Bones blast Bulls
27 Mar 2009
When the Bones rolled a Lions win against the Brumbies there was ridicule. This week the bones have rolled a Highlanders win against the Bulls.
What is it with the Bones and the Bulls on tour? Last week they rolled in favour of the Hurricanes battering the Bully Boys, but clearly they did not factor in the garden gnome Matt Goddard or the giant enforcer Bakkies Botha. Between the two of them they made a meal of the Hurricanes, even though the Hurricanes seemed pretty chuffed to get one league point from their head on collision. The defining image of the match was seeing Hurricanes hooker Andrew Hore giving the bench the signal he’d had enough. He looked like a boxer put down for the third time in a minute. Absolutely finished.
So how can the bones roll against the big boys from Pretoria. There’s no logic to this one, other than that the Highlanders, less talented than the Canes, play a more intelligent and robust game than the Wellington-based outfit. Ludicrously, this is being billed as a home game for the Highlanders, even though the match is being played in Palmerston North, which is home to Manawatu, formerly of the Hurricanes region. For those not familiar with New Zealand geography, it is the equivalent of the Bulls playing their home game in George or Wellington in the Southern and Western Cape.
For all this something is telling the bones that the Bulls could find the demands of their defensive effort last week have a delayed effect.
The match-ups this weekend have intrigue because just when you think one team is gone for the season they pull off a win, alternatively the pace setters drop a match.
Whereas all predictions last weekend were of a South African struggle, the reality was different in three SA wins out of four. This week team line-ups, home ground advantage and quality of squads could easily see all four South African teams in action victorious, only the Bones haven’t been rolled quite as favourably.
The bones are picking all four South African teams to lose. And if correct, those bones are going in the grinder on Saturday night because that kind of accuracy won’t be tolerated.
BLUES vs WARATAHS, AUCKLAND, FRIDAY 08:35
Tahs captain Grumpy and his Sydneysider dwarfs will find the going tough in Auckland and they’ll go down to an Blues side humiliated in Hamilton but decent enough to get a win at home.
Blues 1-10
HIGHLANDERS vs BULLS, PALMERSTON NORTH, SATURDAY 06:30
This is going to be an entertaining game and the Bulls are going to make the mistake of underestimating the Highlanders. The Bulls will try and play too expansively and get punished.
Highlanders 1-10
CRUSADERS v STORMERS, CHRISTCHURCH, SATURDAY 08:35
If matches are won on paper the Stormers would have as many Super rugby titles as the Crusaders. Only they aren’t and for all their talent over the years the Stormers have never made it to a final. This is their best chance of blowing away the Crusaders since the first year they played them as Western Province in 1996. This Crusaders team is as inexperienced and vulnerable as the side that finished last in the first year of the competition. But for all this the Crusaders will win because they aren’t as poor as their two wins and a draw from five matches suggests. It could easily have been four wins from five with an injury-time defeat to the Brumbies in Canberra and Stephen Brett’s awful late miss denying them what would have been two deserved victories. They’re not as talented as the Stormers, but at home they’ll have an edge over a team that is also coming off a bye.
Saders 1-10
REDS vs CHIEFS, BRISBANE, SATURDAY 11:05
The Chiefs are never as good away from home as in Hickville and I have to concede there has been a bit more razzle than rubble to the Reds of late. Good on them. The competition needs Queensland to be a destination to be feared by opposition. This one will be close, but the bones have rolled in favour of the high-flying Kiwis. Just don’t expect a romp.
Chiefs 1-10
SHARKS vs BRUMBIES, DURBAN, SATURDAY 17:00
The Sharks, tournament favourites, defied history in dealing with the Force in Perth. Can they do it again? History suggests the Brumbies are always a greater threat in week two on tour and a couple of seasons ago the Brumbies took 50 from the Cheetahs and then beat a quality Sharks team in Durban a week later. The Sharks have just got back from a month tour and the travel will have taken its toll. This is an unpopular roll. Brumbies to win it.
Brumbies 1-10
LIONS vs HURRICANES, JOHANNESBURG, SATURDAY, 19:10
The Bones rolled for the Lions a week ago only because of who they were playing. This week there is no such favour and the Canes, if they have title aspirations, can’t drop this game on the road. Loffie’s Lions to limp overseas for more pain and suffering.
