Poor defence could derail Bulls
16 Mar 2010
The Bulls have to make significant improvements on defence if they are to sustain their title charge.
Their defensive failings have been largely overlooked because of their attacking prowess (they are the tournament’s leading try-scorers with 24).
However, their defensive line has looked porous at times from structured play while fundamental errors and lapses of concentration in defending broken field attacks have been prevalent in their four matches. This has seen them concede an average of 3.75 tries per match – a woeful record for a team who have consistently been among the tournament’s best defensive units over the last four years.
The Brumbies, Waratahs and Highlanders threatened to exploit this newly developed vulnerability, but faded under attacking pressure from the Bulls. More experienced units, particularly on their home track, without the legion of blue-clad disciples screaming support for their demi-gods, and with the lung-busting altitude being a non-factor, would have sustained that pressure and possibly emerged with a victory.
The Bulls have seemingly mastered the art and science of attacking play under the new breakdown law interpretations but are nowhere near as efficient from a defensive perspective. This needs to be remedied as a priority, before an acute problem becomes a chronic one.
Significant progression needs to be made in a week and there are few sterner tests of a team’s capacity to resist than the Hurricanes. The Wellington boys have admittedly fallen short of the standards they’ve set for themselves on attack, particularly in the Republic, but their opposition’s contribution to their relative impotency must not be overlooked.
It is in the careful analysis of those matches, the Stormers’ performance being the prime example, that the blueprint for an improved defensive showing is found.
The Stormers bossed the tackle point in their 37-13 defeat of the Canes at Newlands on Saturday, and subsequently gave themselves a better opportunity at contesting the ball on the deck. The Canes were seldom able to recycle the ball quickly, and this gave the Stormers’ defensive line opportunities to reshape.
All teams rely heavily on the momentum gained from a speedy recycle to break down their opposition, but where the elite ones are able to adapt to a more pragmatic approach, the Canes tend to be fairly inflexible tactically. Cut their supply and their potency is severely diminished.
The Bulls rarely allow open wounds to fester, their 2008 title defence being an exception, and one can rest assured that there’ll be an intense focus on that facet of play ahead of the Canes litmus test on Friday.
Sound defence has been the cornerstone of every successful rugby team, and if the Bulls are to reaffirm their credentials in that regard, it begins with passing the aforementioned test emphatically.
By Ryan Vrede
202 Comments
16 Mar 2010, 07:31 am
Here is your Bulls article for the day Tacticus! Enjoy!
16 Mar 2010, 07:37 am
Too much is being made of the Balls defense so early in the tournament. Kiwi teams give away just as many tries every year.
16 Mar 2010, 07:43 am
@Predawn: That’s a very broad, airy fairy statement.
I dont see the Crusaders giving away that many points week in, week out.
16 Mar 2010, 07:46 am
@WP_:
Nor the Stormers!!
16 Mar 2010, 07:46 am
die Bulls must be every cape coloured, supporting NZ teams, worst nightmare …. unbeatable…destroying everything. Well done Bulls ….
16 Mar 2010, 07:49 am
@wpw: Exactly or any other titlt contender like the Brumbies…
16 Mar 2010, 07:55 am
have said before that the Bulls need to address their defence…
but let’s face it… if they keep playing like this it hardly matters except from the perspective of giving away bonus points to the losing side…
it rather like saying Mike Tyson has poor defence… who cares… he’s still gonna klap you…
16 Mar 2010, 08:03 am
I wish the ******* media would stop lamenting this bunch from Wellington.
All I heard last week is what a good outfit they are and how they are going to tear the Stormers apart, smarting from their defeat by the Cheetahs, blah, blah, blah, yadda, yadda, yadda…
Did anyone see the look on Conrad Smiths face after Cory Jane was pole axed, and the the Fijian and Joe had turned their masterful defence into koeksusters for the second time around??? “Who the **** put me on the plane out here… I wanna go home”
Did anyone notice hoe ineffective the great Nonu is??? He has simply been reduced to nothing but a tackling thug, mastering the art of spear tackles and high shoulder charges agter being tormented by better opposition for two weeks in a row.
The Bulls will kill them this weekend and then all our wonderful journo’s might eventually stop singing their undeserved praises
16 Mar 2010, 08:08 am
@Bod:
I wish you would stop using foul language!!
16 Mar 2010, 08:09 am
@Zulu_baby: Most of the so called cape coloreds support the Bulls , Oasis one of thier main sponsers comes from the cape colored community , catch a wake up.
Re the bulls defense , I disagree , they will come right when they need too , they have the second best point diffs in the S14 so I dont see a problem. Watch them tighten their belt when they need too.
16 Mar 2010, 08:09 am
@Bod: The canes are similar to the stormers. They get hyped every year. Its expected of them to play expansive rugby. They are very inconsistent. The Canes will bounce back when they return home.
