Grobbelaar and Coetzee score as Bulls lead Leinster at half-time in URC semi-final

The Bulls went into the break with a 17-14 lead at half-time during the United Rugby Championship semi-final against Leinster in Dublin thanks to tries by Johan Grobbelaar and Marcell Coetzee. 

If the Bulls thought they’d catch Leinster napping, they were given an early wake-up call when the hosts powered towards the Bulls try line within a minute of the start.

Leinster, who bossed possession and territory as expected at the start, scored soon after the early pressure, in the ninth minute through hooker Dan Sheehan.

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Sheehan was rewarded after following the play all the way after Ross Byrne chipped behind the Bulls defence, catching out David Kriel at right wing, and scored from the loose-ball pick-up.

The visitors scooped themselves up from the floor and earned a penalty before applying their first spell of pressure on Leinster. Canan Moodie slipped a glorious chance to score but hooker Johan Grobbelaar quickly redeemed him after dotting down from the penalty advantage.

That first try settled the Bulls down and got them the ascendancy needed to grab the momentum that would quell a Leinster conquest.

Then, in the 25th minute, they struck another blow to the Leinster sternum through skipper Marcell Coetzee, who crashed over for their second try.

Leinster, with a groaning crowd on their backs, turned from lions to domestic felines in the face of Bulls relentless pressure in the tackle, lineout and scrums. Handling errors increased as did penalties against.

But they quickly answered back with some silky first-phase backline passing that led to Robbie Henshaw squeezing over the try line after a pick-and-go from the second phase.

The Bulls held onto their 17-14 lead into the break, thanks in no small part to