Rugby, Benetton defeated in South Africa by the Bulls after a great first half

PRETORIA (SOUTH AFRICA). In Pretoria, Benetton stays ahead until the 50th minute, after a great first half, but then the Bulls win.

Ready, go and the Lions for a while go to the goal thanks to an excellent game maneuver and a lightning break from Ioane, but the Bulls are saved with a tackle on Bellini. A few minutes pass and the green-and-whites have a free kick from an excellent position for an offside by the hosts. Rhyno Smith converts for the first points of the afternoon in Pretoria. Then Lorenzo Cannone makes a prodigious defensive turnover and on the overturning in front the Lions go to the goal: Rhyno Smith starts at full speed, supported by Albornoz who opens to Nemer, then Tommaso Menoncello is fantastic at finding a football to jump the last South African defender and crush the oval. Rhyno Smith transforms. The defense of Bortolami’s men still holds, this time with a turnover of Zuliani.

And then another large corridor found by Lorenzo Cannone who picks up Menoncello. On the offside developments whistled to the detriment of the Bulls. From the placed Rhyno Smith is still accurate and Leoni are above 0-13. But as soon as halfway through the first half comes the response of the hosts, with Brink able to fly up over the goal line on Nortje’s offload. Chris Smith from the pitch hits the post. Then the Bulls have a midfield, but Chris Smith misses the posts. Meanwhile, Els has to leave the field for a bad blow to the head, in place of him Nicotera.

From the next scrum Benetton wins a foul in his favor and Rhyno Smith from the pitch is still accurate. In the final of the first fraction the Bulls find the second goal of the day, thanks to an advancing drive and the oval of Chris Smith for the undisturbed race of Arendse. Chris Smith transforms and goes to the locker room on the score of 12-16 for the Lions.

The recovery begins and Pasquali replaces Ferrari on the front line. From a touchdown for Benetton it follows a foul prerogative of the green-and-whites. Rhyno Smith goes to the posts and makes no mistake. A few turns of hands pass and this time it is White’s band that has a penalty to exploit. Chris Smith hits the goalposts. The Bulls are approaching and after ten minutes of the second half they pass ahead for the first time in the match with the second goal of Arendse, able to recover the oval and escape to the guest jerseys. Chris Smith transforms and the South Africans lead 22-19. Zani, Drago, Cannone Niccolò and Lamaro take over for Nemer, Brex, Herbst and Zuliani.

Meanwhile, the Bulls have a new placing, but Chris Smith is wrong. Another substitution in the green-and-white home, with Garbisi inside for captain Duvenage. The Bulls are in gas and Coetzee scores the fourth goal. Chris Smith converts and the advantage for the Pretoria franchise expands to 29-19. The Lions try to fight back and have a penalty for offside of the Bulls. Rhyno Smith is always on time from the pitch. Padovani enters for Albornoz. Meanwhile, more placed for the hosts from a good position and Chris Smith square. Benetton goes up the field and the referee Adamson expels Niccolò Cannone for a foul. On the change in front Moodie flies in goal and Steyn converts.

But the Lions did not give up despite the man less and marked the second half of the afternoon, with the personal brace of Tommaso Menoncello, caught by an illuminating filter by Drago. Rhyno Smith transforms. And in the final minute Matanzima closes the match with another try, converted by Steyn for the final 46-29 for the Bulls.

Vodacom Bulls: 15 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Cornal Hendricks (27 ′ Stedman Gans), 11 Madosh Tambwe, 10 Chris Smith (71 ′ Morne Steyn), 9 Embrose Papier (53 ′ Zak Burger), 8 Elrigh Louw (30 ′ Arno Botha), 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Marcell Coetzee (c), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Walt Steenkamp (69 ′ Janko Swanepoel) 3 Mornay Smith (62 ′ Dylan Smith), 2 Johan Grobbelaar (71 ′ Jan- Henrik Wessels), 1 Gerhard Steenekamp (64 ′ Simphiwe Matanzima). Head Coach: Jake White.

Benetton Rugby: 15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Mattia Bellini, 13 Ignacio Brex (50 ′ Filippo Drago), 12 Tommaso Menoncello, 11 Monty Ioane, 10 Tomas Albornoz (64 ′ Edoardo Padovani), 9 Dewaldt Duvenage (c) (56 ′ Alessandro Garbisi), 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Manuel Zuliani (50 ‘Michele Lamaro), 6 Giovanni Pettinelli, 5 Carl Wegner, 4 Irné Herbst (50’ Niccolò Cannone), 3 Simone Ferrari (40 ‘Tiziano Pasquali), 2 Corniel Els (30’ Giacomo Nicotera) , 1 Ivan Nemer (53 ‘Federico Zani). Head coach: Marco Bortolami.

Markings: 6′ p. Rhyno Smith, 10′ meta Menoncello tr. Rhyno Smith, 18′ p. Smith, 24′ meta Brink, 32′ p. Rhyno Smith, 40′ meta Arendse tr. Chris Smith; 44′ p. Rhyno Smith, 47′ Chris Smith, 49′ meta Arendse tr. Chris Smith, 59′ meta Coetzee tr. Chris Smith, 64′ p. Rhyno Smith, 68′ p. Chris Smith, 73′ meta Moodie tr. Steyn, 76′ meta Menoncello tr. Rhyno Smith, 79′ meta Matanzima tr. Steyn.

Note: 71 ‘red card to Niccolò Cannone (BEN). Transformations: Vodacom Bulls: 5/6 (Chris Smith 3/4, Steyn 2/2); Benetton Rugby 2/2 (Rhyno Smith 2/2). Free Kicks: Vodacom Bulls: 2/4 (Chris Smith 2/4); Benetton Rugby: 5/5 (Rhyno Smith 5/5). Man of the match: Ruan Nortje (BUL).