Bouncing ball makes a mockery of defenders yet again in bizarre try
On one hand, Lions winger Edwill van der Merwe should know that you should never trust the bounce of a rugby ball. On the other hand, he was probably not aware he was playing against half man/ half octopus in the Bulls’ Sibongile Novuka at Loftus Versfeld in the United Rugby Championship on Saturday.
Van der Merwe just thought he would be able to usher the ball out into touch following a grubber kick from the Bulls’ Wandisile Simelane, but we have all seen that go very wrong before. Just before the ball went into touch, Novuka was able to somehow wrap his leg around the winger to keep the ball in play and allow Simelane to score. It was a very bizarre looking try, but once again shows the danger of relying on the bounce of a rugby ball.
The Lions were leading at that point 23-13, but the try put the Bulls within one score. Fortunately for van der Merwe, his side still came away 29-25 winners, which leaves them in eleventh place in the URC while the Bulls sit in sixth place.
Take a look at the try from the Bulls:
How has he done that! 🤯@Vodacom #URC | #BULvLIO pic.twitter.com/sJLw9Gazio
— Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial_RSA) March 4, 2023
Vodacom Bulls XV: Wandisile Simelane, Sibongile Novuka, Cornal Hendricks, David Kriel, Sbu Nkosi, Morne Steyn, Embrose Papier, Dylan Smith, Johan Grobbelaar, Mornay Smith, Jacques Du Plessis, Ruan Nortje (CAPT), Marco van Staden, WJ Steenkamp, Elrigh Louw
Replacements: Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Simphiwe Matanzima, Francois Klopper, Ruan Vermaak, Cyle Brink, Bernard van der Linde, Chris Smith, Harold Vorster
Emirates Lions XV: Quan Horn, Rabz Maxwane, Manuel Rass, Marius Louw (CAPT), Edwill van der Merwe, Gianni Lombard, Sanele Nohamba, JP Smith, PJ Botha, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Willem Alberts, Ruben Schoeman, Emmanuel Tshituka, Ruan Venter, Francke Horn
Replacements: Morne Brandon, Rhynardt Rijnsburger, Ruan Smith, Ruan Delport, Jarod Cairns, Morne van den Berg, Rynhardt Jonker, Andries Coetzee
