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FULL-TIME: BULLS 63-24 ZEBRE. The Bulls racked up nine converted tries to Zebre's three, to clinch a commanding victory which takes them up to second in the URC standings.
There's under a minute left in this match.
Zebre create a big chance for themselves, but the ball is lost in contact about 8m from the tryline.
CONVERSION, BULLS, CHAMBERLAIN. 63-24.
TRY, BULLS, KRIEL 61-24. The Bulls are running riot at Loftus now.
CONVERSION, BULLS, CHAMBERLAIN. 56-24.
TRY, BULLS, PETERSEN. 54-24. The Bulls' transition play from defence to attack is too quick for Zebre to set their line and Petersen scores.
Not this time, they won't as the Bulls steal back possession.
Zebre have a scrum. Will they use it as a platform to get the sought after fourth try?
The handling error rate in the second half is sky-high. This makes the game a stop-start affair.
That is superb interplay between the Zebre backs and forwards from deep inside their own half of the field, but the final pass just doesn't stick.
With the win secured and five log points in the bag, the Bulls have emptied their bench.
Zebre are losing the plot here. They are conceding too many penalties in quick succession.
CONVERSION, BULLS, JOHANNES. 49-24.
TRY, BULLS, VORSTER. 47-24. The Bulls use speed and power to unlock the Zebre defence. That was very direct from the Bulls.
The Bulls' contesting at the breakdown has been impressive today. They've just won another penalty on the ground.
This game has entered its final quarter. Can Zebre finish with a flourish or will the Bulls put on a show in the last 20 minutes?
CONVERSION, BULLS, JOHANNES. 42-24.
TRY, BULLS, COETZEE. 40-24. The flanker overruns the ball, but he races back and gets a second chance to carry and he does so with aplomb.
A floated pass by Johannesburg finds Jacobs on the edge. The winger grubbers the ball and Zebre tracks back well but carry it over. It's a 5m scrum to the Bulls.
CONVERSION, ZEBRE. 35-24.
TRY, ZEBRE. 35-22. The visitors go to the maul and march over the tryline to score.
The Bulls try to flood the breakdown again, but this time they are penalised. Zebre set an attacking lineout.
A solid defensive set by the Bulls halts Zebre's go-forward momentum. They then flood the breakdown and Zebre is pinged for sealing off.
The slightest knock on sees the Bulls concede possession via a scrum to Zebre.
YELLOW CARD, BULLS, VAN HEERDEN. The Bulls are down to 14 players.
And now a massive brawl breaks out between the two sets of players. The referee is trying to calm things down.
There's been seven tries in this game and yet it feels like the game has no spark to it.
CONVERSION, BULLS, JOHANNES. 35-17.
TRY, BULLS, VAN STADEN. 33-17. That's more like it from the Bulls. They pick the ball up at the back of the scrum and charge toward the line with a series of pick and go's before Van Staden burrows over to score.
The Bulls feed the scrum in another promising position (5m from the tryline) on the field.
There's a bit of a break in play as medics attend to prop Luca Rizzoli.
It's scrappy at the front of the lineout, but they secure possession.
A dominant scrum forces the referee to give the penalty to the Bulls. Johannes kicks to the touchline.
The Bulls are feeling the heat early in this second half. Zebre are all over them like a rash.
CONVERSION, ZEBRE, MONTEMAURI. 28-17.
TRY, ZEBRE, MONTEMAURI. 28-15. Wow, what a start by the visitors. They score 22 seconds into the second half.
KICK-OFF! Second half is underway.
HALF-TIME: BULLS 28-10 ZEBRE. The hosts scored four tries to take a commanding 18-point lead into the break.
From the subsequent scrum, the Bulls earn a penalty.
SO CLOSE. Zebre's Trulla flummoxes the Bulls defence and breaks the line, but his offload doesn't go to hand. Big let off for the Bulls.
The referee awards a penalty to Zebre after the Bulls were caught pushing and shoving off the ball.
The Bulls are in a commanding position now.
CONVERSION, BULLS, JOHANNES. 28-10.
TRY, BULLS, WESSELS. 26-10. The explosive front rower dives over to score the Bulls' fourth try.
Petersen runs onto the ball, but as he hits a gap, he losses control and knocks on.
The hosts secure the ball at the lineout and create a huge overlap.
The wrestle back possession and Petersen nails a 50/22 kick for the Bulls.
