Billed as one of their toughest assignments so far, the defending champions passed with flying colours, trouncing the Bulls 68-33.

It was a powerful and clinical display, particularly in the first 20 minutes.

“Our first 20 minutes was fantastic. Something just clicked with the boys,” Pirates coach Mat Kelly said.

In an at times heated contest both sides lost players to the bin. Pirates lost two, and the home side four over the course of the match, including Bryon Birch to a red card around 10 minutes into the second half.

The damage had well and truly been done by then though with Pirates ahead 47-12 at the break.

Aware that their biggest challenges are still to come, Kelly spoke about there being plenty of room for improvement, but said the riches were well deserved for the effort his players put in.

“The boys did a great job,” he said.

He said everyone really stood up, the senior players especially. The likes of Andrew Moodie, Brendan Rixon, Doug Biffin and Conrad Starr really took control. 

Starr was again prominent on the scoreboard crossing for four tries, and picked up the two points behind Biffin.

Chad Lambert rounded out a points trifecta for the backrow, reflecting how integral they were to the victory.

“They were fantastic,” Kelly said.

“It was good to win a couple of their balls (at the breakdown).”

The scrum was again also a weapon for them. At one stage they won a tight head with seven on eight.

Bulls coach Dave Silversides conceded the game was over after the first 35 minutes, the Bulls’ illdiscipline and execution hurting them early.

“Pirates capitalised on the position and possession they were afforded through our illdiscipline and errors,” Silversides said.

Not the first side, as he pointed out, to be on the wrong end of big a scoreline against Pirates, they will take some confidence from the way they were able to “pull the score back a little bit”.

“I was pleased with the second half, it was a much improved performance,” Silversides said.

“Defensively we strengthened up in the centre of the field.”

In the first half they got caught going a bit high.