PRETORIA, South Africa, March 10 (Reuters) – Gareth
Anscombe scored all his team’s points as the Auckland Blues beat
the Bulls 29-23 in their Super Rugby match on Saturday.
The flyhalf, making his first start in the competition,
picked up two tries, two conversions and five penalties to help
the Blues record their first win at Loftus Versfeld since 2003.
The home team were left to rue the poor form of their
usually reliable flyhalf Morne Steyn who missed two conversions
and two penalty attempts.
“The Bulls put us under a lot of pressure in the first half.
In the second we couldn’t afford to play in our own half and it
was a matter of taking the chances when they came our way,”
Blues captain Keven Mealamu said.
“There is a lot of belief among the boys and it’s a matter
of keeping our heads down now and working.”
The Blues endured a rocky start to their campaign, losing
their first two matches, but Anscombe made his mark against the
Bulls in the second minute when he scooped up a loose pass on
the halfway line before outstripping the defence.
The 20-year-old converted his try before booting a 50-metre
penalty but in the 13th minute the visitors were reduced to 14
men when lock Ali Williams was yellow-carded for deliberately
collapsing a maul.
Two minutes later the Bulls took advantage of their
numerical superiority when Pierre Spies barged his way over for
an unconverted try.
Anscombe and Steyn traded penalties but the Blues ended the
half 20-8 up after the visiting flyhalf collected his second try
by rounding off a sparkling move that started deep in his own
territory.
Continued…