Canes 1-10
Bones’s 2009
Week 1: 5/7
Week 2: 7/7
Week 3: 2/7
Week 4: 5/6
Week 5: 3/6
Week 6: 3/6
Total: 25/39
50 Comments
26 Mar 2009, 21:44 pm
Hahaha!
26 Mar 2009, 21:52 pm
Hierdie KeoJan is heeltemal van loodjie getik. Jannie reken Keojan moet bietjie van die sap af bly, daai Bluetop wat hy drink maak hom heeltemal halstarrig
26 Mar 2009, 21:52 pm
O, Ok!!
26 Mar 2009, 21:55 pm
#3 Ed_the_Jan: O Ok wat, moenie kots nie praat of is jy Luke?
26 Mar 2009, 21:57 pm
#2 Jannie:
Seems like his strategy is: “Pick against the Bulls for long enough and eventually it must come true.”
So if not this week, at least there’s always the next week to look forward to. I agree they have to lose some time, and at least this way he’ll get it right when they finally do.
26 Mar 2009, 22:02 pm
Yay go to it bones, I’m all for upsets, upsets are the spice of life, f’ck this staid old boring status quo rigmarole, lets have a whole weekend of upsets to set the cat amongst the pigeons
Blues
Highlanders
Stormers
Reds
Brumbies
Lions
That’ll just make my weekend just fine thank you very much
26 Mar 2009, 22:29 pm
Jaja keo and you also said before the start of the super 14 the stormers will be the leading team and the bulls struggle at middle of the table!
Just admit it you dont want the bulls to perform! But sorry for you they are and they will keep beating who ever they play!
Bulls to take this game by 12+
26 Mar 2009, 22:29 pm
You guys must have a “funny bone” amongst your bones!
26 Mar 2009, 22:31 pm
KEoJan,
Your bones are WRONG!
26 Mar 2009, 22:36 pm
I have to admit, I have a sneaking suspicion that the Highlanders are going to pull this one off.
Lol, the Sharks won’t lose though. That one is funny!
26 Mar 2009, 23:09 pm
Last week the Bulls departed Monday night. The arrived last Wednesday in NZ. The Friday they won their first match.
I did not seem the travel affected them that match
26 Mar 2009, 23:15 pm
Why the Highlanders will topple the Bulls this Weekend in Palmerston North
By Jeff Cheshire
So far this season the Bulls have been the team to beat in the Super 14. They have won all five of their games and have one of the most complete teams in the competition.
In contrast the Highlanders have had a season which can be summed up with one word, almost.
They have won two games, against the Crusaders and the Cheetahs, but have had three heart-breaking defeats at the hands of the Brumbies, the Hurricanes and the Chiefs.
In fact the only game they have played so far this season that they haven’t really looked like winning was against the Waratahs. Why then should they be the team to topple the seemingly invincible Bulls?
Firstly to beat the Bulls you have to be competitive in the forwards. The Bulls forward pack is one of the biggest and one of the best in the competition. They certainly handled the Hurricanes pack alright last Friday when they won 19-14 in Wellington.
However, the Highlanders are renowned for their ruthless forwards and I believe that the Highlanders forward pack is one of the best in the competition and will give the Bulls a real challenge.
Their front row of Jamie Mackintosh, David Hall and Clint Newland has been superb this year, particularly in the scrum where they have dominated their opponents.
Author Poll Results
Who will win the Highlanders vs Bulls game?
Highlanders
33.3%Bulls
33.3%Draw
33.3%Total votes: 3 They have good talent in their locks with Tom Donnelly, Josh Bekhuis and Hayden Triggs all having excellent seasons and making the Highlanders line out a formidable force.
And lastly the loose forwards have been remarkably good.
George Nauopu and Stephen Setephano have been running very strongly as was shown on Saturday when Nauopu broke the line and off loaded to Setephano to score next to the posts.
Alando Soakai continues to be consistently playing well and Adam Thompson had simply been outstanding with his high work-rate.
Such a complete forward pack will certainly give the Highlanders a good shot at beating the Bulls. But the Highlanders pack isn’t too dissimilar to last year and while they are crucial for the Highlanders to win, it has been the back line that has been the big improvement this year.
With Jimmy Cowan at half back they have one of the best in the world and he will certainly be a key role in the Highlanders chances.
Daniel Bowden has improved by leaps and bounds this season and has been one of the form five-eighths of the competition setting up numerous tries for himself and team mates showing a magnificent array of speed, vision, tactical kicking and passing. Bowden could well be the difference for the Highlanders.