16 Mar 2010, 08:11 am
@sparticus: The bulls will play smart, pressure rugby overseas and grind out 3 wins from 4.
16 Mar 2010, 08:11 am
@WP_: Dont see the crusaders team scoring that many points either. Look I am a Stormers die hard all my life but you cannot help but admire the Bulls rugby. Well done to them.
16 Mar 2010, 08:12 am
sparticus …dont be a puz now … i’m not talking of the cape bulls …i’m talking of those dumb f&ck supporting NZ teams when Stormers play against them
16 Mar 2010, 08:15 am
Bulls will also be strengthened by the return of Bakkies, Akona and Chilliboy. Bulls and Stormers should make the semi’s.
16 Mar 2010, 08:16 am
@sparticus:
Dude, just ignore the idiot!!!
16 Mar 2010, 08:17 am
@sparticus: Meet too. First a stormers fan then i support the other S.A teams.
16 Mar 2010, 08:21 am
@iori Yagami: True regarding Bakkies but the other 2 ? Sorry they make the team weaker , Stormers also have Fondse , Kid Koster , De waal returning so jaa its looking good.
@ Zulu_baby , ok dude whatever. And teh sharks dont have problems in the camp.
16 Mar 2010, 08:21 am
Whats the record for back to back Super rugby title wins? Crusaders 3 in a row?
16 Mar 2010, 08:24 am
@iori Yagami: I dont think Chilliboy will strengthen our team. He obviously got the talent, but the bulls should let him play a whole season of vodacom cup, then a whole season of currie cup and then maybe he can show us all that he can play Super 14. I thought he had the work rate of a young Schalk when he was U19/U21 but since then he had been injured too much.
16 Mar 2010, 08:24 am
@wpw:
Foul language?? Que??
I just have this intense dislike of the majority of journo’s whose lack of insight and ability to think rationally and for themselves continues to astound me.
Once I am off the subject I am actually quite a good oke..
16 Mar 2010, 08:25 am
@sparticus: Lol They should add something, they are springboks!! But you probably right. No place for them anyway. Chilliboy will sit bench and akona wont even feature in the match 22. But good to know you have them there.
16 Mar 2010, 08:25 am
“Sharks Rift”
“Poor Defense could cost Bulls”
“Inexperienced Lions”
…..but then the “Stormers will Flourish”
why do I get the feeling this may be a cape bassed site
16 Mar 2010, 08:27 am
@Horings: True. He was rushed too quickly into the top level. Should of cut his teeth in lower level rugby. But time is still on his side.
16 Mar 2010, 08:29 am
@Gonzo Journalism: Yes, it is based in Cape Town.
16 Mar 2010, 08:36 am
I agree with UFO’s analogy here – the Bulls are a lot like Mike Tyson. Sure, he got hit a fair bit in his time. But it only pissed him off and made him hit the other guy more and harder.
16 Mar 2010, 08:37 am
When is the Bulls getting Wilhelm back? Another quality lock that plays for the Bulls.
16 Mar 2010, 08:45 am
@ufo:
lol…classic
16 Mar 2010, 08:50 am
@katman: A famous quote from Tyson, a reporter stated during pre fight interview that his opponent has worked out a plan to beat him, he responded by saying “everyone has a plan until they get hit”……IE the Hurricanes !!!
16 Mar 2010, 08:51 am
once they head overseas it’s not going to be as easy as it was on loftus
they’re gonna have to improve unless they plan on taking 20 000 fans with them and the loftus stadium
16 Mar 2010, 08:52 am
The Stormers and Bulls are playing two different types of games, the Bulls are playing attacking rugby which will lead to tries being scored against them because of the game beeing so open. When you play that type of rugby one has to just score more tries than the other team (in a nutshell), which is exactly what they are doing, brilliant.
The Stormers are playing the defence game, they are playing test match rugby (same style) which relies on strong defence. The game isn’t a high scoring game and when they play beter opposition the score line will be close. If one makes one mistake or they get one bad call it could cost them the game against top opposition (the Brumbies game).
Which game style is suited to Super14, well only time will tell.
16 Mar 2010, 08:55 am
@Kea-Cat: The semi’s and finals will most likely be played test match style… unless it’s at Loftus
16 Mar 2010, 08:56 am
@Gonzo Journalism: Iron Mike was always good for a quote.
16 Mar 2010, 08:57 am
@st.a.t.w: This is true, but I reckon du Preez and Steyn can play a more disciplined, territorial game if they want to, and I reckon the Bulls forwards can utilise the pick and drive, and rolling maul more if they want to, and that the Bulls can play a game focused on set pieces if they want to.
All in all, the Bulls do have a plan B, this is evident from the last 100 years of Bulls rugby. If they want to play a defensive game, they can, and have in the past.
