Bulls hold off Ulster fightback to win 34-26

The Bulls beat Ulster 34-26 in their United Rugby Championship match at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday, October 24, overcoming a second-half fightback to secure the win. The hosts built a 21-7 halftime lead through two tries from captain Marcell Coetzee and one from Elrigh Louw. Handre Pollard converted all three, while Ulster replied just before the break through Chay Mullins, converted by Jack Murphy. Ulster narrowed the gap after halftime when David McCann scored. Coetzee was sent to the sin bin following head contact, but Pollard’s penalty restored a 10-point Bulls advantage. Mullins scored his second try in the 63rd minute, bringing Ulster within five points at 24-19. The Bulls answered soon after with a try by hooker Johan Grobbelaar. Stuart McCloskey crossed for Ulster in the 70th minute, keeping the visitors in contention, before replacement flyhalf Curwin Bosch added a penalty in the closing stages. The result left Ulster eight points short. Coetzee’s two tries and Pollard’s goal-kicking were central to the Bulls’ scoring. Pollard finished with 11 points from four conversions and a penalty; Bosch also kicked a penalty. The Bulls’ other try-scorers were Louw...