Bulls smell URC playoff place after completing professional Glasgow job

The Bulls temporarily moved up to second place on the United Rugby Championship standings after their four-try bonus-point win over Glasgow Warriors at Loftus on Friday night.

Relishing their Friday night lights home crowd, the Bulls wanted to put on another clinical performance in front of their loyal supporters, who showed an appetite for some live rugby by braving the low Pretoria winter temperatures.

It took a while for the Bulls' engines to start, though. In fact, the Scots were off to the races fastest.

AS IT HAPPENED | Bulls vs Glasgow Warriors

Six minutes in, Glasgow earned a penalty try from a driving maul deemed to have been illegally halted by the young Georgian official, Nika Amashukeli, who also sent Walt Steenkamp to the sin bin for the infringement.

The Bulls responded almost immediately, through scrumhalf Zak Burger, who darted close to the line after Elrigh Louw went short.

The Warriors had failed to get a clean exit after the restart, and, four minutes after they scored the first try of the evening, Burger punished them at the other end.

Aside from the penalty try, the Bulls strangely played better rugby with a man short in the first 20 minutes than with the full complement, bossing territory and possession and keeping the Scotsmen at bay.

They lost some momentum through the middle of the second half but regained some impetus as the first half drew to a close, but there was little to separate the sides after a penalty try and penalty goal-kick each.

Then, on the stroke of half-time, left wing Madosh Tambwe scored on the opposite wing after the Bulls benefitted from a penalty that cost them a Zander Fagerson yellow card.

The hosts went for the biggest upside, the 5m attacking lineout, took the ball through phases