16 Mar 2010, 09:01 am
yes Ryan, finally you get to listen. Even though the title isn’t “Bulls’ defensive frailities a worry for Ludeke” it is good that you paid attention. Some of those “demi-gods” [i can't marry this reference with the ultra religious bulls] are weak on defence.
Jaco Pretorius better come back soon, can you imagine all of105kg Robbie Fruean running straight @ Stephan Dippenaar’s 85kg frame? check what happened to stephen brett for the answer!
16 Mar 2010, 09:03 am
The Bulls of 2002-2007 were alway critisised for not being able to adapt their game to the situation. They now have that ability. We definitely have one of the best defensive coaches around, but this season so far has been a perfect opportunity to expand our attacking game. I think we must all just wait for the Blues game in Auckland or maybe even for Friday’s game to see whether all the journos are wrong.
16 Mar 2010, 09:06 am
@sparticus: Not for sure, I agree. The Bulls are playing magnificaent rugby, I love watching them at the moment.
It’s just a little concerning to see how weak their defence actually is. But as long as they score more than the opponents it doesnt matter does it?
16 Mar 2010, 09:06 am
thank heavens the bulls gotta come to newlands….hell i wouldnt fancy a trip to loftus….
16 Mar 2010, 09:06 am
@Storm outta hell: The Bulls and Stormers still have to make the semis. At the moment things look good but the wheel keeps on turning.
I’m a Stormers supporter and I know we are in for a tough 2nd half of the competition. From week 9 to week 14 is going to be murder for us, Blues(a), Chiefs(a), Reds(a), Crusaders(h), Sharks(a) and Bulls(h).
By that time I think the Sharks would have caught a wake up call.
16 Mar 2010, 09:11 am
@Kea-Cat: I’ll take your word for it…I see you know your rugby judging by your place on the muppits leaderboard…
@grant10: Yah…and we owe them for that CC semi..
16 Mar 2010, 09:14 am
@WOLFMAN21:
for that to happen they have to keep their fingers cross that one of those two don’t get injured
that dippenaar laatie along with both wings are going to have to up their game
16 Mar 2010, 09:20 am
@st.a.t.w: Its a reality of rugby that players get injured – it is like saying if Habana and Fourie get injured the Stormers would have nothing left, or if Carter and McCaw get injured the Crusaders will have nothing left.
The Bulls will have Ndungane and Pretorius back soon which will tighten up the defence and will not greatly influence the attacking abilities of the Bulls.
16 Mar 2010, 09:22 am
@Storm outta hell: Thats a game (superbru) which has a lot to do with experience and luck, like Gary Player said, the more you practice the luckier you get. The difficult thing to do is to go with your head insted of your heart, it also makes it easier when your team is wining.
16 Mar 2010, 09:27 am
Akona is a better wing than Hougaard. Stronger in the tackle, a yard quicker, MUCH better in the air and equally as good a finisher. He has to return, the sooner the better. Francois will have to bide his time on the bench with Heinie dropping out of the match 22. Reality is that playing wing in any event does nohing for his Bok ambitions. He will not make the Springbok side as a wing. Habana, JP, Mapoe, Nokwe, Shadow, Odwa, Akona all ahead of him. To impress he needs game time at scrumhalf. 20 – 30 minutes a game the best he can hope for.
16 Mar 2010, 09:28 am
@Kea-Cat: I hear you,I think long and hard about my superbru picks but when the game is on all thoughts of superbru go out of the window as I support all the local sides…
16 Mar 2010, 09:33 am
@WOLFMAN21:
given the position they play 9 & 10 are far more importent then 11 & 13
16 Mar 2010, 09:38 am
People are forgetting that we have such a young team. Bunch of laaities in the backline.
They need more experience.
16 Mar 2010, 09:39 am
@st.a.t.w: Looking at influence on the game and the quality of replacements, this is not the case. Habana and Fourie have made a big difference to the Stormers this season, especially Habana, and the quality and experience of the replacements in those two positions is not particularlly impressive.
The Bulls, however, can call on Heini Adams, a very experienced and talented player, and JLP, again a lot of experience, and someone who can fit straight in at 10. Whilst they are not as good as du Preez and Steyn, the drop in quality is not as high or as serious as it would be if Habana and Fourie were to go.
16 Mar 2010, 09:39 am
Just on the Bulls vs. Stormers:
I honestly think the Bulls are one up on the Stromers. Let’s have a look at the Highlanders vs. both teams. The Stormers kept the Highlanders to ziltch and put 30+ past them at full time. It was a hard fought 30 point victory though and the Stromers never took their feet of the accelerators. They fought for the ball up to the final whistle.
