A last-gasp Gianni Lombard drop-goal attempt sailed wide as the Vodacom Bulls held on for a nailbiting Currie Cup victory against the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday.

The Bulls took the lead in the third minute with an Elrigh Louw try and never relinquished it in a Jukskei derby that featured nine tries en route to a 33-32 result for the visitors.

The Bulls scored four of those tries in the first half for a 26-20 lead at the break. While the Lions can be applauded for fighting to the final whistle, the Bulls must be venerated for keeping the hosts in check on the scoreboard, epitomised by them defending a one-point advantage in the dying moments before Lombard skewed the potential game-winner.

Tries from Louw and winger David Kriel got the visitors off to a flyer, before Lions No 8 Francke Horn dotted down. The visitors struck again with tries from scrumhalf Embrose Papier and prop Mornay Smith, but the Lions replied again to cut the deficit to six points at half time.

Lions winger Edwill van der Merwe crossed the whitewash five minutes into the second half before the Bulls came back to send Marcell Coetzee across the line.

Van der Merwe’s second try threatened the visitors’ advantage, but the Bulls dug in to defend their line and when Lombard’s drop-goal attempt sailed wide, they celebrated a hard-fought victory.

Photo: Gordon Arons/Gallo Images