In the midfield Johnny Leota has been hitting the ball hard and has added some real flare to the Highlaners backline which the Bulls will have to contain. And with in form winger Ben Smith and young star Israel Dagg they form a formidable back line.
If this back line continues playing how they have been it would surprise me if the Highlanders do not run in a few tries.
In saying all this the Bulls boast one of the most dangerous back lines in the competition. With players such as Bryan Habana, Akona Ndugane and Morne Steyn they are very difficult to contain.
The Highlanders would have as good defence as anyone in the competition however and the Bulls, like everyone else will find it hard to penetrate regardless of how slippery some of their players may be. In their last three performances the Highlanders have only conceded 22 points, which included keeping the Crusaders to nil.
Taking all this into account the game should then come down to how well the Bulls defend and whether the Highlanders can keep their composure on attack.
If the Highlanders can hold onto the ball and give their backs some good quality ball to run with, it would be very hard to go past picking the Highlanders to win this weekend.
26 Mar 2009, 23:24 pm
#12 spooner:
The “massive size of the Bulls pack” has been a myth for the last two years or so. The current Bulls pack does not come close to the 900+ kg’s of the Anton Leonard, Richard Bands days.
In fact, the Bulls haven’t relied on forward dominance to win their 5 games in a row. So if the Highlanders think a massive, rumbling pack is going to win the game for them on Saturday they are sadly mistaken.
26 Mar 2009, 23:29 pm
#12 spooner:
Yeah, there is no doubt that the bulls will come crashing down before the end of the tour but I think they will hold out for another week before the longing for the melktert and koeksusters take over.
I will not count out the mullets but will be surprised if they beat the Bulls this week end.
26 Mar 2009, 23:30 pm
#12 spooner: lol i wish we had optimistic bulls reporting like that on this site.
keo, where is our dedicated bulls reported to wax lirecal?
26 Mar 2009, 23:42 pm
#4 Jannie: wie kots?? EK is Ed_the_JAn
26 Mar 2009, 23:52 pm
Keo your bones need new batteries. Bulls and Sharks will win this w/e.
27 Mar 2009, 00:00 am
Blues
Bulls (I reckon the Highlanders may sneak an upset, but not enough to pick them on the bru)
Crusaders
Chiefs (the Reds have a chance here too)
Sharks
Hurricanes (can the Lions do it at home again? Don’t think so but who would’ve predicted last week…)
Blues, Crusaders and Sharks are the only picks I’m happy with. Upsets will happen, it’s just about guessing the right ones.
27 Mar 2009, 02:07 am
wat gaan hier aan?
27 Mar 2009, 02:20 am
Oh Please!!! Sad to see you get it wrong 2 weeks in a row!!!!
27 Mar 2009, 04:57 am
#12 spooner: Habana is not playing
27 Mar 2009, 05:00 am
Blues by 5-10
Bulls by 10-15
Stormers by 1-5
Chiefs by 10-15
Sharks by 10-15
Lions by 1
27 Mar 2009, 07:00 am
Th Bulls and Sharks had better not lose.
27 Mar 2009, 07:55 am
Keo, you look like those Newlands supporters who wants to support any team that play against a SA team.
Pathetic. You could without prejudice pick all the SA teams this week for a win, but you choose to be negative.
Just like your Jan thread, you seem to focus on the negative in life.
Actually you are getting a bit predictable!
27 Mar 2009, 08:06 am
Only differ from you on the BUlls game.
27 Mar 2009, 08:13 am
With your record, let’s hope you keep picking the SA teams to lose
27 Mar 2009, 08:14 am
#24 Snoek:
But it is nice to see a Keo article that doesn’t tell us we should be part of the Heinekin Cup for a change…
27 Mar 2009, 08:45 am
History has shown that the Brumbies are not good tourists… and the win in 2007 was their first ever against the Sharks in Durbs….. Sharks by 5….
27 Mar 2009, 09:03 am
Well hello mister Keo, this is the real Jan talking. Dont believe me, check me out on Facebook under “Jan Ruggas”.
So, you have a problem with my boep hey, calling me a racist and all. Ja well, you’re a “weightist”.
Anyway, you’ll be seeing and hearing a lot more about me, cause Jan, Jan ,Jan is still the soul van die span.
