SINGAPORE – Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco scored a late try as the Sunwolves claimed a shock 42-37 Super Rugby win over the Bulls in Singapore on Saturday.
Prior to the June international break, the Bulls suffered disappointing back-to-back defeats that saw them drop to the bottom of the South African conference and to 12th on the overall log.
That slump deepened on Saturday as the Bulls produced a sloppy, uninspiring effort as the Sunwolves overturned a half-time deficit to claim what was a deserved victory in the end.
In order to reignite their slim play-off hopes, the Bulls came into this clash knowing that they really needed to claim a much-needed win, and yet it certainly didn't go according to script when they fell 14-0 behind within the opening quarter.
It took two opportunistic tries to Jesse Kriel – one from a charge-down kick and the other when the Sunwolves had taken an ill-judged quick lineout – for the Bulls to draw the scores level largely against the run of play.
That suddenly swung the momentum back in favour of the Bulls, and just before the break, Handré Pollard scored an impressive solo try to send his side into a fortunate seven-point half-time lead.
Pollard extended that advantage with a penalty soon after the restart, but in typical Sunwolves fashion, they produced some silky handling for South African-born Gerhard van den Heever to score in the corner.
The game continued to ebb and flow, though, as Conraad van Vuuren struck back for the Bulls, before another South African import in Willie Britz dotted down for the Sunwolves to keep them in the game.
Pollard edged the Bulls further ahead with an important penalty on the hour mark, but the Sunwolves would strike next – once again on the counter attack – with Michael Little finishing off a flowing movement.
The conversion sent the Sunwolves into a one-point lead, but it didn't last long as Pollard slotted a 71st minute penalty after Andre Warner had been denied a try.
However, then came the match-winning moment as Warren-Vosayaco darted away for an opportunistic try that stunned the Bulls, and handed the Sunwolves a third win of the season
Scorers:
Sunwolves 42 (14):
Tries: Hayden Parker, Keisuke Uchida, Gerhard van den Heever, Willie Britz, Michael Little, Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco. Conversions: Parker (6).
Bulls 37 (21):
Tries: Jesse Kriel (2), Handré Pollard, Conraad van Vuuren. Conversions: Pollard (4). Penalties: Pollard (3).