Adriaan Strauss celebrates with three tries and a Bulls win

Adriaan Strauss did the unthinkable in scoring three tries in his record-breaking 149th Super Rugby match and his Bulls also surprised friend and foe to beat the Stormers at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.

The Bulls were comfortably the better team, even though the Stormers somehow hung in till the end.

The Bulls won 33-23 after leading 19-18 at halftime.

The hosts had led 19-6 before a wrong call from the poor Marius van der Westhuizen allowed the Stormers back into the game. Pieter-Stef du Toit lost the ball forward in going for a try and then scooped it back. He should have been penalised. Instead the Stormers scored from the resultant phase of play.

Du Toit was the beneficiary just before halftime, but straight after half time it was Du Toit’s moment of reckless stupidity that saw him stomp on a Bulls player’s head. The Stormers had won the penalty from a lineout maul, but the penalty was reversed and from the penalty the Bulls scored.

Strauss, the former Springbok and Bulls captain, started in a match that saw him surpass Bulls legend Victor Matfield’s record of 148 matches.

He was brilliant in the 50 minutes he was on the field. Strauss, in 12 Super Rugby seasons, had scored 14 tries. He got three on Saturday night in less than 40 minutes.

Bulls flyhalf Handre Pollard also easily got the better of his opposite Damian Willemse in the battle of the 10s.

Opta Facts 

• Before Saturday, the Stormers had won six of their last seven games against the Bulls.
• Before Saturday, the Bulls have won only one of their last seven games on home turf (L6).
• Before Saturday, The Stormers had won seven of their last nine South African derbies, including each of their last two and an eight-point win over the Bulls in their most recent such fixture.
• Before Saturday, Damian de Allende (73) has made four more carries this season than any other player.

Opta Powered Live Match Centre

Commentary 

• It’s all over! The referee has blown his whistle to end the game.
• 79‘Stormers have won 80 rucks so far this game.
• 79‘Lizo Gqoboka (Bulls) is shown a yellow card.
• 76‘Jason Jenkins has made 10 good tackles so far this game.
• 75‘The touch judges have waved away the attempt by Handre Pollard as he hooks it left.

• 73‘Carlu Sadie comes on.
• 73‘Wilco Louw comes off.
• 70‘Bulls have won 60 rucks so far this game.
• 70‘Siyabonga Ntubeni comes on.
• 70‘Ramone Samuels comes off.
• 69‘Handre Pollard adds the two points for Bulls.
• 69‘What a run here by Roelof Smit as they gets over the gainline!.
• 69‘That’s a great try assist by Roelof Smit.
• 69‘A wonderful passing move by Bulls is finished off by Jesse Kriel.
• 67‘Stormers decide to make a substitution, with Sikhumbuzo Notshe getting some game time.
• 67‘Stormers decide to make a substitution, with Nizaam Carr being replaced.
• 67‘The ball swings towards the posts but floats to the right, Damian Willemse will have to re-adjust the radar.
• 66‘Raymond Rhule sets up the try.
• 65‘A series of passes by Stormers results in a try for Siya Kolisi.
• 65‘Stormers have won 60 rucks so far this game.
• 65‘Dillyn Leyds makes the break as the defence re-enacts the parting of the red sea.
• 62‘Bulls make a substitution with Lizo Gqoboka coming on.
• 62‘Bulls make a substitution with Pierre Schoeman coming off.
• 62‘Bulls sub Embrose Papier comes onto the field.
• 62‘Ivan van Zyl departs for Bulls.
• 62‘JC van Rensburg comes on for Stormers.
• 62‘Steven Kitshoff leaves the field.
• 62‘Craig Barry comes on.
• 62‘SP Marais comes off.
• 61‘Pierre Schoeman has made 10 good tackles so far this game.
• 56‘Roelof Smit comes on.
• 56‘Thembelani Bholi comes off.
• 56‘Frans van Wyk comes on.
• 56‘Trevor Nyakane comes off.

• 55‘Bulls decide to make a substitution, with Jaco Visagie getting some game time.
• 55‘Bulls decide to make a substitution, with Adriaan Strauss being replaced.
• 54‘Fabulous play by Bulls has led to Divan Rossouw being able to wriggle through a gap.
• 53‘Damian Willemse steps up to take the penalty but pulls it wide and to the left.
• 52‘Stormers make a substitution with Jano Vermaak coming on.
• 52‘Stormers make a substitution with Justin Phillips coming off.
• 52‘Stormers sub Chris Van Zyl comes onto the field.
• 52‘Jan de Klerk departs for Stormers.
• 50‘Ruben van Heerden comes on for Bulls.
• 50‘Hendre Stassen leaves the field.
• 47‘Trouble here as Hendre Stassen breaches the defence.
• 46‘Handre Pollard does the business as his conversion attempt goes over.
• 45‘Adriaan Strauss scores the try from close range.
• 44‘Bulls have won 40 rucks so far this game.
• 41‘Pieter-Steph du Toit (Stormers) is shown a yellow card.
• 40‘The second half is underway.

• 40‘The half-time whistle blows and both teams’ head for the dressing rooms.
• 40‘Damian Willemse makes no mistake with that conversion attempt.
• 39‘The kick through from Stormers has allowed Damian de Allende to touch down.
• 39‘This is dangerous for the defence as Damian de Allende bursts through to advance the Stormers attack.
• 38‘Stormers have won 40 rucks so far this game.
• 37‘Damian Willemse curls the ball too far, missing the posts to the right.
• 36‘Stormers are only a few metres out, surely they must score! And they do with Jan de Klerk touching down.
• 31‘Handre Pollard converts the try.
• 31‘A gap opened in the defence and John-Ben Kotze took full advantage.
• 30‘Great hands by Bulls leads to a try for John-Ben Kotze.
• 25‘Bulls have won 20 rucks so far this game.
• 24‘Kobus Van Dyk comes on.
• 24‘Cobus Wiese comes off.
• 23‘Damian Willemse kicks the penalty.
• 20‘Stormers have won 20 rucks so far this game.
• 17‘Handre Pollard has hooked the conversion to the right of the posts.
• 16‘Nobody could stop that maul! Adriaan Strauss places the ball down for the try.
• 15‘Damian de Allende (Stormers) is shown a yellow card.
• 14‘Damian Willemse has kicked a penalty goal.
• 13‘The defensive line has been broken as Siya Kolisi goes through the gap.
• 7‘Handre Pollard has kicked a conversion.
• 5‘The Bulls pack has powered over for Adriaan Strauss to score the try.
•  We are underway as the referee blows his whistle.

Bulls v Stormers, Pretoria – 17:15

Bulls

15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Burger Odendaal (captain), 11 Divan Rossouw, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Tim Agaba, 7 Thembelani Bholi, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Hanro Liebenberg, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Pierre Schoeman

Substitutes: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Frans van Wyk, 18 Lizo Gqoboka, 19 Hendré Stassen, 20 Roelof Smit, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Johnny Kotze

Stormers

15 SP Marais, 14 Dillyn Leyds, 13 EW Viljoen, 12 Damian De Allende, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Justin Phillips, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Cobus Wiese, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Jan de Klerk, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Ramone Samuels, 1 Steven Kitshoff

Substitutes: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 JC Janse van Rensburg, 18 Carlu Sadie, 19 Chris van Zyl, 20 Kobus van Dyk, 21 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 22 Jano Vermaak, 23 Craig Barry