The Bulls have kicked off their Super Rugby tour of Australia with a 20-42 Bonus Point victory over the Western Force in Perth.
The Bulls beat the Force in Pretoria last year so the result earns them back to back wins over the Perth side for the second time in their history.
The victory ends a six match losing streak in Australia for the Bulls and also extends their winning run this season to five consecutive wins.
The Bulls outscored the Force by five tries to two in the 22 point victory which earns them their second try bonus point this season.
Jan Serfontein and Bulls captain Adriaan Strauss both scored two tries each in the match.
The Bulls currently have more points than the Lions but as the Lions top a different conference they are behind them in the South African Group.
The Bulls are however still well within reach of the play offs and currently occupy one of the Wild Card qualification places.
The game was in the balance when the Bulls led 18-13 at the break, with the South Africans running in the first two tries of the game through Hanro Liebenberg and Jan Serfontein in the opening 20 minutes.
The Force struck back through skipper Matt Hodgson in the 26th minute.
However, the Bulls put the margin beyond a converted try after the resumption, with a penalty to Francois Brummer in the 49th minute.
They then broke the game open with three tries in 15 minutes as the Force wilted and suddenly found themselves down 42-13.
A second try to Serfontein as he broke through the defence in the 54th minute gave the Bulls a commanding lead.
Five minutes later, skipper Adriaan Strauss capitalised after a line-out win to score.
The Force were on their knees and Strauss finished them off by driving over the line for his second try in the 67th minute.
The home side scored a consolation try after the final hooter through Kyle Godwin.
Strauss was delighted with the performance for their opening tour match.
“Very happy with the performance,” he said.
“They stuck to the game plan until the end. The forwards and the backs did quite well tonight and worked hard for each other.”
Next week the Bulls travel to Canberra to play the Brumbies and the Force fly to Tokyo as they take on the Sunwolves.
Final Score Force 20 (13) Bulls 42 (18)
Scorers
Force
Tries -M.Hodgson, K.Godwin
Pen – I.Prior 2
Con – I.Prior
Drop –
Cards – B.Stander (53rd min yellow)
Bulls
Tries – H.Liebenberg ,J.Serfontein 2, A.Strauss 2
Pen – F.Brummer 3
Con -F.Brummer 3
Drop –
Cards –
Match Officials
Referee: Jaco van Heerden
Assistant Ref 1:Rohan Hoffman
Assistant Ref 2:Damien Mitchelmore
TMO : Ian Smith
Teams
Western Force
1. Francois van Wyk , 2. Harry Scoble , 3. Tetera Faulkner , 4. Sitiveni (Steve) Mafi , 5. Adam Coleman , 6. Angus Cottrell , 7. Matt Hodgson (C) , 8. Ben McCalman , 9. Alby Mathewson , 10. Ian Prior , 11. Luke Morahan , 12. Solomoni (Junior) Rasolea , 13. Ammon Matuauto , 14. Marcel Brache , 15. Dane Haylett-Petty
Replacements : 16. Chris Heiberg , 17. Anaru Rangi , 18. Guy Millar , 19. Ross Haylett-Petty , 20. Brynard Stander , 21. Ryan Louwrens , 22. Kyle Godwin , 23. Semisi Masirewa
Bulls
SP Marais , Travis Ismaiel, Jesse Kriel, Jan Serfontein, Bjorn Basson, Francois Brummer, Piet van Zyl, Hanro Liebenberg, Arno Botha, Lappies Labuschagne, Marvin Orie, RG Snyman , Marcel van der Merwe, Adriaan Strauss (c), Trevor Nyakane.
Replacements: Bandise Maku, Lizo Gqoboka, Werner Kruger, Jannes Kirsten , Roelof Smit, Rudy Paige, Tian Schoeman, Dries Swanepoel
