Bulls bury Valke
17 Aug 2007
The Bulls swept to a 48-7 victory in a scrappy match against the Valke.
The scoreline looks emphatic, but there was certainly nothing convincing about this Bulls performance against the worst side in the tournament.
They played a brand of rugby that may have reaped rewards against the Brakpan minnows but would bomb against the tournament’s big hitters.
Perhaps there was a misinterpretation of coach Pote Human’s call for them to be more positive after last week’s loss to the Cheetahs, because the manner in which the Bulls went about what should have been a simple mission was perplexing.
The percentage, territory-based rugby that has brought them success was non-existent, as was their usually effective phase play. The tight forwards ran like outside backs and the backs like tight forwards.
The win can in a large part be attributed to the Valke’s struggles in the lineout, poor tactical kicking, inability to dominate collisions and woeful fundamental skills, rather than a ruthless Bulls unit.
But judging by how they shaped early on there were no signs that they would turn in the poor performance they did.
Their opening try came in a manner that has become synonymous with the Bulls, driving over from close range with Derick Kuun emerging from the mound of bodies.
Their second was a throwback to their memorable Super 14 game against the Reds. They ran a turnonver from inside their 22m with JP Joubert selling a dummy before finding John Mametsa who raced home from 35m.
The bonus point looked to be a mere formality at that stage, but what was to follow was the Bulls’ worst period of Currie Cup rugby in many years.
Their attacking structure was poor, defensively they were slipping tackles they would usually nail and their fundamental skills were poor. From an attacking perspective they either went too lateral, or tried to compensate for their conservative approach last week by striving to keep the ball alive instead of setting up the phase.
That has never been a style that suited the Bulls, and they would be well advised to revert to the forward orientated approach, given the lack of penetration in the back division.
Their third try looked like one that could have been constructed by an U14 E side, such was the lack of purpose which preceded Pedrie Wannenburg crossing the chalk.
The looseness of the Bulls approach meant the Valke were always in the game and they scored shortly before the break.
The ball spat out from a Bulls scrum in the 22m and rolled into the in-goal area. Bertus Swanepoel beat JP Nel to the loose ball.
At 19-7 the Valke would have fancied their chances had the Bulls produced the same performance after the break. But the visitors eliminated that hope with a three-try blitz in the 10 minutes after the restart.
The Valke’s Fijian winger Akuila Nawerecagi will do well to avoid being deported after a dreadful handling error five metres from his goal line gifted Marius Delport a try. Derick Hougaard then danced through the Valke’s defence before Johan Roets, playing his 100th Currie Cup match for the Bulls, started and finished a move he had initiated in his 22m.
The Valke had shot their bolt defensively, and the Bulls were breaching them with even the most elementary moves. John Mametsa profited, bagging two tries in quick succession to complete his hattrick.
The five points means it’s mission completed for the Bulls. But they look a side in need of the break they’ll get in the week ahead, before launching an assault on a home semi-final spot.
Valke – Try: Bertus Swanepoel. Conversion: Riaan Viljoen
Bulls – Try: Derick Kuun, John Mametsa (3), Pedrie Wannenburg, Marius Delport, Derick Hougaard, Johan Roets. Conversion: Derick Hougaard (4)
Valke - 15 Riaan Viljoen, 14 Akuila Nawerecagi, 13 Bertus Swanepoel, 12 Hanno Coetzee, 11 Mpho Matsaung, 10 Albert Keuris, 9 Charl McLeod, 8 Sean Plaatjies, 7 Schalk van der Merwe, 6 Piet Krause, 5 Nico Luus, 4 Hein Potgieter, 3 Günder Williamson, 2 David Britz, 1 Gavin Whittingham.
Replacements: 16 Ryno Barnes, 17 CJ du Toit, 18 Marius Coetzer, 19 Wium Arlow, 20 Morné Adams, 21 Len Olivier, 22 Rouan Cloete.
Blue Bulls - 15 Johan Roets, 14 John Mametsa, 13 JP Nel, 12 Wayne Julies, 11 Marius Delport, 10 Derick Hougaard, 9 JP Joubert, 8 Pedrie Wannenburg, 7 Deon Stegmann, 6 Hottie Louw, 5 Francois van Schouwenburg, 4 Cliff Milton, 3 Rayno Gerber, 2 Derick Kuün (captain), 1 Jaco Engels.
Replacements: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Werner Kruger, 18 Ruan Vermeulen, 19 Gerhard Human, 20 Neil Powell, 21 Morné Steyn, 22 Danwel Demas.
