Bulls 39 Chiefs 28
The Cornish hooker's last-gasp try proved crucial in ensuring the Chiefs headed home from the Southern Hemisphere with a crucial losing bonus point.
Rob Baxter’s side were competitive throughout in the cauldron that was Loftus Versfeld, but the second half dismissal of skipper Henry Slade hindered what could have been a memorable Heineken Champions Cup escapade for the Devonians.
The Bulls - undone in the corresponding fixture at Sandy Park 44-14 - gained their revenge in their homeland, courtesy of tries from Elrigh Louw, David Kriel, Ruan Vermaak, Wandisile Simelane (2) and Johan Grobbelaar.
However, the Chiefs were never left wanting in what was a bruising encounter in the Highveld, claiming scores of their own through Josh Hodge, Solomone Kata, Jannes Kirsten and Innard.
Having started their European campaign with bonus point wins over Castres and the Bulls, the Chiefs arrived in Pretoria looking to preserve their 100% record against their South African hosts. Henry Slade led the side on his 200th outing for the club, while Innard was the sole change to the starting line-up that defeated Northampton Saints last time out, replacing the injured Luke Cowan-Dickie at hooker.
The Bulls, as they promised, paraded a much different line-up that took to the field at Sandy Pack back in December. They were fully-loaded for this latest match-up as they looked to get their Champions Cup campaign back on track after winning in Round One against Lyon.
Taking to the field at the world-renowned Loftus Versfeld, it was the Chiefs who set the tone on a hot and humid night. Kata and Sam Maunder offered the first real threat, only to be held just shy of the line, before Sam Simmonds went even closer, latching onto a pass from Slade, only to be thwarted inches out by the heroics of former Wasps forward Nizaam Carr.
It was just the start the Chiefs coaches would have craved, but the Bulls withstood the early onslaught and in their first meaningful attack of the game, they broke the deadlock when - after declining a kick at goal - they used the resultant line-out move in the corner to fashion the opening for Louw to crash over under the Exeter sticks for the game’s opening try, converted by Smith.
Exeter’s response to going behind, however, was emphatic as within four minutes they had drawn level when from a line-out midway inside the Bulls half, the Chiefs back division fashioned a lovely opening, feeding Slade whose sublime pass sent Hodge on the charge. Still with a bit to do, the full-back stepped back inside, before turning on the after burners to scorch his way under the home posts, Simmonds adding the extras to tie matters up.
Just what the doctor ordered, the Chiefs hoped it would be the catalyst for them to kick on. Sadly, the Bulls had other ideas and having regained their lead with a penalty from Smith, they extended their lead further on 25 minutes when Kriel was the beneficiary off a razor-sharp attack from the hosts.
Picking up possession deep inside his own 22, Arendse raced clear off Jack Nowell to dart down the left flank and, as the Chiefs cover closed in, he shipped a simple pass back inside to winger Kriel to dot down unopposed.
Up against it, the Chiefs once again had to find a rapid response. But, just as they did earlier, they did just that and cut the deficit with their second try of the night just past the half hour mark. Like the Bulls, Baxter’s side declined a kick at goal for greater reward in the corner.
The line-out was won at the front by Dafydd Jenkins, who aided by his fellow forwards and the occasional back, propelled themselves towards the home line. Initially, the Bulls did well to halt the surge, but when the Chiefs pressed for a second time, it was Kata who emerged from the mass of bodies to take the acclaim of his team-mates. Simmonds slotted a brilliant touchline conversion to leave just a point between the two sides.
As half-time approached, though, it was the Bulls who held the greater edge and with virtually the last passage of play, the hosts bagged a third try when Verrmaak stole over from a close-range tap-penalty to extend his side’s advantage.
HALF TIME: VODACOM BULLS 20 EXETER CHIEFS 14
No doubt keen to reset their side, the Chiefs coaches would have been encouraged as their young charges won a brilliant take from Olly Woodburn on the kick-off to put themselves on the front foot. It would, however, prove a false dawn as the Bulls quickly got back into their attacking stride, wrapping up the bonus point inside three minutes of the restart.
Behind a fast-moving pack of forwards, Zak Burger shipped the ball out to Grobbelaar, who under pressure was able to flick the ball over his head in the direction of Simelane. The loose ball was fly-hacked over the top by the home centre and as it bounced on the lush turf, it evaded the attentions of Nowell and fell invitingly into the arms of the African who was able to score.
French referee Mathieu Raynal wanted to check the validity of Grobbelaar’s pass, but after a lengthy viewing of numerous replays, the decision went in favour of the home side.
It would prove Raynal’s last real act on the field, the experienced official forced off with a hamstring injury. Into his place came touch judge Thomas Charabas, whose first actions were to stick his hand in the air for the home side’s fifth try, which came courtesy of Grobbelaar who squeezed over from a well-drilled line-out in the right corner.
Already an uphill task, Exeter’s night would get no easier as skipper Slade was dismissed for a high hit on Arendse as he chased a kick in behind. Again, there was a lengthy stoppage to view the actions of the England international. It was, in all honesty, nothing more than a yellow card, but Charabas thought differently as he showed the centre a red card for the first time in his senior career.
The Chiefs turned to their bench in a bid to inject some life into their charge, but Jack Yeandle’s night lasted no more than five minutes, the long-serving club captain pole-axed by a heavy challenge from Vermaak. It was a sad sight seeing the experienced forward departing on a medical cart.
Feeling as though the rugby gods were definitely against them, the Chiefs needed a pick-me-up of sorts. As always, they dug deep and in a defiant stand, they used their forwards to bludgeon the opening for former Bulls favourite Kirsten to crash over for the score, converted by Harvey Skinner.
Although the game was effectively done and dusted, the Chiefs sensed they could grab something from their long trek to the Southern Hemisphere by landing a potential try bonus point. They huffed and puffed in their pursuit of that reward, but it was the Bulls who pounced, Simelane picking off a pass just inside his own half to race clear of the cover.
It was a sucker punch to the jaw of the Chiefs, but they refused to let it flatten them and in a defiant conclusion to the game, the Devonians were rightly rewarded for their efforts when, with the last play of the game, they pressed and probed, eventually flattening the Bulls defensive dam when Innard burrowed over in the right corner. Again, Skinner converted from the touchline to ensure the visitors headed home on a high note.
Bulls: K-L Arendse; C Moodie, W Simelane (L Mapoe 75), H Vorster, DJ Kriel; C Smith (J Goosen 59), Z Burger, G Steenekamp, J Grobbelaar (B Du Plessis 17-27, 71), M Smith;R Vermaak (J Swanepoel 59), R Nortjé (capt); M van Staden (N Carr 69-75), N Carr (WJ Steenkamp 59), E Louw. Replacements: (not used): D Smith, F Klopper, E Papier.
Try - Louw, Kriel, Vermaak, Simelane (2), Grobbelaar; Conversion - Smith (2), Goosen; Penalty - Smith
Chiefs: J Hodge; J Nowell, H Slade (capt), S Kata (r O’Loughlin 65), O Woodburn; J Simmonds (H Skinner 58), S Maunder (J Maunder 58); S Sio (J Kenny 58), J Innard (J Yeandle 53-58, Innard 58), H Williams (J Iosefa-Scott 58); J Dunne (J Kirsten 53), D Jenkins; D Ewers (G Fisilau 53), C Tshiunza, S Simmonds.
Tries - Hodge, Kata, Kirsten, Innard; Conversion - J Simmonds (2), Skinner (2)
Red Card: Slade
Referee: M Raynal