Ken Borland

The Bulls had stretched Griquas to almost breaking-point in the first half of their Currie Cup clash at the weekend, but then allowed the visitors to come roaring back in the second half, coach Jake White making no bones about how disappointed he was with his players for some dumb moments both in discipline and in defence.

It was one-way traffic in the first 40 minutes at Loftus Versfeld as the Bulls cruised to a 36-5 lead with some clinical rugby. They extended their advantage to 41-5 early in the second half, but then two yellow cards in three minutes – to prop Lizo Gqoboka for collapsing a maul and to wing Madosh Tambwe for a deliberate knock-on – caused a total shift in momentum.

In the end Griquas were able to score six tries and the Bulls were relieved to win 48-38 in the end.

“Griquas made the Currie Cup semi-finals last year so they’ve showed they can play,” White said. “But with a URC team playing against a Currie Cup side and leading 36-5 at halftime, you would think you get a lot more out of the second half.

“Instead Griquas really got a roll on in the second half, which was very disappointing. The players must be proud to play for the Bulls, but they did not show that in the way they defended. They know how I feel about it because I let them know – we cannot defend like that.

“When it becomes too easy, you can play a bit too loose and that played into Griquas’ hands. It’s even more of an indictment that we were so far ahead, because that’s when you have to keep them out.

“And we speak about discipline every week but we had two yellow cards when we were more than 30 points ahead and not under any pressure. It was just too easy, it’s not as if they were pounding away at us,” White said.

While Tambwe’s yellow card came when he went for an intercept but could not hang on to the ball, killing a Griquas overlap in the process, the French-bound wing looked the classiest player on the park.

“Madosh has just improved so much,” White said. “His sheer understanding of what to do in defence killed a lot of Griquas attacks and he showed a real touch of class in setting up Canan Moodie’s try.

“His work-rate is also exceptional. We definitely want to keep him … maybe there will be some visa issues that keep him here … ” White joked.

Superb centuries by Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen laid the platform, but then South Africa called on all their deposits of character and composure in the field as they beat India by 31 runs in the first ODI at Boland Park in Paarl on Wednesday.

Captain Bavuma, having won the toss and elected to bat, found himself at the crease in just the fifth over as a flatfooted Janneman Malan (6) was caught behind off Jasprit Bumrah.

Bavuma was patient on a tricky pitch, getting himself in, but South Africa found themselves in trouble on 68/3 when a scratchy Quinton de Kock (27) and Aiden Markram, who ran himself out for 4, were dismissed.

But enter Van der Dussen and he and Bavuma added a magnificent 204 for the fourth wicket, a record for South Africa against India, off just 190 deliveries.

Bavuma provided the solid foundation for the impressive total of 296/4, scoring a wonderfully controlled 110 off 143 balls, working the ball around the field with aplomb.

Van der Dussen, despite coming in at a tough time with ace spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal bowling on a slow pitch that made scoring difficult, was quickly off and running.

His half-century came at a run-a-ball as he played with marvellous skill and shot-selection, using sweeps to great effect.

Having reached a sublime century, Van der Dussen was able to change gears at the death, hitting four sixes and finishing on a magnificent, career-best 129 not out off 96 balls, his last 29 runs coming off just 13 deliveries.

Chasing what would have been a record score at Boland Park, Shikhar Dhawan (79) and Virat Kohli (51) laid an excellent platform as they took India to 137/1 at the halfway stage.

But Keshav Maharaj (10-0-42-1), ever the fighter, then turned a delivery sharply out of the rough to bowl Dhawan and get the Proteas back in the game. Once they had a sniff, they were relentless.

The key wicket of Kohli would come just three overs later as a change of pace from Tabraiz Shamsi (10-1-52-2) saw him toe-end a sweep to short midwicket.

Aggressive short-pitched bowling from Lungi Ngidi (10-0-64-2) then removed Shreyas (17) and Venkatesh Iyer (17), both on the hook.

The end of India’s hopes would come when De Kock pulled off an outstanding leg-side stumping off Andile Phehlukwayo (5-0-26-2) to dismiss Rishabh Pant for 16.

Shardul Thakur swung hard at the death to score 50 not out off 43 balls, but South Africa’s composure was unfailing.

Coach Jake White communicated to his Bulls team at the break that they “had not been great” in the first half, but then, with his bench coming on to great effect, he told them at the end of their impressive 43-9 hammering of the Sharks in their Rainbow Cup match at Loftus Versfeld at the weekend that he was “very proud” of them.

The Bulls only led 12-9 at halftime and were entrenched in an almighty arm-wrestle with the Sharks; but their slow poison bore fruit in the second half as they eventually overwhelmed their opponents, finishing with four tries and a bonus point.

“Slowly, slowly, we were able to grind them down because the Sharks are a very good side. The altitude caught up with them in the second half, but we didn’t have a great first half: We allowed too many balls to bounce and I think the Sharks probably won every contestable kick. But I’m very proud of the way we finished. Our forwards were really good and the backs played well in the second half.

“The bench coming on played a vital role and we were in the wonderful position to have two Springbok props on the bench. I wanted a full half from Lizo Gqoboka and Trevor Nyakane and it was great to be able to hold them back because I knew Thomas du Toit and Ox Nche would come hard at us. But our relatively young front row did very well in the first half and then Lizo made a big impact.

“Last week he did the same in setting up the try for Zak Burger and he’s also scrumming very well. He knows there’s an opportunity for him at the Springboks now that Beast Mtawarira has retired. Elrigh Louw was also fantastic for us and in the last 20 we were really able to make the tempo higher because we are really fit,” White said after the memorable triumph.

White once again praised openside flank Marco van Staden – “he has been unbelievable for us, week-after-week putting 150% into everything” – and it seems stupidity at this stage not to have him in the Springbok picture for the Lions series.

Veteran flyhalf Morne Steyn is apparently in the frame for the national squad and he gave a masterclass against the Sharks, deservedly winning the man of the match award. “His kicks through into the corner, turning the Sharks around, just showed his class. He slowly, slowly, squeezed the Sharks until they capitulated,” White said.

The coach also praised captain Duane Vermeulen and his three locks – Walt Steenkamp, Ruan Nortje and Janko Swanepoel – as being stand-out performers.