So there I sit in the stands at Loftus, thinking: “I wonder how the Bulls will compare in strategy to the Stormers game?”… Well, the Bulls knocked the Highlanders the f*ck out by the 20 minute mark and scored the bonus point try. They had accomplished what the Stormers did in an entire game, in just 20 minutes. I reckon the Bulls had they stayed on full throttle could have easily scored 100 against the highlanders.
Once they scored the bonus point you could see the Bulls players chilling, even while the game was played. I remember seeing three backs standing in a group talking when the play had already started. At half time I said to my girlfriend, the Bulls will now conceed a few as they are preserving energy for next week. Once the Highlanders scored their first try, we packed up and left as we knew the Bulls had officially stopped playing (even though they still scored 50 points easily). There is nothing wrong with the Bulls defence, bar perhaps a bit of complacency. When the heat is on you’ll see them thrash any side.
I like the Stormers this year and love their brand of rugby, but I am telling all willing to hear, that you are underestimating the power of these Bulls…remember last year’s final against the Chiefs?
16 Mar 2010, 09:46 am
@BokPower: **** ****!
16 Mar 2010, 09:47 am
@BokPower: So you think that the Bulls switch off on purpose, rather than struggling to maintain focus?
16 Mar 2010, 09:48 am
@BokPower: Thats one way of looking at it,the other way is that at crunch time(semi’s and finals) the Stormers would have been playing the kind of rugby that’s needed all along whereas the Bulls still need to adapt
16 Mar 2010, 09:56 am
@Storm outta hell: How tired do you think the Stormers will be after 13 games of test rugby? The Sharks also played the same style last year and they were very tired after 9 weeks. I am all for playing in that way, but I dont know if it is sustainable.
16 Mar 2010, 09:57 am
@Gonzo Journalism: 23
Actually, the headline reads “Stormers target final flourish”, which is to say they’re hoping/aiming for a good finish, i.e. finish with a flourish before they head off for their overseas tour.
But of course, you can twist and misquote anything to suit your purposes, be that your intention.
Use it, don’t use it.
16 Mar 2010, 10:01 am
I am a firm believer that teams look at energy preservation and the title… not always individual games. The Boks last year took their “foot of the peddle” on Robbie Deans’ birthday to give the Aussies their sole win of the Tri-N. The week before and the week after we were all conquering. I have heard many a coach say that they will take an “easy” game, easy to save energy for the more difficult one. I used to try and beat the bookies, but due to this energy preservation strategy any team could beat any team – think about it. The best way for us to predict a result would be to think of what our strategy would have been were we the Bulls or Stormers.
I am also on many of the international forums and predict games quite accurately according to this strategy. The Bulls cannot play every game flat-out. They have already identified where they want to accumulate points when touring and those games they’ll win. No point in being 15 points ahead on the log come semi time, and then your players are mentally or physically tired. It is a balancing act. You have to win enough to have the home semi or final…anything more than that is energy spent on ego! Teams today are dynamic and play the match as they see it suiting their title chances (if they’re contenders of course)
16 Mar 2010, 10:07 am
@Horings: Yeah…good point,after 13 games of defensive rugby they’re bound to be tuckered out,but at least their defensive lines should be impregnable.
16 Mar 2010, 10:09 am
@BokPower: That is why I predict the Bulls will lose their games against the Blues and maybe Reds. They will fly over two days before the Perth game and smash the Force. Then they will have the same effect the Boks (Brisbane) and 2009 Bulls (Highlanders) had in the second week of their tour againt the Blues. They will then motivate themselves for the big one against the Chiefs. We will have between 34-38 points after the tour is finished with four games remaining.
16 Mar 2010, 10:11 am
I also believe that you should judge a team on their best performance, and I can’t say I have seen the Bulls best yet… they have done enough. On the other hand, I cannot imagine the Stormers playing two better games than they already have. Thus we have seen what the Stormers can do at full blast. And make no mistake it was fabulous, f*kken mooi rugby ten all opsigte!
Unfortunately I think we’ll only see that of the Bulls in the Final… They jab jab and win accumulating points, saving the right uppercut and straight right for the final where they promise to knockout the opposition!
16 Mar 2010, 10:12 am
Well said there Horings and don’t be surprised if it works out exactly that way!
16 Mar 2010, 10:17 am
@BokPower: Realistically I don’t see any team beating the Bulls in a semi or final at Loftus,so the challenge for other teams would be to put the Bulls in an away semi…
16 Mar 2010, 10:21 am
Perhaps SOH, but we should not lose sight that the New Zealanders look at similar strategies. To give you an example, we would be silly to underestimate the Canes this week. They might have taken it easy against the Stormers, having a good strike rate at Loftus, beating the champions in their back yard, must surely be the ideal… Then they go home to build some points. In the process they have shaken the Bulls, gained confidence and now have home games to play on a high and a full stadium! This could be their attempted gamble,and could be closer than the Stormers game. That is unless the Buls decide to use that devastating right hook and breaks the Canes’ Jaw.
