Bulls seal second by hammering depleted Dragons

United Rugby Championship

Bulls (26) 55

Tries: Kriel, Wiese, de Klerk, van der Merwe 2, Petersen 2, Coetzee, Williams Cons: Johannes 5

Dragons (0) 15

Bulls consolidated second place in the United Rugby Championship (URC) with an emphatic nine-try victory against a depleted Dragons in Pretoria.

Hooker Akker van der Merwe and wing Sergeal Petersen crossed for two tries with further scores from David Kriel, Cobus Wiese, Sebastian de Klerk, Marcell Coetzee and Devon Williams.

Dragons responded with tries from Huw Anderson, Rhodri Williams and Lewis Morgan.

Filo Tiatia’s side equalled the record for the worst URC league season with just nine points as they finished bottom in a nightmare campaign.

The Welsh side have lost 17 successive league games since defeating Ospreys on the opening weekend in September 2024.

It was an emotional afternoon in Pretoria with tributes for ex-Bulls player Cornal Hendricks who died on Wednesday.

The former South Africa wing – who made his Test debut for the Springboks against Wales in 2014 – suffered a heart attack aged 37.

Dragons were without more than 20 players for this fixture because of an injury crisis.

With Ebbw Vale and Newport competing in the Welsh domestic Super Rygbi Cymru final, Dragons flew out Carmarthen Quins hooker Morgan and Llandovery prop Jamie Hughes on permit for debuts off the bench against a motivated Bulls side at altitude.

Springboks number eight Cameron Hanekom was denied an early try because of a foot in touch following an Angus O’Brien tackle.

The hosts did not have to wait long after, centre Kriel finished off a flowing set-piece move, while three minutes later lock Wiese powered over.

Replacement prop Hughes was forced on the field early after an injury to Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths, and Bulls took advantage of his inexperience with scrum dominance.

The incessant pressure told with South Africa full-back Willie le Roux setting up the try for wing De Klerk.

Dragons responded with a flowing move involving scrum-half Williams and O’Brien that was foiled by desperate Bulls defence before the hosts won another scrum penalty to relieve any pressure.

Wales scrum-half Williams made a storming start to the second half with a long try-scoring floated pass to Anderson.

Williams followed this up with a superb solo effort after collecting his own chip.

Any hopes of an improbable Dragons revival were halted by a dropped ball from Aaron Wainwright, who blotted his copybook in an otherwise industrious display.

Bulls capitalised with Van der Mewre crashing over for his second score, before wing Petersen took advantage of a tired Dragons defence to sprint over for two tries.

Replacement scrum-half Bernard van der Linde was a catalyst for Bulls’ second-half slick showing and helped create a superb try for replacement flanker Coetzee.

The onslaught continued with replacement back Devon Williams surging over.

Dragons enjoyed some respite with a dream introduction for replacement hooker Morgan, who was driven over.

Bulls: Willie le Roux; Sebastian de Klerk, Canan Moodie, David Kriel, Sergeal Petersen; Keagan Johannes, Zak Burger; Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Akker van der Merwe, Mornay Smith, Cobus Wiese, JF van Heerden, Kuyenzeka Nama Xaba, Ruan Nortje (capt), Cameron Hanekom.

Replacements: Johan Grobbelaar, Simphiwe Matanzima, Francois Klopper, Jannes Kirsten, Marcell Coetzee, Bernard van der Linde, Stedman Gans, Devon Williams.

Dragons: Angus O’Brien (co-capt); Harry Rees-Weldon, Joe Westwood, Aneurin Owen, Huw Anderson; Lloyd Evans, Rhodri Williams; Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths, Brodie Coghlan, Chris Coleman, Joe Davies, Ben Carter (co-capt), Ryan Woodman, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Aaron Wainwright.

Replacements: Lewis Morgan, Jamie Hughes, Paula Latu, Barny Langton-Cryer, Evan Minto, Che Hope, Ewan Rosser, Ashton Hewitt.

Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)

Assistant referees: Marius van der Westhuizen & AJ Jacobs (SARU)