{"id":20806,"date":"2013-06-30T17:12:20","date_gmt":"2013-06-30T15:12:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/vodacom-bulls-48-31-southern-kings-18-13\/"},"modified":"2013-06-30T17:12:20","modified_gmt":"2013-06-30T15:12:20","slug":"vodacom-bulls-48-31-southern-kings-18-13","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/vodacom-bulls-48-31-southern-kings-18-13\/","title":{"rendered":"Vodacom Bulls 48 (31) Southern Kings 18 (13)"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The Vodacom Bulls secured first place in the South African Conference and booked their place in the Vodacom Super Rugby Finals Series with an emphatic win over the Southern Kings<\/a> at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Saturday\u2019s win over the Southern Kings<\/a> means that the Vodacom Bulls will be crowned South African Conference champions in a fortnight\u2019s time and will go on to contest their seventh Vodacom Super Rugby playoff match in nine years.<\/p>\n

At the same time, Vodacom Bulls flyhalf Morn\u00e9 Steyn became the first player to reach 200 season points when he contributed 16 of the home team\u2019s points, with a personal tally of 212 points, as they moved up to second position on the combined log.<\/p>\n

The Vodacom Bulls scored six tries \u2013 four of them in the first half \u2013 to the two by the Kings, both by flanker Wimpie van der Walt. It was a burst of three tries in five minutes towards the end of the opening 40 minutes which ultimately broke the visitors.<\/p>\n

At 31-13 at half-time, the game was basically in the bag for the home team, who set up the victory on the back of a very solid set piece and some enterprising play at the back, especially when they got into the Kings\u2019 half of the field.<\/p>\n

The Kings deserve credit though \u2013 they never gave up and managed to disrupt the Vodacom Bulls at certain times of the match, but they did make a few crucial mistakes on defence. As it stands, the home team won easily, although the performance was far from perfect.<\/p>\n

The Southern Kings now sit at the bottom of the South African conference on 24 points \u2013 a scant 2 points ahead of New Zealand\u2019s Highlanders on 22 points.<\/p>\n

Top scorer for the Southern Kings, Demetri Catrakilis is in 9th place overall with his tally of 130 points<\/p>\n

With one home match to go against the Stormers on Saturday 6 July, the Kings will be hard at work preparing for the two Promotion\/Relegation matches that they will play against the Lions. The Stormers will be feeling confident after their win 28-3 win against the Cheetahs this past Saturday.<\/p>\n

Scorers:<\/strong><\/p>\n