URC: Johan Goosen’s Boot Edges Marius Louw Brace and Sanele Nohamba Penalties As Bulls Beat Lions

• Johan Goosen kicked three penalties and three conversions as the Bulls beat the Lions 30-28
• Marius Louw scored two first-half tries but the Lions could not continue their momentum
• The Bulls move to fourth on the United Rugby Championship log with six wins from nine

The Bulls maintained their supremacy over the Lions in the first Gauteng derby of the year.

The trans-Jukskei rivals met at Loftus Versfeld for the weekend's only United Rugby Championship fixture.

The Bulls were coming off two wins against European opposition while the Lions had experienced the opposite in defeats to Montpellier and Ospreys.

Marius Louw had the visitors over the line in the opening five minutes and had doubled his tally just before the 20-minute mark.

Akker van der Merwe struck back for the visitors on 25 minutes and they went into break with a slender 13-12 lead thanks to two penalties from Johan Goosen.

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Embrose Papier began the second half with a bang, while Sanele Nohamba kept the visitors within touching distance thanks to a drop goal and penalty.

Mpilo Gumede extended the Bulls' lead before David Kriel gifted the Lions a try in embarrassing fashion. Kriel lost the ball in contact while trying to run out from behind his own try line, and the ball landed at Morgan Naude's feet who casually flopped over the line.

A point up with two minutes to play, the Lions thought they had won a penalty for the Bulls defender not releasing but the ref crucially signalled the other way. Goosen stepped up to knock the penalty over from 55 meters out.

The drama was not over as JC Pretorius won a last-minute penalty for the Lions on the halfway line.

There would be no fairytale away ended as replacement Jordan Hendrikse pushed his effort just past the right-hand upright, consigning the Lions to their fifth URC defeat in nine matches.

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