The Bulls cranked up the heat on Munster in the first half before completely going off the boil in the second in their United Rugby Championship clash at Loftus on Saturday.
That tone was set early on. The match started amid tetchy scenes as players from both teams pulled and pushed each other after a line-out feed went astray. The referee opted not to sanction the miscreants in the melee and Chris Smith was allowed to take a penalty that was awarded before the players became so closely acquainted.
Walt Steenkamp, Ruan Nortje and Botha helped them secure line-out ball and from it they deployed their much vaunted maul. As forceful as they were, the Bulls weren't blemish free. They didn't always take the right options — Embrose Papier's boot was at times errant, while the hosts, with ball in hand, could perhaps have gone harder, sooner.
When the Bulls eventually decided to spread their wings, they almost immediately profited. They bashed it up at the heart of the Munster defence and with the visitors defence fractured, Madosh Tambwe rid himself of a tackler and sprinted clear of would be defenders.
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