.
We're sure it has nothing to do with Kurt-Lee Arendse playing… ? pic.twitter.com/bTdL4n1RFx
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) January 14, 2023
By this point the Bulls were up 27-14 but the Chiefs responded well, keeping the ball among the heavies to outscore the home team 14-12 in the final half hour.
Springbok No 8 Elrigh Louw opened the scoring from a quick-tap on the five-metre line and Exeter replied moments later when fullback Josh Hodge carved the Bulls defence to score under the uprights tying the game up at 7-7 at the end of the first quarter.
? Hey Siri, show me a perfectly executed set piece routine.
Sensational from the @ExeterChiefs as Josh Hodge scores his first #HeinekenChampionsCup try ? pic.twitter.com/i7Xmjsn7lX
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) January 14, 2023
The breakdown was hotly contested throughout with the hosts earning a penalty right in front for flyhalf Chris Smith, and a three-point lead soon became eight when veteran hooker Bismarck du Plessis won a turnover and the backs transitioned to attack, David Kriel fending off Chiefs counterpart Jack Nowell to score.
The tourists replied with a maul that resulted in a converted try from centre Solomone Kata before Bulls lock Ruan Vermaak surged across the line with a pick and go to give the home team a 20-14 lead at the break.
Petition to sign Wandisile Simelane up to @BafanaBafana ✍
Great football skills from the @BlueBullsRugby 1️⃣3️⃣ who then scores after a somewhat favourable bounce ?#HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/SyN3YTu7Ml
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) January 14, 2023
Shortly after the restart Simelane dazzled spectators, chipping a loose pass over the line and then racing onto a fortuitous bounce for the bonus-point try. This strike was followed by hooker Johan Grobbelaar adding his name to the scoresheet off the back of a powerful maul.
With Slade off, former Bulls heavy Jannes Kirsten crashed over in the fourth quarter for the Chiefs first points of the second half.
Simelane’s second try came from an interception and put the game out of reach for Exeter but the tourists signed off with another maul try to grab a bonus point.
In their final Pool A encounter, the Bulls will travel to France to face Lyon next Friday.
Photo: Twitter/@BlueBullsRugby