Heartbreak as Bulls fall a point short in Lyon

The Vodacom Bulls lost a golden chance to get a rare victory in France as they went down 29-28 in cruel fashion in their Investec Champions Cup match against Lyon on Saturday night.

On a night where the Bulls played above themselves with a squad of fringe players, led for 60 minutes and fought within a point at the end, only to have replacement flyhalf Jaco van der Walt pull a penalty kick four minutes from time that would have won them the game, they can still feel proud of a brave performance.

It was a game where the Bulls showed progress and while the odds conspired against them with some really questionable calls in the second half, the losing bonus point they take from the game will be treasured, even if they know it could have been three more.

Games in France, as anyone who has watched the Champions Cup will tell you, are tougher to win than most.

The partisan crowds boo and wail at every decision against their team, while complaints about home ground decisions are almost par for the course -- every team has a story about them.

And on the night where two Bulls players were downed by tackles that were both illegal and seemed to have clear head contact, while scrumhalf Zak Burger was taken out late and with a shoulder to the head in the first half, it could only make you chuckle that the television match official found no head contact in each case.

Bulls winger Henry Immelman was also lucky not to see yellow for tipping a player in a tackle late in the game.

On other days those cards may have been given, but on a winter's night in Lyon, those big decisions seemed taboo.

YOUNG SWANEPOEL IMPRESSES AT LOCK

With all this in mind, and considering there were 13 changes to the Bulls side that beat Saracens last weekend, the Bulls can feel proud of their performance, which must rank as one of their best overseas outings.

For a side that traditionally struggles away from home, this was a focused, determined performance by a bunch of players eager to put their hands up.

Chief among them was flanker Mpilo Gumede, who starred alongside World Cup-winner Marco van Staden and captain Marcell Coetzee.

Janko Swanepoel continued to defy his young age and put in a sensational performance at lock.

At the back Sergeal Petersen and Devon Williams caused all sorts of problems while Burger was a constant threat and made his presence felt.

And yet on a night where there was so much promise, you can’t help but feel gutted for the Bulls, who seemed to deserve more than a heartbreaking loss.

They rocked the home crowd early on when Thaakir Abrahams’s kick was charged down by Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Burger latched onto the ball to put the Bulls ahead early on.

Abrahams, for his part, recovered exceptionally well and played with a lot more confidence throughout the game than he ever seemed to do at the Sharks, and along with the dangerous Monty Ioane, and ball stealer Jordan Taufua, they caused their opponents all sorts of problems at the rucks.

TOO MANY SOFT MOMENTS

After Burger’s opener, Chris Smith added a penalty to increase the lead before Lyon started to build some momentum by disrupting the Bulls' play.

After sucking in the Bulls defenders a kick-pass found French international Ethan Dumortier with ease to coast in for their opening try.

The Bulls hit back almost immediately after a sensational run down the blindside touchline by Gumede, who passed inches before hitting the sideline to give Petersen a beauty of a try.

Despite the crowd’s protestations, the try was given and the Bulls extended their lead with another Smith penalty shortly afterwards.

But Lyon finally broke through with flanker Pierre-Samuel Pacheko going over from close range.

The game was evenly poised at the break, with the score 18-12 in favour of the visitors and Smith added another penalty early in the second half to make the difference nine points.

The Bulls had too many soft moments, first being ripped open for Alfred Parisien to score in the corner, and then for man-of-the-match Yanis Charcosset to use a short lineout move to catch them napping and score with 12 minutes to go.

The lead had evaporated and the Bulls needed to play catch-up rugby.

They did put the hammer down again with Marco van Staden scoring from a tap-and-go move that worked perfectly, but just as it seemed they had done enough, Charcosset burst through the middle, being stopped short, only for the ball to be sent wide for Thibaut Regard to score in the corner.

They were given a chance to win, but Van der Walt, who literally arrived on the field 30 seconds earlier, pulled it left.

And it was then that Lyon sensed it was going to be their night.

And the Bulls had squandered their opportunity.

SCORERS

LYON - tries: Ethan Dumortier, Pierre-Samuel Pacheco, Alfred Parisien, Yanis Charcosset, Thibaut Regard. Conversions: Martin Page-Relo (2), Paddy Jackson (2).

VODACOM BULLS - tries: Zak Burger, Sergeal Petersen, Marco van Staden. Conversions: Chris Smith (2). Penalties: Smith (3).