The Bulls' have chalked up some unfortunate miss tackles.
CONVERSION, BULLS, JOHANNES. 21-10.
TRY, BULLS, JACOBS. 19-10. The speedster weaves his way through a couple of defenders with a lethal step to score.
It's messy from both sides.
The Bulls have wasted another good scoring opportunity. They need to execute better here.
DROP GOAL, ZEBRE, FUSCO. 14-10. That is excellent from the scrumhalf. From a goal-line drop out by the Bulls, he lines up a drop kick and nails it.
Zebre get done for foul play at the lineout. Williams kicks to the line, but then the Bulls are pinged are double banking at the lineout. That is a free exit for Zebre.
Unfortunately for the visitors, their attack is too lateral. They need someone to straighten the line.
Zebre are holding their own against the Bulls at scrum time.
Johannes' restart is deep inside the 22, but Zebre's clearance kick travels well beyond the halfway line.
CONVERSION, ZEBRE, MONTEMAURI. 14-7.
TRY, ZEBRE, TRULLA. 14-5. A grubber kick through the Bulls defence takes a wicked bounce and sits up kindly for Trulla, who scores.
Zebre respond with a massive kick of their own, but they fail to find the touchline. Devon Williams runs the ball from deep and looks to unleash wing Jacobs, but he drops the ball.
The Bulls bring calm to the game with another top notch touch finder.
Zebre have enjoyed the major share of possession, but they've been unable to build on that.
Johannes takes no chances and kicks the ball up field from the restart.
CONVERSION, BULLS, JOHANNES. 14-0.
TRY, BULLS, BURGER. 12-0. The scrumhalf scores a fortuitous try, as Zebre streak offside and the ball bounces loose. The referee plays advantage and Burger pounces to secure possession and score unopposed.
A wild pass is intercepted, but the Bulls track back well to cover their bases.
The ball is pick up at the base of the scrum and then Gumede charges forward. He loses control, but they are brought back for a scrum penalty.
And they waste it. Zebre swing the ball to the wide channels, but the ball squirts loose and goes forward. Scrum for the Bulls.
This is a great attacking platform for the visitors.
Big, big call here as the scrum penalty goes against the Bulls. Zebre set a lineout.
Zebre will feed the first scrum of the game. And the referee calls for a reset.
Both sides opt a for some tactical kicking after the restart, but it's Zebre who find touch. And the Bulls then gets done for a shew throw in.
CONVERSION, BULLS, JOHANNES. 7-0.
TRY, BULLS, PETERSEN. 5-0. Following an excellent touch finder by Johannes, the Bulls secure possession at the lineout and spread the ball wide, where Petersen takes the final pass and scores.
Zebre show some early attacking intent, but the Bulls stay patient in defence and then make a perfectly timed turnover on the ground.
KICK-OFF! We're underway with the first half here in Pretoria… It's the Bulls against Zebre!
Zebre: 15 Geronimo Prisciantelli, 14 Jacopo Trulla, 13 Fetuli Paea, 12 Enrico Lucchin, 11 Alessandro Gesi, 10 Giovanni Montemauri, 9 Alessandro Fusco, 8 Davide Ruggeri, 7 Iacopo Bianchi, 6 Guido Volpi, 5 Leonard Krumov, 4 Matteo Canali, 3 Muhamed Hasa, 2 Luca Bigi, 1 Luca Rizzoli.
Subs: 16 Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, 17 Paulo Buonfiglio, 18 Juan Pitinari, 19 Francesco Ruffolo, 20 Bautista Stavile, 21 Ratko Jelic, 22 Giacomo Da Re, 23 Filippo Drago.
Bulls: 15 Deon Williams, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 David Kriel, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Keagan Johannes, 9 Zak Burger, 8 Celimpilo Gumene, 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Marcell Coetzee (captain), 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Mornay Smith, 2 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 1 Alulutho Tshakweni.
Subs: 16 Simphiwe Matanzima, 17 Akker van der Merwe, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Ruan Nortje, 20 Marco van Staden, 21 Nizaam Carr, 22 Embrose Papier, 23 Boeta Chamberlain.
The Bulls sit comfortably in the top half of the table with three wins from their three matches, while Zebre are languishing in second-last position (15th) with three losses and one win from their four matches.
Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of the URC clash between the Bulls and Zebre, brought to you live from Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.
Bulls v Zebre, URC, 14:45
