Off-colour Bulls hammered by physical Warriors to suffer first URC defeat of season

The Bulls chose the worst possible time to be off-colour and missed a golden opportunity to move to second on the United Rugby Championship log when they lost 35-21 to the Glasgow Warriors at the Scotstoun Stadium on Saturday night.

AS IT HAPPENED | Glasgow Warriors v Bulls

The Bulls were never at the races for the best part of the game and couldn't put together any tangible phases in the Warriors' 22m area.

They were consistently disrupted at the breakdown as Franco Smith's side had their number on the synthetic turf.

The win was the Warriors' second of the season and at home, a result that'll see them go to South Africa to face the Sharks and the Lions with some confidence.

The Bulls, who were third and far from convincing in their opening three games that they won, need to up their game for their visit to Munster next week.

The Bulls were played off the park in the first half, with the hosts accruing a lead they fully deserved and eventually won them the game.

There was an inexplicable passiveness to the Bulls' defence that allowed the Warriors to make extra metres with ball in hand.

This was apparent in the Warriors' first try through Matt Fagerson in the seventh minute when he wormed his way over the tryline after repeated bashes by the hosts.

The Bulls then trailed 14-0 after 11 minutes when lock Walt Steenkamp missed a tackle on Sione Tuipulotu, from where the hosts scored through Sebastian Cancelliere.

The Bulls did hit back in the 19th minute when Bok wing Kurt-Lee Arendse was on the receiving end of a rasping Bulls turnover to score.

That was as good as it got for the visitors in the first half as they weren't allowed any leeway at the breakdowns and mauls by referee Andrew Brace.

The Bulls had numerous 22m entries,