27 Mar 2009, 09:15 am
#29 The real Jan: Jys me hero groot boet Jan.
Sien al die Janne op die site het dieselle ma. Moet bieg, sy was nie kreatief nie, want ons is almal Jan boeties…
27 Mar 2009, 09:31 am
If I had scored the averages these journo’s score week in and week out – and keeping in mind that this is what they do – on predictions I’d be out of a job.
Accuracy:
Keo’s bones – 64%
Vrede – 74%
JC – 59%
Minimum pass rate for my post grad qualifications: 75%
Been a while since I’ve wanted SA teams to win this much. Go SHARKS! STORMERS! LIONS! and yes even the BULLS!
If only to prove this “blog” wrong.
27 Mar 2009, 09:50 am
these bones dont know what they are on about.. no ways the bulls and sharks are gonna lose!
27 Mar 2009, 09:55 am
This time bones agree with me 100%. Hopefully Blues will bounce back, does not look good at the moment.
27 Mar 2009, 10:54 am
That our Boy Keo must now resort to witchcraft to engineer a loss for the Bulls is yet another feather in the Bulls cap. Up yours Keo!
27 Mar 2009, 11:08 am
Keo se moerrrrrrrrr…. ons hero is Jan !!
Go Bulls !
Go Sharks !
Wys die arrogante mannetjie WEER dat hy is fokopapie is !
27 Mar 2009, 11:13 am
I cannot believe that Keo, as a so-called rugby-guru, persists in making his name “gat” with his predictions. Rather sad when ons’s hatred of a team (Bulls)overrides good common sense. Keo, do me a favour and take your bones and stick them up your very dark place!!!!
27 Mar 2009, 11:18 am
Dit is n goeie geleentheid vir die SA spanne om n naweek te he sonder om n wedstryd te verloor.
Die Cheetahs speel mos nie.
27 Mar 2009, 11:25 am
I love the humour with which you do these articles Keo, it makes for a great read. You see, you don’t need to be controversial to produce an entertaining piece
)
27 Mar 2009, 12:39 pm
With the bones predicting no SA wins, what option would you select in your latest poll, keo?
27 Mar 2009, 13:23 pm
“And if correct, those bones are going in the grinder on Saturday night because that kind of accuracy won’t be tolerated.” – HAHAHAHAAHAHAHA brilliant!
27 Mar 2009, 13:25 pm
#37 “It is just a game” says Jan: Hahaha ja nee dis waar, maar kan die Bulle weer so harde game speel?
Kan die Stormers eintlik ordentlik speel vir n hele game?
Het die haaie een voet oppie vliegtuig of nie?
27 Mar 2009, 13:53 pm
Hehe, seems Keo is ruffling feathers again. And the usual suspects are taking it hook, line and sinker.
Some of you okes will have some humble pie to eat if the Bulls do in fact lose…
27 Mar 2009, 15:14 pm
#6 yliad: How would the Blues have been an upset? The Tahs winning is an upset. Look at the bookies…
27 Mar 2009, 17:44 pm
Oh dear Mark, the Waratahs have made a rubbish of your first prediction.
27 Mar 2009, 19:20 pm
I predict a furthur drop in form for Mr Bones from 3/6 to 2/6 this week. My prediction is next week we´ll see him benched with Jon Cardinelli stepping into the number 1 shirt.
My predictions for the Super 14 outstrip all the so called “experts” on this blog at 30/39 up till round six.
Do these okes watch rugby or just blog?
27 Mar 2009, 23:51 pm
At least the Cheetahs can’t lose this week!
28 Mar 2009, 04:25 am
The bones are 100% correct the Bulls are going to underestimate the Highlanders the way the Sarks underestimated the Reds .
My weekend predictions are :
Bulls to lose by 5
Stormers to bt Saders by 5
Sharks , not sure i hope by three .
Lions to cause another upset and beat the hurricanes their tails are up .
Cheetas wont lose , this will be their one and only non loss in the competion , we wont even talk abot them thet are an disgraqce to SA Rugby .
28 Mar 2009, 08:46 am
Looks like the Bones were proved correct in respect of the Bulls…
28 Mar 2009, 09:34 am
#48 spooner:
28 Mar 2009, 10:26 am
#45 Slumtown:
Ok I eat my words… black weekend for Sa rugby looming once again. Our only hope are Sharks this weekend.
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