New Zealand beat Bulls at Loftus Versfeld before South Africa Tests

New Zealand defeated the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld to end their tour with a third victory from three matches. The result completed the visitors’ preparations for a four-Test series against South Africa.

The Bulls were overpowered during a match in which New Zealand established control before the home side could turn the contest in its favour. The win gave New Zealand an unbeaten record across the three tour matches played before the South Africa series.

The Bulls’ points came through three tries. Vermaak crossed in the 41st minute, Jacobs scored in the 53rd, and Coetzee added the third in the 72nd minute. Bosch converted two of those scores, with the successful kicks arriving in the 42nd and 73rd minutes.

Those scores provided the main attacking returns for the Bulls, but they were not enough to prevent New Zealand from claiming another tour win. The visitors had already recorded two victories on the trip before adding the Loftus Versfeld result.

New Zealand now move on to the four-Test series against South Africa with their tour programme complete. For the Bulls, the defeat came at home and followed a match in which their three tries and two conversions could not match the visitors’ performance.

The result therefore leaves New Zealand with three wins from three tour fixtures, while the Bulls’ contribution was marked by tries from Vermaak, Jacobs and Coetzee. Bosch supplied the conversions, but New Zealand retained control through to the end.