Fringe Bulls claim victory on Champions Cup debut in Loftus thriller

It was far from comfortable after a roaring start, but Jake White's perceived selection gamble ultimately paid off with a 42-36 bonus-point win for the Bulls over France's Lyon in their European Championship Cup debut at Loftus on Saturday. 

FT | Bulls 42-36 Lyon

It was a thrilling clash that ended with Lyon throwing everything at a scrambling Bulls defence six minutes after the full-time hooter had sounded in search of what would have been an epic comeback, but somehow the Bulls held on.  

White would never refer to his selection as a gamble - he backed Springbok veterans Bismarck du Plessis, Morne Steyn and a host of fringe United Rugby Championship players - and that stance was ultimately proved right as the Bulls ran out to a 28-0 lead inside the opening 25 minutes. 

The Bulls looked to be home and dry at that early stage, but a Lyon fightback saw the scoreline reduced to 28-12 at the break and when the visitors scored two early second-half tries - either side of one from Stravino Jacobs - the score suddenly read 35-26 and, with 30 minutes to play, the Bulls had a lot to do. 

Former Bulls stalwart Arno Botha scored two tries in Lyon's comeback, but in the end the French outfit could not recover from that early Bulls blitz.

A side historically pigeonholed as being forwards-driven with an emphasis on out-of-hand kicking, the Bulls were full of energy and expansive intent in that opening 30 minutes. 

Scrumhalf Bernard van der Linde, a perfect example of a player outside of the 'A-team' conversation, used this chance brilliantly and was a livewire from the base of rucks and from open play. 

He scored two tries - one the result of a superbly-executed dummy and snipe that wrong-footed everyone - after wing Sibongile Novuka had