On a day when Pretoria was distinctly similar to Invercargill or Dunedin, the Highlanders compounded the Bulls' ordinary season with a hard-fought win.
A 76 minute Malakai Fekitoa try after RG Snyman was sent off four minutes earlier condemned the hosts to a seventh defeat in 10 matches.
Whatever play-offs chances the Bulls had froze with the weather and extended New Zealand dominance of South African Super Rugby teams to 13-1.
In a first half filled with kicking, a moment of ingenuity from Fletcher Smith that led to Matt Faddes's 18 try separated the sides.
The replacement flyhalf put through a chip kick that not only well picked by the fullback, but confounded Jade Stighling and Jamba Ulengo as they ball-watched.
With the rain saturating the surface, there were 61 kicks alone in the first half. Through Aaron Smith's educated boot, the visitors kicked 36 times as compared to the Bulls' 25. The conditions only allowed for 78 passes but that was understandable.
The Highlanders showed more appreciation for the pill, a decision magnified by Burger Odendaal's ludicrous 15 minute decision to kick for space with a four-man overlap.
While there were few handling errors, Warrick Gelant's dropping of a simple pass just before half-time with an overlap was inexcusable.
Gelant did atone for his mistake in the 47 minute, along with Odendaal when the latter's grubber was poorly dealt with by Faddes.
The future Springbok fullback did well to dot the ball, let alone get to it in light of the Bulls' perennially poor support running.
Having realised the importance of judicious kicking and the need to retain possession, the Bulls trusted their tight five. Lizo Gqoboka, Jason Jenkins and Ruan Steenkamp were particularly impressive before they were taken off in the 53 minute. Springbok lock Lood de Jager raised his hand in a manner that he didn't do against the Crusaders while.
Jaco Visagie and Edgar Marutlulle provided compelling evidence as to why Adriaan Strauss shouldn't be playing Super Rugby.
Just when the Bulls found ascendancy and scored through Coenraad van Vuuren in the 72 minute, Snyman was sent off for a needless shoulder charge on Greg Pleasants-Tate.
With Waisake Naholo having also received his marching orders eight minutes earlier for a similar charge on Odendaal, the game evened out. Fekitoa made sure the Bulls paid for Snyman's brain fade.
Scorers
Bulls: (10)
Try: Warrick Gelant
Conversion: Tian Schoeman
Penalty: Schoeman
Highlanders: (17)
Tries: Matt Faddes, Malakai Fekitoa
Conversions: Fletcher Smith, Marty Banks
Penalty: Smith
- TMG Digital/TMG Sport
Bulls suffer seventh defeat in 10 Super Rugby matches
On a day when Pretoria was distinctly similar to Invercargill or Dunedin, the Highlanders compounded the Bulls' ordinary season with a hard-fought win.
A 76 minute Malakai Fekitoa try after RG Snyman was sent off four minutes earlier condemned the hosts to a seventh defeat in 10 matches.
Whatever play-offs chances the Bulls had froze with the weather and extended New Zealand dominance of South African Super Rugby teams to 13-1.
In a first half filled with kicking, a moment of ingenuity from Fletcher Smith that led to Matt Faddes's 18 try separated the sides.
The replacement flyhalf put through a chip kick that not only well picked by the fullback, but confounded Jade Stighling and Jamba Ulengo as they ball-watched.
With the rain saturating the surface, there were 61 kicks alone in the first half. Through Aaron Smith's educated boot, the visitors kicked 36 times as compared to the Bulls' 25. The conditions only allowed for 78 passes but that was understandable.
The Highlanders showed more appreciation for the pill, a decision magnified by Burger Odendaal's ludicrous 15 minute decision to kick for space with a four-man overlap.
While there were few handling errors, Warrick Gelant's dropping of a simple pass just before half-time with an overlap was inexcusable.
Gelant did atone for his mistake in the 47 minute, along with Odendaal when the latter's grubber was poorly dealt with by Faddes.
The future Springbok fullback did well to dot the ball, let alone get to it in light of the Bulls' perennially poor support running.
Having realised the importance of judicious kicking and the need to retain possession, the Bulls trusted their tight five. Lizo Gqoboka, Jason Jenkins and Ruan Steenkamp were particularly impressive before they were taken off in the 53 minute. Springbok lock Lood de Jager raised his hand in a manner that he didn't do against the Crusaders while.
Jaco Visagie and Edgar Marutlulle provided compelling evidence as to why Adriaan Strauss shouldn't be playing Super Rugby.
Just when the Bulls found ascendancy and scored through Coenraad van Vuuren in the 72 minute, Snyman was sent off for a needless shoulder charge on Greg Pleasants-Tate.
With Waisake Naholo having also received his marching orders eight minutes earlier for a similar charge on Odendaal, the game evened out. Fekitoa made sure the Bulls paid for Snyman's brain fade.
Scorers
Bulls: (10)
Try: Warrick Gelant
Conversion: Tian Schoeman
Penalty: Schoeman
Highlanders: (17)
Tries: Matt Faddes, Malakai Fekitoa
Conversions: Fletcher Smith, Marty Banks
Penalty: Smith
- TMG Digital/TMG Sport
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