United Rugby Championship: Cardiff 19-29 Bulls

Bulls mounted a stunning second-half comeback in Cardiff to earn their first United Rugby Championship win.

The dominant hosts led 16-3 at half-time thanks to Matthew Screech's try and three penalties from the boot of Rhys Priestland.

But South Africa's Bulls turned the game on its head in the second half with 23 unanswered points.

Elrigh Louw and Madosh Tambwe scored their tries, with replacement fly-half Chris Smith kicking 19 points.

This was only a third victory for South Africa's four sides in the first season of the new-look United Rugby Championship - and a second in Wales this weekend after Sharks beat Ospreys on Friday.

As for Cardiff, for all the attacking verve they demonstrated in a vibrant first half, they were left to rue a woeful second in which they were completely overpowered.

Their evening was made worse by an injury to Wales flanker Josh Navidi, whose first appearance of the season lasted just eight minutes as he was forced off with a shoulder injury.

• Injured Navidi doubtful for Wales Tests

It might have been a different story for the British and Irish Lions player, who almost marked his return with a try after less than two minutes, only to be tackled just short of the line with wing Owen Lane wide open to his right.

That overlap was typical of a bright start from Cardiff, whose backs and forwards combined fluently to build an early 13-0 lead.

The hosts played with width and pace and attacked with invention, Screech powering his way over from close range for the opening try between two Priestland penalties.

Even with Cardiff lock Seb Davies spending 10 minutes in the sin-bin for leading with his shoulder at a ruck, Bulls offered little threat beyond the occasional burst from wing Kurt-Lee Arendse.

A Smith penalty got the visitors off the mark but a third from Priestland after a muscular Cardiff scrum restored the home side's 13-point lead at half-time.

Wales lock Matthew Screech rejoined Cardiff from Dragons at the start of this season

The tide turned in the second half, with Bulls rediscovering their strength up front to close the gap.

Veteran South Africa hooker Bismarck du Plessis bludgeoned his way into Cardiff's 22 and, from a subsequent penalty taken quickly, number eight Louw barged his way over.

Smith's conversion and penalty brought Bulls within three points and they took the lead for the first time with an opportunistic try after an hour.

Wing Tambwe seized on Hallam Amos' loose pass near the halfway line, kicked ahead and outpaced the covering Priestland to touch down.

The try was eventually given after a lengthy check with the television match official to ensure Bulls' Harold Vorster had not knocked the ball on as he tackled Amos.

Smith converted the score and added another two penalties soon afterwards to put Bulls 26-16 up.

Cardiff were rattled and barely ventured into the Bulls' 22, with their only points of the second half coming from a Priestland penalty briefly reducing their lead to 26-19.

But it was Smith who had the final word with his fifth penalty of the match to seal a memorable first win of the season for Bulls at the third attempt.

Cardiff director of rugby Dai Young: "Really positive first half. We matched their physicality right around the pitch. We looked dangerous and we were bossing the gainline in defence.

"We came into half-time really pleased. Second half, they upped their physicality, got a bit more front-foot ball and they are a big, powerful team.

"It wasn't helped by our lack of accuracy. Once we made one mistake, it resulted in another one and we couldn't find a way to get the momentum back.

"As positive as the first half was, the second half was disappointing."

Cardiff: Hallam Amos; Owen Lane, Rey Lee-Lo, Ben Thomas, Josh Adams; Rhys Priestland, Lloyd Williams; Rhys Carré, Kirby Myhill (capt), Dmitri Arhip, Seb Davies, Matthew Screech, Josh Navidi, Will Boyde, James Ratti.

Replacements: Kristian Dacey, Corey Domachowski, Dillon Lewis, Rory Thornton, Josh Turnbull, Tomos Williams, Willis Halaholo, Matthew Morgan.

Bulls: David Kriel; Madosh Tambwe, Cornal Hendricks, Harold Vorster, Kurt-Lee Arendse; Johan Goosen, Embrose Papier; Simphiwe Matanzima, Bismarck du Plessis, Jacques van Rooyen, Janko Swanepoel, Ruan Nortje, Marcell Coetzee (capt), Jacques du Plessis, Elrigh Louw.

Replacements: Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Lizo Gqoboka, Robert Hunt, Walt Steenkamp, Arno Botha, Keagan Johannes, Chris Smith, Lionel Mapoe.

Referee: Chris Busby (IRFU)

Assistant referees: Ben Whitehouse (WRU), John Darcy (WRU)

TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)