The Vodacom Blue Bulls secured a comfortable 33-10 win over the EP Kings in their Currie Cup warm-up game in Port Elizabeth on Friday night.
Tries by flank Arno Botha, wing Travis Ismaiel and flyhalf Tian Schoeman enabled the visitors to establish a 21-3 lead at half-time.
Replacements Dries Swanepoel and Roelof Smit extended the Bulls' lead with two more tries after the break, while EP substitute Enrico Acker went over for a consolation try before full-time.
The Bulls open their Currie Cup campaign against the Free State Cheetahs on 8 August, while EP will kick off their season when they go head-to-head with the Golden Lions on the same day.
Blue Bulls – Tries: Arno Botha, Travis Ismaiel, Tian Schoeman, Dries Swanepoel, Roelof Smit. Conversions: Tian Schoeman (4).
EP Kings – Try: Enrico Acker. Conversion: Scott van Breda. Penalty: Scott van Breda.
Blue Bulls – 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 William Small-Smith, 12 Daniel Kriel, 11 Jamba Ulengo, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Arno Botha, 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Flip van der Merwe (c), 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Morné Mellett.
Subs: 16 Corniel Els, 17 Dean Greyling, 18 Nqoba Mxoli, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Clyde Davids, 21 Roelof Smit, 22 Ivan van Zyl, 23 Marais Schmidt, 24 Dries Swanepoel, 25 Jade Stighling, 26 Kefentse Mahlo.
EP Kings – 15 Scott van Breda, 14 Siviwe Soyizwapi, 13 Ronnie Cooke, 12 Tim Whitehead (c), 11 Luther Obi, 10 George Whitehead, 9 Kevin Luiters, 8 Tim Agaba, 7 Jacques Engelbrecht, 6 Thembelani Bholi, 5 Steven Sykes, 4 Stefan Willemse, 3 Basil Short, 2 Michael van Vuuren, 1 Schalk Ferreira.
Subs: 16 Albe de Swardt, 17 Tom Botha, 18 Cameron Lindsay, 19 Luke Watson, 20 Enrico Acker, 21 Karlo Aspeling, 22 Tythan Adams, 23 Lizo Gqoboka, 24 Tazz Fuzani, 25 JP du Plessis, 26 Marlou van Niekerk.
Photo: Lee Warren/Gallo Images
