A hat trick of tries from the BKT URC Player of the Match, Tom Stewart, ensured Ulster continued their winning form as the season goes into a crucial stage.
The victory at Kingspan Stadium means Ulster have become the first side to win against all four South African sides - the Bulls, Stormers, Lions and Sharks.
Ulster Head Coach, Dan McFarland, named a strong side, with Kieran Treadwell returning from winning the Grand Slam with Ireland and winger Rob Baloucoune returning to the starting 15.
It had been two months since the Ulstermen last played at Kingspan Stadium and the fans didn't have to wait long for a moment to cheer.
The rafters shook as returning winger, Rob Baloucoune, marked his return from injury with a trademark finish in the corner after nimble work and an excellent pass from Mike Lowry. Nathan Doak was unable to convert a tricky conversion.
Bulls pulled three points back quickly through their accurate fly half Chris Smith who was impressive for the away side.
The Bulls took the lead after 18 minutes, with the dangerous Springbok international winger Kurt Lee Arendse making the breakthrough for the South Africans. Smith added the extras to send the Bulls ahead by five points at 5-10.
Ulster punched back only a few minutes later through their well trusted maul weapon, with leading try scorer Tom Stewart finishing off for his first of the night.
Nathan Doak made no mistakes as he converted to send the home side back into the lead at 12-10.
The back and forth nature of the game was on full show as next it was the Bulls turn to score. Scrum half Zak Burger finishing off a wave of Bulls pressure. Smith converted and then scored a penalty a few minutes later to ensure the Bulls went into the break with an eight point lead at 12-20.
HT : 12-20
Ulster started the second half meaning business and made the perfect reaction. After Bulls number 8, Elrigh Louw, was shown a yellow for repeated offences, Ulster made the breakthrough through Tom Stewart, again after a maul. That made it two tries and 12 for the season for the dangerous hooker.
Doak's conversion made it a one point game at 19-20.
With the home crowd fully with the momentum, Ulster burst into the lead through...you guessed it, Tom Stewart, who rolled his way over the line for the try. A hat trick of tries for the 22 year old who has been in fine form.
Doak punched his kick through the posts to give Ulster a 26-20 lead.
Smith and Doak would add further penalties to leave the scores at 29-23 heading into the last 15 minutes.
Then one of the pivotal moments of the game. Bulls thought they had won an important penalty that they could attack from but referee Craig Evans reversed the decision having seen that Billy Burns was hit with an illegal tackle from Bulls veteran hooker Bismarck du Plessis. The former Springbok international was giving marching orders to the sin bin with a yellow.
Replacement scrum half, John Cooney, added the icing on the cake in the last kick of the game as he aced his penalty to secure the match by ten points.
Ulster head into a huge Champions Cup encounter against interprovincial rivals Leinster with momentum and continue to chase down the DHL Stormers in second place in the URC table.
Player of the match
What a performance 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ZDPAmpgENu
— Ulster Rugby (@UlsterRugby) March 25, 2023
Baloucoune back
.@UlsterRugby have come FLYING out of the block! 💨 #BKTURC #URC | #ULSvBUL pic.twitter.com/GOy92kRB9D
— BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) March 25, 2023
Scorers
Ulster:
TRY: Baloucoune, Stewart
CON: Doak (3)
PEN: Doak, Cooney
Bulls:
TRY: Arendse, Burger
CON: Smith (2)
PEN: Smith (3)
Teams
Ulster
(15-9) Lowry; Balocoune, Hume, Moore, Stockdale; Burns, Doak;
(1-8) Warwick, Stewart, Toomaga-Allen; Treadwell, Carter; McCann, Timoney, Vermeulen (capt).
Replacements: Andrew, O'Sullivan, Milasinovich, O'Connor, Sheridan, Marcus Rea, Cooney, Postlethwaite.
Bulls
(15-9) Arendse; Moodie, Hendricks, Vorster, Kriel; Smith, Burger; Steenekamp, Grobbelaar, Smith;
(1-8) Vermaak, Nortje (capt); Van Staden, Brink, Louw.
Replacements: Matanzima, Du Plessis, Klopper, Swanepoel, Steenkamp, Papier, Steyn, Gans
Match Referee: Craig Evans (WRU)
Attendance: 12,196