Bulls lose the plot in final quarter to slump to defeat in Glasgow

The Bulls let themselves down in the final quarter of their URC match in Glasgow to crash to a 21-12 defeat after they had led 12-7 in the 60th minute and appeared to be in control of the game.

As the game wound up to its climax, there was a 14-point turnaround that sealed the spoils for the Scots — the Bulls had a try by Kurt-Lee Arendse chalked off because there had been a knock-on at a ruck in the build-up and, minutes later, the Warriors were awarded a penalty try because the referee judged that the maul had purposely been collapsed.

In fact, it was a final quarter in which the Bulls fell afoul of referee Craig Evans, who repeatedly penalised them.

Johan Ackermann’s men return home with just one victory – against Connacht – from their three-match tour.

The Bulls went into this fixture boosted by the return of Bok lock Ruan Nortje and flanker Marcell Coetzee, but shrouded in the controversy around the mammoth nine-week suspension given to utility forward Jan-Hendrik Wessels.

Glasgow dominated the opening minutes and were rewarded when their British and Irish Lions centre Sione Tuipulotu scored.

The Bulls replied neatly when their current go-to man, wing Sebastian de Klerk, received a kick and then sliced through a gap to put Stravino Jacobs away.

The Bulls took the lead early in the second half when centre David Kriel intercepted a crucial pass as Glasgow pressed hard on attack. Kriel put veteran fullback Willie le Roux away for a try.

As the game hit the three-quarter mark, it went spectacularly wrong for the Bulls. Arendse, who was making a strong impact off the bench, seemed to have scored a match-winning try, but the TMO spotted a knock-on from Ruan Nortje at a ruck.

Soon after, salt was rubbed into the Bulls’ wounds when the Warriors were awarded a penalty when replacement prop Francois Klopper was adjudged to have pulled down a maul. He earned a yellow card for his sins.

The Warriors’ South African-born prop, Nathan McBeth, then crashed over for the Warriors’ third try, converted by flyhalf Adam Hastings, to give the home team an unassailable nine-point lead.

Scorers

Glasgow Warriors — Tries: Sioni Tuipulotu, Penalty try, Nathan Macbeth. Conversions: Adam Hastings

Bulls — Tries: Stravino Jacobs, Willie le Roux. Conversion: Keagan Johannes.