19 Comments
17 Aug 2007, 19:05 pm
GO VALKE!!!!!!
hehehe, Bulls met 21
17 Aug 2007, 19:12 pm
EK HOU NIE VAN DIE BULLS NIE
17 Aug 2007, 19:21 pm
VALKKKKKKKEEEEEEEEEEEEE
17 Aug 2007, 20:01 pm
Nobody wants to talk tonight
17 Aug 2007, 20:10 pm
Nee, ek sal gesels, maar wil jy gesels?
17 Aug 2007, 20:22 pm
Hoe kan Supersport ‘n d@@s van ‘n komentator aanstel wat heeltyd praat van “ons”??
17 Aug 2007, 20:58 pm
Kyk as ons dink ons kort n losskakel in SA dan kort ons verseker goeie komentators, ek se al jare hulle moet n derde klankbaan met uitsendings beskikbaar stel, afr, eng en byklanke en die ref se mikrofoon
17 Aug 2007, 21:00 pm
Daai JP Joubert kerel speel n lekker game!
Ja Joost was daar om die beker te oorhandig.
17 Aug 2007, 21:11 pm
Baie goeie game deur JP , ek het ook die spel van Engels en Gerber geniet, ek weet nie wat die Bulle gaan oorhe vir volgende jaar se S14 nie maar die 2 stutte begin nou stem dik maak, sal dit nou nie great wees om sulke spel gereeld van hulle te sien nie.
Al wat ek deesdae haat van ons CB is die feit dat ons in elke wedstryd **** van nog spelers wat oorsee gaan speel. Ons beter vinnig by die Heineken Cup aansluit sodat ons unies ook ponde kan kry om minstens n paar spelers te behou.
17 Aug 2007, 23:38 pm
How can one comment on this game without appearing to be unfairly critical of the Bulls – I say unfairly because they are at least beginning to experiment with a more balanced game. This is critical if they are to progress further without their usual juggernaught pack. Moreover they would need to maintain the all-round-game style and momentum gained in the Super 14.
As for the Falke: Rudi has done the right thing by dropping a few of his scandalously badly conditioned behemoths. IMO he has no option but to continue doing that (there are still too many possengers!) and then he has to rebuild the team competely from the ground level up. To achive this he would have to get down to simple basics – something like Ashton is doing in England.
Yes he will loose more games – he isn’t going to win them anyway! But if he can at least show an upward curve in the team’s basic performance (i.e. the game stats) and then give the team some shape & strategic ideas – then he has at least achived something – even if it is only for himself.
As for the union itself: They should look to the Sharks talent development system and implement something similar post haste.
18 Aug 2007, 00:10 am
Just had a chat and a beer with Jake at the Samoa v Quins game,EJ was also there
18 Aug 2007, 03:08 am
Goed genoeg, Bulle. Rayno Gerber en Hottie die warmste!
18 Aug 2007, 04:53 am
Read this on Supersport-
Challenge to Spies
Message: I am 61 years old and like Spies my father died at 54 thrombosis listed on death certificate.
I have absolute baptism of fire, training the exact same fitness schedule side by side as the USA champion superleague team and 6 world cup players in the USA world Cup team.
I had to get my ccardiovascular system capable to handle this and have EKG’s to prove it.
In 2 weeks I can get Pierre Spies to be fitter and stronger and healthier than he was before that incident that took him out. I sent E-mail to SA rugby telling them this and they ignored me.
I am very frustrated by the lack of knowledge of medical doctors about how to strenghten the cardiovascular system. I have communicated with SA rugby about Spies but no response.
I do not know how to communicate with Spies but I issue him a challenge. If he can get to Beverly Hills he can stay at my house, and I will get him fitter stronger and healthier in 2 weeks than he was before his trouble started. He can take supplements, I have the best chiroproctor in the world and we can go train together everyday. And he can play rugby till 61 like me.
Name: Doc Ray
18 Aug 2007, 07:37 am
13 Superbul,
are you sure the mail is from Doc Ray?
I thought it was from Elvis or maybe even Bigfoot?
18 Aug 2007, 07:58 am
Go Cheetahs, CC champs 2007, 2008, 2009….
18 Aug 2007, 08:50 am
Post 13,
Or maybe Spies should just stay away from the performance enhancers ….
18 Aug 2007, 09:32 am
congrats to Roets on 100 games, very solid perfomer over the years and very under rated.
18 Aug 2007, 09:49 am
Mooi Bulletjies
dit lyk elke game al beter. in vergelyking met ons eerste game teen hulle (43-26) is hierdie een al baie beter. As Derick sy bootse aan gehad het was die telling hoër. p3 maak net ‘n moerse verskil. Welgedaan manne, ons is agter julle!
Ons sal die Currie Beker Kampioene bekom, Gaan Bulle!
19 Aug 2007, 08:22 am
to #15 your login name pumps are you sure that should not be chumps.keep on taking what your on because that will keep you delusional for 2007,208,2009.never underestimate the bulls not even this team which is our third team.
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