The Rhinos enjoyed a more clinical start to the second stanza, with a well-executed maul leading to a try for hooker Khwezi Mkhafu. Fortuin added the extras to steer his side into a commanding 11-point lead.
Just as the game appeared to be slipping away from them, Naka Bulle scored their first try through Ethan Williams. The forwards managed to set their maul and compromise the Rhinos defence, and the scrumhalf raced through a gap to score under the posts.
The momentum of the contest shifted, with the Naka Bulle winning the collisions and set pieces against a tiring Rhinos pack. Graaf crossed the tryline in the 64th minute to give his team the lead for the first time in the game.
After being awarded a scrum penalty in the 72nd minute, the Rhinos turned down a shot at goal in favour of another set piece. A well-worked move to the blindside culminated in a knock-on.
The contest was decided a moment later, when the hosts charged down an attempted clearance, and replacement Ruan Viviers swooped on the loose ball to score.
Northam scored another try via their rolling maul in the dying moments, but the five-pointer had no bearing on the final result.
Scorers:
Naka Bulle 22 (3) – Tries: Ethan Williams, Hansie Graaf, Ruan Viviers. Conversions: Graaf (2). Penalty goal: Graaf.
Northam Rhinos 19 (7) – Tries: Mira Bovu, Khwezi Mkhafu (2). Conversions: Darryn Fortuin (2).
