Super Rugby
Handre Pollard kicks Bulls into seventh place
March 29, 2015
Report Match details
Date/Time: Mar 28, 2015, 19:10 local, 17:10 GMT
Venue: Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
Bulls 31 - 19 Crusaders
Half-time: 18 - 16
Tries: Hattingh, Hougaard, Odendaal
Cons: Pollard 2
Pens: Pollard 4
Tries: Nadolo
Cons: Carter
Pens: Carter 4
Dan Carter of Crusaders is tackled by Jacques Engelbrecht and Deon Stegman, Bulls v Crusaders, Super Rugby, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, March 28, 2015
Dan Carter gets taken down by the Bulls defence
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Bulls five-eighth Handre Pollard became the first Super Rugby player past the 100-point mark this season as his team defeated the Crusaders 31-19 in Pretoria. The Springboks 2015 World Cup No.10 contender kicked two conversions and four penalties from nine shots at goal for a 16-point contribution at Loftus Versfeld stadium on Saturday (Sunday AEDT).

Pollard tops the points scorers' chart with 108, which is 18 more than national-team rival Patrick Lambie from the Sharks, who was rested this weekend. He played down his personal role after receiving the man-of-the-match award as the Bulls achieved a fourth straight victory after beginning the season with two losses.

"It was a great team effort," said the 21-year-old successor to Loftus legend Morne Steyn. "And it was a great privilege for me to pit my wits against Dan Carter, the best fly-half of all time."

A try each from right-winger Francois Hougaard, inside centre Burger Odendaal and substitute lock Grant Hattingh completed the Bulls' total. Veteran All Blacks and Crusaders five-eighth Carter gave a flawless goal-kicking performance with one conversion and four penalties and giant Fijian left-winger Nemani Nadolo scored a try.

Victory lifted three-time champions the Bulls two places to seventh on the southern hemisphere inter-provincial combined standings and second in the South African conference. Record seven-time title-holders the Crusaders dropped one place to ninth overall and find themselves in the unfamiliar position of being only fourth in the New Zealand conference.

Bulls 31-19 Crusaders (video only available in Australia)

Billed as the match of the seventh round, the teams fully fulfilled expectations with 80 pulsating minutes of top-class rugby.

"We are very happy and very tired," said Bulls No.8 and skipper Pierre Spies, a returnee this year after missing almost all of last season through injury. "It was a great team effort although it helps a lot to see Handre kicking all those points week after week."

All Blacks No 8 and Crusaders skipper Kieran Read said his team produced a tremendous effort without securing even a losing bonus point. "Our plan was to keep the ball moving to try and run the Bulls ragged, and we did that well at times. However, the execution was not there," Read said.

Bulls led three times and the Crusaders twice in a see-sawing first half that ended 18-16 in favour of the hosts. The South Africans had stretched the advantage to five points when the decisive try came on 66 minutes. A Carter pass was intercepted by Hattingh, who made a long gallop to the try-line and held off two Crusaders to dot down.

© AAP

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