Marcell Coetzee marked his return against his former club with a brace of tries as the Bulls beat Ulster 34-26 at Loftus Versfeld, with scrumhalf Paul de Wet voted man of the match after beating six defenders in a dominant display around the fringes.
Coetzee opened the scoring at the back of a driving maul before adding his second before half-time, though a mistimed double hit in the second half earned him ten minutes in the sin bin as Ulster briefly threatened a comeback. He still finished with a rating of 8 from Planet Rugby.
De Wet was equally influential, wreaking havoc around the breakdown and shifting into the backfield in the second half to cover for the injuries that disrupted the Bulls' backline. He was penalised twice for fumbles at the breakdown in the first half but his overall impact earned him the match award.
Handré Pollard was accurate and composed throughout, executing a 50:22 on the half-hour and landing all his kicks at goal before making way for Curwin Bosch. Sebastian de Klerk continued his strong form — an intercept in the 23rd minute and a try assist in the first half adding to his growing case for Springbok recognition.
The match came at a cost in terms of personnel. Centre Sango Xamlashe was carried off after losing consciousness following a knock, while winger Cheswill Jooste failed his HIA and did not return. Fullback Luan Giliomee, on loan from the Sharks, impressed with his running game despite conceding possession on a few occasions.
Elrigh Louw grabbed a first-half try but conceded three penalties, including a needless off-the-ball hit, which will concern the Springbok selectors as they monitor his return from his career-threatening injury.