Super 14: Bulls trample Cheetahs

BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa - Springbok flyhalf Morne Steyn scored 24 points on Saturday as the defending Super 14 champion Bulls ran in six tries to defeat the Cheetahs 51-34 in the opening round.

Steyn scored 24 points with a try, five conversions and three penalties. The Bulls also scored tries through Jaco Pretorius, Gerhard van den Heever, Zane Kirchner and Wynand Olivier and was awarded a penalty try at Vodacom Park for a bonus point.

The Cheetahs missed out on a bonus point after scoring only three tries, including one to Lionel Mapoe after only 25 seconds.

"It shocked us a bit," Bulls captain Victor Matfield said. "But we've got a lot of experience and we knew we just had to focus on the next play."

Steyn and Cheetahs flyhalf Naas Olivier exchanged penalties before center Jaco Olivier crossed for the Bulls' first try after his forwards set up the attack with some good driving close to the line.

The Cheetahs stayed in contention throughout the first half through the boot of Olivier, but Steyn went over under the posts for a try as halftime neared and he kicked a penalty to take the score to 23-14.

Soon after the break, the Bulls scored two tries in two minutes -- the first by Van Den Heever after a sweeping attack from a quick lineout, and the second by Kirchner, who chased an improbable kick by lock Danie Rossouw out on the right wing from the restart.

Cheetahs captain Juan Smith scored a try from a series of rucks in the 50th minute. Two minutes later, teammate Jonhi Nokwe raced over after a break from deep in his own territory started by fullback Riaan Viljoen.

But Wynand Olivier was rewarded for some direct running and hard tackling with a try for the Bulls in the 56th minute as the Cheetahs defense crumbled as the pace of the game proved too much.

"With the rules being applied the way they are by the referees, the pace of game has really speeded up and it must be awesome for the spectators," Smith said.

The Cheetahs conceded a penalty try two minutes before fulltime.

- AP