16 Mar 2010, 10:22 am
@Storm outta hell: Could be, but I am of the opinion that a defensive line does not prevent the other teams from getting momentum and continuity. It is the intensity of your defense, in conjuction with a good strategy that makes up a good defensive unit.
16 Mar 2010, 10:26 am
I think what shou also be noted is that this bulls team has not played their best combinations together this year.
The top loose trio of Stegman, Potgieter and Spies has not been on the field simultaneously once.
They will however start this weekend as I believe Kuun got his 2 starts against the Tahs and the Landers.
Then we need to get Bakkies back.
With Petoors(think of him what you like) back our defense will be much better as he is very underated, add Ndungane and we will not leak as many soft tries as we currently do.
16 Mar 2010, 10:27 am
And never lose sight of the Crusaders this year!!! Never! They have similar speed of execution to what the Stormers and Bulls have had on display and the only “great” tactical kicking game of the NZ sides. The Chiefs and the Canes have poor kicking and have hurt them. Things are going to heat up dramatically towards the end, and even though Horings and I sound very confident, both of us have a little brown streak already showing on our jocks… It won’t be a walk in the park for sure!
16 Mar 2010, 10:28 am
@BokPower: ‘Canes jaw got broke when Corey Jane got hit by a bus
…
They still in a dwaal after getting thrashed by Cheetahs and Stormers…no contest…
@Horings: Yep…and that’s exactly what takes so much outta the players…
16 Mar 2010, 10:28 am
As long as the Bulls score more points than the opposition every game, I really don’t care how many tries are conceded!!!!
16 Mar 2010, 10:29 am
Bliksem maar die boere laaities skryf deesdae die mooiste Ingels!
16 Mar 2010, 10:30 am
@BokPower: Yeah,’Saders are looking ominus,Carter’s in form and M’Caw suited to new interpretations…
16 Mar 2010, 10:32 am
All I can say to my fellow Bulls supporters stay humble it aint over till its over and on any given Saturday any team can beat any other except maybe the Force and the Lions
Don’t get windgat and enjoy the rugby support the other teams that play overseas opposition and smile when the Goats supporters say we cannot defend and wait till u get to Newlands. IMO I cannot see any team beat the Bulls but who knows?
16 Mar 2010, 10:35 am
@Storm outta hell: Jane get concussion and Cronje gets bliksemed by a non rugby player in a Pub
16 Mar 2010, 10:35 am
If I was a Stormer supporter I would be very weary of the Cheetahs, they’ve got their tails up……nah, they have never won 2 on the trot and this year wont be any different.
The emotional rollercoaster continues for their poor supporters. In a way it must be better to be a Lion supporter as you know your team will lose, there is not all this uncertainty that the Cheetahs face. Condolences to you all.
16 Mar 2010, 10:36 am
@Airwell: Maybe Cronje was tired from sitting on the bench all the time
16 Mar 2010, 10:36 am
@onerb: Me too but still supporting Stormers on Superbru by 7
16 Mar 2010, 10:37 am
Defence is required in absolutely monumental quantities for only about 10 to 15 minutes in any 80 minute game. For the rest of the game defence is merely a routine part of the job.
The times when any team is HUGELY vulnerable to a competent attack are, in descending order —
— the first 5 minutes of the second half (asleep at the wheel)
— the first two minutes after YOU have scored a try (complacent)
— the first two minutes after THEY score a try (lightning can’t strike the same place twice fallacy)
Ergo — any defensive coach who expects a full 100% of ultra-vigilance for the full 80 minutes of every game will not get what he wants. Every time.
The coach who can drill into his team to know those mere 10-15 minutes of ultra-vigilance and drill the competency in them to deliver that maximum defensive commitment for the crucial 10 minutes will succeed.
It’s easy.
16 Mar 2010, 10:37 am
I am not concerned with McCaw vs. any Saffer side. I am of the opinion that we are now streets above any other nation in the workld when it comes to the deck. Potgieter, Stegman, Burger, Vermeulen etc. to name a few. But our locks, props and hookers have also developed these ripping abilities. The Stormers didn’t beat the Hurricanes on the deck, they absolutely annihilated them!
I have to be honest though, I haven’t seen one Crusders game, but I have this feeling about them this year and their scores have proven me right. The All Blacks build strongly around the Crusaders as we build around the Bulls. The ABs, and it seems, many of their sides are in dire straights to find SA’s type loosies. They haven’t had decent mongrel for a while now, with McCaw spearheading the attempt. Didn’t see any worthy contenders at the Canes, Landers or Chiefs, so I don’t know if McCaw has some miraculous backup at the Saders.
