Saracens make it too easy for Bulls

THE Blue Bulls deservedly won this heavyweight clash but there was a minor triumph in defeat for Sarries who somehow prevented them claiming what had seemed like an inevitable try bonus.

- BRENDAN GALLAGHER

The Bulls logged up their third try with half an hour left and having had three further scores chalked off before that, looked odds on for another couple of scores.

At that at point however, in fact a few minutes later when Billy Vunipola was sent off, Saracens rediscovered their mojo and started playing significantly better, dispelling the old myth about visiting teams tiring at altitude in the final quarter and at one stage even hinted at a losing bonus themselves.

The dismissal of Vunipola clearly fired them up. He was clumsy as he went in to clear out at ruck time but Cam Hanekom was very low, appeared to step back slightly and was there really any head contact. The referee and TMO thought so, indeed forceful enough to warrant a red, in which case why wasn’t the Bulls player required to go for an HIA? Sarries might well contest this one.