Pollard kicks Bulls to rare away triumph over Lions

Pollard, deputising as skipper for injured lock Lood de Jager, slotted six penalties and a conversion from eight shots at goal.

It took his season tally to 52 points after three rounds, 17 more than second-place Hayden Parker from Japanese outfit the Sunwolves.

Pollard kicked the Bulls into the lead on 14 minutes at Ellis Park, they led 14-0 at the half and sealed victory five minutes from time when full-back Warrick Gelant scored a try.

In another South African derby, the Stormers edged the Sharks 16-11 in a dour Durban match in which the home team had two players sin-binned and the visitors one.

Victory in Johannesburg lifted the Bulls three places to fourth, three points behind leaders and defending champions the Crusaders from New Zealand.

The Lions, runners-up in the past three Super Rugby finals, slid to 11th after a second successive loss in the southern hemisphere franchise championship.

While Eli Snyman starred as a replacement for De Jager, the Lions struggled without injured captain and No. 8 Warren Whiteley, who was replaced by hooker Malcolm Marx.

"It was a great team effort," said Pollard, the likeliest Springboks playmaker at the 2019 World Cup in Japan this September.

"I did not expect to win by such a wide margin given the Lions' record against us at Ellis Park in recent seasons.

"Everyone contributed and I want to give special praise to Eli. He had big shoes to fill as a replacement for Lood and lasted the full 80 minutes."

- 'We missed Warren' -

Marx, a finalist for the 2018 World Rugby Player of the Year award won by Ireland fly-half Johnny Sexton, led the Lions even though fly-half Elton Jantjies is the official vice-captain.

"We rarely got out of our half in the first half and when we did, we made mistakes. Obviously, we missed Warren, who is a great captain and leader."

Duane Vermeulen was the Bulls' other try-scorer while props Carlu Sadie and Dylan Smith scored a try each for the Lions with Jantjies converting one.

The Sharks, the only team with a maximum 10 points after two rounds, fell behind after five minutes when full-back Damian Willemse scored an intercept try.

It was a lead the Cape Town outfit never lost and, despite some wayward goal-kicking from usually reliable winger SP Marais, they built a 13-3 half-time advantage.

A try from centre Lukhanyo Am helped the Sharks close the gap to two points, but Marais closed the scoring with his third penalty 14 minutes from time.

Am and hooker Akker van der Merwe were yellow-carded during a constantly-interrupted opening half and Province centre Dan du Plessis got a similar punishment in the second half.

Victorious skipper Siya Kolisi said he was proud at the way Province had fought back after a 40-3 first-round thrashing at the Bulls.

"Nothing was changed after that hiding because that would have signified panic. We trusted our players and tactics," he said.

Sharks skipper and scrum-half Louis Schreuder was furious after seeing good early-season form evaporate.

"How can you expect to win when two of the team are sin-binned and we concede endless penalties?."