16 Mar 2010, 10:44 am
@TheTackler: Makes perfect rugby sense to me…
16 Mar 2010, 10:46 am
@BokPower: From what I’ve seen Carter is silky smooth and McCaw is everywhere..they make a great team…
16 Mar 2010, 10:47 am
@Storm outta hell: What do you think of the Cheethas game are you confident? The Cronjegate saga what is your opinion I see his been charged with assault and suspended from the Stormers for two games.
16 Mar 2010, 10:51 am
The ABs can, with pretty contemptuous ease, deal to the feeble Bok scrum. They will have to concede a weakness in the lineouts. And they have superiority on a good day and parity on a bad day in the loose.
In the back divisions the ABs can carve the Bok back division to ribbons in the midfield, but have to be very aware of the clout out wide.
SA may have great goalkickers wearing #10, but not one of those men comes remotely close to Dan Carter as a genius of a backplay general. SA’s attempts have always been to try to brutally bash him into injury by fair means or (typically) foul rather than to even try to counter or equal his sublime skills.
16 Mar 2010, 10:54 am
@Airwell: Quietly confident,altho’ it may be the sternest test we’ve faced to date…
..as for Cronje,he brain farted,the laaitjie had a coupla dops,got challenged and responded instead of walking away..laat dit vir hom ‘n les wees..!!
16 Mar 2010, 10:55 am
Its not necessarily defense, per se, that will ‘derail’ the Bulls.
Rather it will be:-
1. playing away
2. with a strong neutral ref.
Both the Waratahs & hugely-depleted Highlanders proved this beyond dispute.
16 Mar 2010, 10:57 am
@TheTackler: …’contemptous ease’..?..you may have to eat those words before the season is thru
16 Mar 2010, 10:58 am
@TheTackler:
The heart of the AB backline didnt look too clever against the Stormers this weekend, in fact they looked like they wanted to catch the first plane out of Cape Town… half of this against a light weight rookie
I fear for them agaist the Bok backline
16 Mar 2010, 11:01 am
@BokPower:
Burger ‘off the deck’ doesnt exist – how many times did he prove that in the Bok jersey ?!
Potgeiter/Vermulen/Stegman are all handy players but not 1 of them has any expertise to shout about when the ball is on the deck. They are merely out of the rip’sh*t’n'bust mould that Burger was cast from, all bluster, no technique. As blindside flankers, very handy, as opensides/deck’ers, merely 1 of a large chasing bunch.
In fairness, its McCaw/Brussow/Smith/Waugh leading the way and then daylight.
16 Mar 2010, 11:05 am
@Bod: And Nonu on Bash was a fine example of a player trying to brutally bash him into injury…
16 Mar 2010, 11:06 am
@Bod: I fear for them against the Bulls backline
16 Mar 2010, 11:07 am
The Bulls need to tighten up their defence. It’s simple as that. Saying it isn’t disrepecting them? They have been awesome on attack this year, but lets face it, aside from the Brumbies, they’ve not really faced any of the more fancied teams in the competition (Cheetahs and Highlanders are normally bottom table finishers and the Tahs have conceded 20 tries this year). All the teams they have faced, apart from the brumbies are conceding on average 3 or more tries per game.
Against teams that are putting up a more committed defence, where the tries are not coming as easily, they will need to be able to ensure they are not conceding tries at the same time. One other positive is they are not conceding a massive number of penalties as well, but again, that may be because thus far, they haven’t been tested too much on defence or attack really.
Make no mistake, this is a potent Bulls team, but they would be stupid to think that every side is simply going to roll over and let 50 past this season.
The massive positive is that it’s generally easier to fix your defence than it is to fix your attack.
16 Mar 2010, 11:09 am
Goodness Tackler, you are intoxicated by the exuberance of your own verbosity boet!
The ABs haven’t out scrummed the Boks in over a year. (very much parity)… and if you won a scrum by looking better it certainly didn’t put you in a better position.
Lineouts are by far more important and here wwe are the undisputed heavy weight champions of the World (IBF, WBA and WBO).
You haven’t had a back division in over two years. Nonu, won’t make a Currie Cup side and his crash boom bang tactics are utterly useless. Fact, he cost the ABs two 3N games last year by knocking the ball multiple times…and who else..? Conrad? Average bloke compared to our talents.
Dan is your man, but without support and with Fourie du Preez nullifying him, there is NO chance.
McCaw was outclassed by 5 different SA loosies last year. – By a country mile. The rules have also changed to hamper the perpetraors of foul play… So you can kiss McCaw’s glory days goodbye…
In all Tackler, the ABs have now been relegated to where they have belonged for over 100 years, punshing bags for the Boks. For more than 80 years the ABs were nothing more than a lovely weekend pushover for the Boks, and the time has arrived for us to rekindle that spirit. Enjoy and good luck, you are going to need every ounce of it!
