No Right Or Wrong: Bulls Gain Selection Tips For Munster Tie

As the Bulls made their way back to their home from home, Biarritz in France, they are likely to spend the two-and-a-half hours flight time wondering how they lost to Edinburgh.

Saturdays 34-28 Challenge Cup quarter-final defeat exemplified the old rugby adage of a game of two halves. The Bulls were asleep in the first 40 minutes, in contrast to Edinburgh, who were positively buzzing at Hive Stadium to run up a 24-7 half-time lead.

The Pretoria-based side fought back in the second stanza, but ultimately lost 34-28.

There were only two personnel changes to the starting line-up before the match, with Cameron Hanekom at No 8 and Ruan Nortj at lock although Marcell Coetzee shifted from No 8 to openside flank.

But the worry was always there that those starters would be feeling the effects of a monumental effort in Bayonne a week later and that is how it panned out in the Edinburgh first half, as the Bulls lacked physicality, accuracy in the line-outs and defensive fortitude to concede three tries.