The Bulls got their Investec Champions Cup campaign off to encouraging starts over Stade Français, one of the leading teams in the French Top 14 league.

Johan Ackermann’s team produced an impressive display to outplay Stade Francais 56-20 in Pretoria.

Junior Springbok wing Cheswill Jooste earning a memorable hat-trick in the team’s opening match of the competition. The speedster wasted no time laying a marker in the game as he scored his first try after just 25 seconds by chasing down a grubber kick and dived on the ball.

Both teams applied pressure on attack, with the hosts coming close to scoring again minutes later, but a Stade Francais penalty goal allowed them to reduce their deficit, which was subsequently cancelled out by a second Bulls try by Cobus Wiese after some strong forward play close to the tryline in the 16^th minute to hand his side a 14-3 lead.

A frustrating period followed for the Bulls, who were unable to convert a handful of try-scoring chances into points, while the Frenchmen again kicked a penalty goal.

The hosts eventually earned the rewards from their consistent attacking pressure shortly before the break with Cameron Hanekom forcing his way over the chalk from a quick tap after a scrum penalty to burrow through several defenders, which earned them a 21-6 halftime lead.

The French visitors struck first after the break, but it took only three minutes for the Bulls to respond as Marco van Staden crashed over from a strong rolling maul to go 28-13 up.

Stade Francais earned their second try shortly before the fourth quarter as they spread the ball wide from a maul, and it was an eight-point game with over 20 minutes to play.

The Bulls’ fighting spirit, however, kicked into gear and Jeandre Rudolph produced a magical try from a chip, followed by a well-timed grubber, which he managed to gather and score.

This put a wind in their sails as Jan-Hendrik Wessels scored from a cross-kick by Willie le Roux, followed by an impressive two tries in as many minutes by Jooste. Handré Pollard remained on point with the boot to convert all eight tries for the satisfying 56-20 victory.

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