16 Mar 2010, 11:10 am
@Black Panther: Good luck to your team in the tri nations.
16 Mar 2010, 11:11 am
@Storm outta hell: And he got bliksemed whats up with that?
16 Mar 2010, 11:15 am
The bulls did pretty well in tour last year..I expect them to go one better this year..
Pretorius will make a big difference I would also bring de wet barry into the mix.. That should sort out the defence..
16 Mar 2010, 11:26 am
And one for the Panther…
Never ever forget that the deck is a collective!
Bismarkck du Plessis ripped more balls than all the AB loosies put together. And he is a pretty slow hooker. Collectively, with Burger we rip! Burger might not put his hands on the ball but he plays a vital part on the deck. And f*ck Burger then, make your pick. Collectively SA completely smothred the ABs (with McCaw) and the Aussies (With Waugh). It is about cleaning out, being physical, arriving first etc… If McCaw arrives first for the ABs, Bismarkck, Burger, Stegman, Vermeulen, Brussow, Spies, Smith or Bakkies will be there, and the rest of the ABs “feared” loosies will still be getting up from the previous breakdown. It is about speed, agility, skill, power, surge, energy etc and COLLECTIVELY.
Just a thought…
16 Mar 2010, 11:31 am
@BokPower:
so you singled out individual players, from different teams, and now your argument is that it is, instead, a ‘collective’ thing…..
@Airwell:
is this not a S14 thread about S14 teams & players ?
did you have a SP-syndrome moment ?!
16 Mar 2010, 11:34 am
@Storm outta hell: Lets not even go the Cheetah backline route…
Coming to think of it, against the Stormers, their mainman 8th man looked as though he has finally undertood the fact he is a **** rugby player and his taking his first steps to converting to flyweight boxing.
Man, were him and Nonu confused on Saturday…
16 Mar 2010, 11:37 am
@Bod: Totally…I’d be getting worrried as an AB supporter with all this off the ball shenanigans…it just shows the players are running out of ideas…I see the Boks becoming unbeatable if we measure ourselves against the AB’s…about blerry time too…
16 Mar 2010, 11:49 am
@BokPower: True. The Stormers are nowhere near our quality. We are Mount Everest and they are Boksburg mine dump.
But they win a few games and suddenly they are rugby gods. The coastal teams have this inexplicable attitude that when they have a few good games suddenly they have already won the competition and every player MUST be a Bok. Think about Deysel, has a few good games in a watered down Currie Cup and suddenly he is walking on water. Now everyone sees he is rubbish.
With the Bulls, even after winning our semi last year, the first thing they said was that they havent achieved anything yet.
No, the Stormpies have very far to go before they are even in ourleague. Its an insult to think they are being compared to us, as if they are something better than rubbish.
16 Mar 2010, 11:51 am
You know exactly what I’m getting at Panther… so don’t mock me boet, for I will strike down with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison my brothers, and you will know my name is Bokpower when I lay my vengeance upon thee…
Each player has a specific role. Brussow/McCaw/Waugh/Etc. It is way more complex than McCaw individualy. How many balls are stolen by McCaw individualy in a game, one maybe? Two maybe? The rest are breakdowns where he does the ripping after the supporting tackler got up quickly and pumped his legs with other players joining or supporting. McCaw’s role is to keep the eye on the ball.
Now when the Crusaders/All Blacks synergy existed he was fantastic with players understanding their role of supporting the ball hunter. Funny that he hasn’t featured much in the last year or more… That supporting structure is not there. Collins is dead! What I am saying is that the individual players I mentioned are way above any Kiwis when it comes to the ruck even if the are not the designated “hunter”. They are faster than their counterparts, more physical, taller, graet lineout options etc. McCaw can’t fetch a beer from the top of my lounge wall unit. He is designated to fetch on the floor and has looked extremely ordinary even in ABs colours without some brutes. And NZ shows no signs of these deck brutes. Their Locks can’t ruck for a ball of ****. They have McCaw who hunts with no trackers to zone in on the prey… I can’t think of one other name at the moment bar So’ialo (who is pretty darn ordinary rucker/hunter himself.
Here is where my individual names came in… Brussow, Burger, Smith, Spies, Botha, Bismarck, Vermeulen and so on and so on… Call them deck brutes if you wish. Now please name me these world class deck brutes in New Zeland would you…
16 Mar 2010, 11:52 am
@Storm outta hell:
Its my favourite sport… dissing our Island brothers. Unfortunately its becoming less and less competative nowadays as their beloved sink deeper and deeper into mediocracy.
For instance, check Tackles out lately… There are clear indications he has swapped his ceiling poster above his bed from Jonah Lomu to John Smit.
