A late revival from the Bulls saw last year’s beaten finalists open their United Rugby Championship campaign with a hard-fought 22-16 win over Edinburgh, who will rue late errors as they shipped 10 points late on.

A try for Ewan Ashman and the boot of Ross Thompson had put the visitors into the lead before the Bulls, who had number eight Cameron Hanekom and prop Simphiwe Matanzima sent to the sin-bin, performed a rescue mission inside the final 15 minutes.  

The visitors were dealt a double injury blow inside the opening 10 minutes as first hooker Dave Cherry then centre Mark Bennett limped out of the game. The latter’s removal meant Ross McCann was thrust into the midfield.  

But with some excellent game management from Ali Price and Ross Thompson, who endured difficult outings against Leinster, the visitors were unaffected and controlled much of the proceedings.  

Sean Everitt’s side deservedly took the lead on quarter of an hour, Thompson firing over a long-range penalty after Francois Klopper was penalised for failing to roll away.  

All looked rosy at that stage for Edinburgh, but they relinquished control on the half-hour as the Bulls scored two tries in three minutes. First, former Exeter flanker Jannes Kirsten crossed after he was put away by Springboks wing Canan Moodie.  

Then Jaco van der Walt, against the side he spent six years representing before departing last summer, scampered over from close range to give the home side a 12-3 lead.  

The South Africans lost number eight Cameron Hanekom to the sin-bin after a cynical infringment, and Edinburgh hit back as Ewan Ashman drove over from a five-metre lineout. Thompson’s conversion made it a two-point game at the break.  

Edinburgh re-took the lead early in the second half, Thompson landing another penalty after Edinburgh exerted more pressure on the home scrum, which eventually led to a yellow card for Matanzima.  

The tourists hunted a second try but could not find a way through the home defence and coughed up possession, allowing Boeta Chamberlain to kick ahead for a 50:22. He took the lineout quickly, putting Moodie over as the match swung in favour of the Bulls once more.  

Chamberlain added a penalty with 12 minutes left to further extend the home lead as errors crept into Edinburgh’s game.  

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A late breakaway from Darcy Graham nearly put Duhan van der Merwe over, but the Scotland wing was hauled into touch by David Kriel.  

Edinburgh then lost Ewan Ashman to the sin-bin as their hopes of victory faded, but a penalty from Thompson did rescue a losing bonus point.  

Here are five things we learned. 

One lapse costly 

Up until the Bulls’ vital try with 15 minutes to go, Edinburgh had done well to win some big moments – turnover penalties from Jamie Ritchie and Ross Thompson and great lineout work by Grant Gilchrist among them. But as they attacked hunting a second try, the visitors lost the ball and were punished, Moodie swan-diving under their posts 30 seconds later.  

Missed opportunity for Edinburgh 

It was a golden opportunity for Edinburgh to secure a rare win on South African soil, but it slipped from their grasp inside the final quarter at altitude.  

With 20 minutes to go, Edinburgh were in front and dominating possession and territory, but just 10 minutes later, they were out of losing bonus point range and a man down having lost Ashman to the sin-bin. 

Given the cirumstances of the first hour, and with the hosts missing some of their Springbok contingent, there may have been no better chance for Edinburgh.  

Lineout problems persist 

One area of concern over the opening two games of the season for Sean Everitt and his coaches will be Edinburgh’s lineout, which has misfired in both games. They lost three here and messed up one from a penalty five metres from the Bulls line. If they can sort that out, it will give them another weapon.  

A losing bonus point could be valuable 

Had Edinburgh come away from an encouraging hour with nothing, it would have been a huge blow ahead of a trip to Johannesburg next weekend. The point salvaged by Thompson’s penalty five minutes from the end could prove vital at the business end of the season.  

Paul Hill has filled the void left by WP Nel 

The departure of Edinburgh veteran Nel at the end of last season appeared to leave a huge hole in the pack, but the arrival of former England cap Hill from Northampton Saints has more than filled it so far. He was on top against a much-heralded Bulls scrum and showed some nice touches with ball in hand. 

Bulls: David Kriel, Canan Moodie, Stedman Gans, Chris Smit, Sebastian de Klerk, Jaco van der Walt (Chamberlain 61), Embrose Papier; Alulutho Tshakweni (Matanzima 40), Akker van der Merwe [captain] (Grobbelaar 51), Francois Klopper (Smith 51), Ruan Vermaak (Tshakweni 66-, Cobus Wiese (Coetzee 27-40), Nama Xaba (Coetzee 58), Jannes Kirsten (van Heerden 27), Cameron Hanekom 

Tries: Kirsten (29), van der Walt (32), Moodie (65) 

Conversion: van der Walt (30), Chamberlain (65)

Penalties: Chamberlain (72) 

Yellow card: Hanekom (37), Matanzima (60) 

Edinburgh: Wes Goosen, Darcy Graham, Mark Bennett, Matt Scott (Healy 76), Duhan van der Merwe, Ross Thompson, Ali Price (Vellacott 51); Pierre Schoeman (Venter 55), Dave Cherry (Ashman 6), Paul Hill (Rae 53), Marshall Sykes, Grant Gilchrist [captain] (Hodgson 61), Jamie Ritchie, Hamish Watson (Dodd 66), Magnus Bradbury (Schoeman 76) 

Try: Ashman (39) 

Conversion: Thompson (40) 

Penalties: Thompson (15, 75)

Yellow card: Ashman (70) 

Referee: Ben Breakspear (WRU)