The Bulls' second stringers continued the franchise's good pre-season form when they edged the Cheetahs' back-up selection 33-29 in an entertaining encounter at Loftus Versfeld on Friday.

Nine tries were scored in a match that saw the visitors take a 17-12 lead at the half-time break. The A-teams of the Bulls and Cheetahs meet in Polokwane on Saturday.

Sharks import Daniel Adongo was the stand-out player in the Bulls B squad, as the utility forward scored a hat-trick - with solid performances from Jean Cook, Lionel Cronje, Cornell Hess, Sampie Mastriet and Ruan Snyman.

The Cheetahs, who gave their entire squad a run, also showed plenty of promise and with some real depth could be a handful in the Super Rugby competition this season.

The Cheetahs opened the scoring with a Sias Ebersohn penalty, but the Bulls showed their intent with a Jean Cook try - converted by Lionel Cronje.

It took the Cheetahs no time at all to regain the lead, as Justin Downey went over for his team's first try.

However, an amazing counter attack - started by a blistering run by Sampie Mastriet - saw Adongo scored the first of his three tries.

Just before half-time Marcel van der Merwe went over for the Cheetahs' second try, as the visitors took a 17-12 lead into the break.

Adongo scored his second try early in the second half and a great sideline conversion by Lionel Cronje saw the Bulls regain the lead.

However, the never-say-die Cheetahs went ahead again through a Barry Geel. try, with Riaan Smit's conversion making it 24-19.

Adongo then scored his hat-trick try, before a lovely blindside move saw speed machine Sampie Mastriet score for the Bulls. Cronje added the conversion and the host held a 33-24 lead.

Dusty Noble scored a late try for the Cheetahs to give them hope, but the conversion was wide and the Bulls held on for the win.

The scorers:

For the Bulls B:
Tries: Cook, Adongo 3, Mastriet
Cons: Cronje 4

For Cheetahs B:
Tries: Downey, Van der Merwe, Geel, Noble
Cons: Ebersohn 2, Smit
Pen: Ebersohn

Teams:

Bulls 'B': 15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Sampie Mastriet, 13 Ulrich Beyers, 12 Adri Jacobs, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Lionel Cronjé, 9 Ruan Snyman, 8 Jean Cook, 7 Daniel Adongo, 6 Shaun Adendorff, 5 Cornell Hess, 4 Gerrit-Jan van Velze, 3 Rayno Gerber, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Dawie Steyn.
Replacements - from: Robbie Coetzee, Louis Alberts, Schalk van Heerden, Victor Hechter, Xander Redelinghuys, Tony Jantjies, William Small-Smith, Travis Ismaiel, Vincent Koch, Marvin Orrie.

Cheetahs 'B': 15 Riaan Smit, 14 Dusty Noble, 13 Jean Stemmet, 12 Barry Geel, 11 Wilmaure Louw, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Tewis de Bruyn, 8 Philip van der Walt, 7 Justin Downey, 6 Johan Wessels, 5 Waltie Vermeulen, 4 George Earle, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Ryno Barnes, 1 Marcel van der Merwe.
Replacements: Hercu Liebenberg, Eugene Butterworth, Ockie van Zyl, Leon Karemaker, Marnus Hugo, Marnitz Boshoff, Matthew Rosslee, Philip Burger.

Referee: Tiaan Jonker