Japan’s Sunwolves have beaten the three-time champion Bulls 21-20 to claim their first ever South African victim in their second season in the Super Rugby competition.

The victory, their first of the season, was secured by a Takaaki Nakazuru try and a Yu Tamura penalty while the Bulls were reduced to 14 players after centre Jan Serfontein had been sin-binned in the 68th minute.

The Pretoria-based Bulls could still have snatched the win but replacement back Francois Brummer missed the target with a late penalty and the Sunwolves held on to the delight of a noisy crowd at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium.

“It was awesome to get a win at home,” Sunwolves captain Tim Lafaele said.

“Big ups to the boys, everyone did their roles really well, put them under pressure.”

The Sunwolves made a great start when number eight Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco marked his Super Rugby debut with a sixth minute try.

Two Hayden Cripps penalties gave the home side an 11-10 halftime edge but Tiaan Schoeman’s second penalty soon put the Bulls in front and he added the extras when Travis Ismaiel broke three tackles to touch down in the corner in the 63rd minute.

Lafaele thought the bench had proved the difference as Sunwolves overturned a 20-10 deficit and hoped the victory might give them a boost before they head off on a tough four-week tour of New Zealand and Argentina.

“Our bench came in with heaps of energy, it was good,” added the Samoan-born centre.

“That win will give us confidence going into playing the New Zealand teams, hopefully it’ll give us a bit of energy.”