Bulls come from 12 points down to beat Edinburgh
Handre Pollard kicked the match-winning conversion for Bulls
- Published
United Rugby Championship
Edinburgh (17) 17
Tries: Van der Merwe, Schoeman, Rae Cons: Thompson
Bulls (5) 19
Tries: Coetzee, Grobbelaar, Van Staden Cons: Pollard 2
Edinburgh's United Rugby Championship play-off hopes were dented as Bulls came from 12 points down to win in the Scottish capital.
Duhan van der Merwe, Pierre Schoeman and D'arcy Rae touched down as Edinburgh carved out a 17-5 lead at the break, with Marcel Coetzee's try keeping the visitors in the hunt.
The South African side took the initiative in the second half with tries from Johann Grobbelaar and Marco van Staden guiding them to victory.
Edinburgh have now lost five of their past seven matches in all competitions and are 11th in the URC table with just three wins all season, while Bulls are ninth.
After an encouraging first half, this was another bitter blow for Sean Everitt's side.
Van der Merwe has struggled for form this season but the big Scotland winger got the home side up and running with a trademark finish.
Wes Goosen made good inroads and when the ball was shipped wide, Van der Merwe did what he does best, powering over the line with two defenders hanging off him.
The Bulls' response was swift and powerful as they sent a rolling lineout maul thundering over the line, with Coetzee dotting down.
Edinburgh gathered themselves and went again, blasting at the South Africans' line until Schoeman popped up out wide and forced his way over.
Rae drove himself over under the sticks for Edinburgh's third try and the home side went in at the break 12 points to the good.
However, Bulls came out firing at the start of the second half and Grobbelaar's try, coupled with a beauty of a conversion from Handre Pollard, brought the South Africans back within five.
The momentum of the match had swung and Van Staden muscled through to score the visitors' third try of the match. Pollard made no mistake from the tee and the Bulls led for the first time.
Edinburgh had no answer as the South Africans saw out the closing stages to seal what was, ultimately, a deserved win.
Line-ups
Edinburgh have lost five of their past seven matches in all competitions
Edinburgh: Paterson, Graham, Goosen, Lang, Van der Merwe, Thompson, Vellacott; Schoeman, Ashman, D'arcy Rae, Young, Gilchrist, McConnell, Douglas, Bradbury.
Replacements: Morris, Venter, Hill, Hunter-Hill, Muncaster, Shiel, Scott, O'Conor.
Bulls: Le Roux, Jooste, De Klerk, Kriel, Arendse, Pollard, Burger; Wessels, Grobbelaar, Louw, Vermaak, Nortje, Coetzee, Gumede, Rudolph.
Replacements: Van Staden, Tshakweni, Smith, Ludwig, Carr, Papier, Vorster, Jacobs.