16 Mar 2010, 11:53 am
@BlueBlood: You’re such a pompous d**s…does you’re arrogance know no bounds…those barking loudest will fall hardest on your BEK…!!…I will love to see you fail you miserable dog..!!
16 Mar 2010, 11:55 am
@Bod:
16 Mar 2010, 11:57 am
I hope the Bulls will pick some guys who can defend this weekend. Dippenaar will look silly against the big boys in midfield. I would also concentrate on defense for this game.
16 Mar 2010, 12:00 pm
As a Stormers supporter I hate what the Bulls have been doing the past few years. But as a fanatical sports supporter know one can doubt the pedigree Meyer created at Loftus. The Bulls are leaking tries but they are putting the points on the board as well. With Morne Steyn putting penalties over from almost anyware surely they can play a “tight” game as well. If the Stormers can keep up their revived spirit, tipping the Bulls vs Stormers game later the season will become a difficult task.
16 Mar 2010, 12:04 pm
@4thWiseMan: the joys of editing
16 Mar 2010, 12:16 pm
I am a Bulls supporter out and out. But we are living in the new millenium and one has to feel some degree of joy for the Stormers getting their act together. It would mean so much for SA rugby if we have two powerhouses at the very least. The Sharks seem to have fallen out the bus a little, but the Stormers are making me, a Bulls supporter, very proud. The two most powerfull unions in SA rugby at the top of the S14 pile. What more could a man ever ask for? Bulls and Stormers for a S14 final this year! We MUSt start believing in ourselves and believe that is possible for us to dominate world rugby yet again, and sustainably so! We belong on top! Well done to the Stormers boys! But know that come finals and you’re playing the Bulls, I predict each Stormers player will have two anusses by the final whistle!
16 Mar 2010, 12:35 pm
@Black Panther: Not at all all I am saying is that you are bragging about how good the AB team will be and just want to wish you luck cause you could not get one win from us last year, personally I think this is the weekest AB team I have ever seen. But that is my opinion,
16 Mar 2010, 12:38 pm
@Airwell: And the strongest Bulls team BTW.
16 Mar 2010, 12:46 pm
@BokPower: Yah,yah..we’ll see,but so far it’s shaping up to be the match of the tournament…can only be good for SA rugby
16 Mar 2010, 12:54 pm
lets say the bulls and stormers make it to the finals
yes the bulls have had bad defence but are winning games
so when they are to face each other in the final the bulls have been there and won it twise….
The Bulls are going to win it again,
Just deal with it now.
The WP still need to make a CC final, they made a semi last time and what happened. Next time they will be better prepared.
16 Mar 2010, 12:55 pm
@Storm outta hell: 99 – Calm down, bru, he’s trying to get exactly that kind of response from you.
He probably thinks he has a sense of humour. Shame.
16 Mar 2010, 12:57 pm
@TheTackler:
What utter ****.
What happened last year? Your loose trio were spanked, hard.
Yeah, your backs really are impressive, I mean, Joe Rockoko can sure teach our boys to catch a ball!
I’d watch yourself when speaking about Morne Steyn, he is currently streets ahead of Carter, evolved into the complete flyhalf and slowly, but surely is being recognized as the best in the world.
16 Mar 2010, 12:59 pm
@oscarthedawg: Yeah well,once I wind my neck out there’s no holding back…he’s probably the fat clown with the tanned bra-straps
16 Mar 2010, 13:21 pm
New Zealand is always a great team, but they just lack that edge at the moment. Outside Carter and McCaw I can’t say they have many players at the moment who could become legends, the way Saffers see AB legends of the past.
In SA we have Gods already nevermind legends. Matfield, will go down as an all time great. Bakkies will go down as an all time great. Fourie du Preez as the best scrumhalf that ever lived. Bryan Habana a legend. Schalk Burger will be in the history books as a legend. Heinrich Brussow is fast revolutionising deck play. Morne Steyn has broken records left right and centre. Jacques Fourie is slowly starting to get the credit he desreves. In my eyes Jean de Villiers is a legend. Juan Smith is a legend IMHO. I can further see some new legends in the making already… That young Bulls wing one of them (van den Heever). Bismarck is a monster Hooker (NZ can’t compare), John Smit the best captain SA has ever had.
I just don’t feel NZ aren’t living up to their All Conquering Legendary status with the players they have, and for that same reason I can’t see them even coming coming close to SA in the World Cup Next year.
And for what it is worth, never ever ever ever have I seen the All Blacks as All Conquering Legends, this is a falacy believed by their younger generation who witnessed half of the professional era the Springboks didn’t even take part in. They easily forget that the Haka (meant for the ancestors) won’t help, as all their ancestors know about the Boks is that they were the best for the greater part of century! Their ancestors felt Joggie Jansen breaking their bones.
The Boks have caught up structuraly me thinks and the back log of 20 years is close to being wiped out. AND, most importantly,we are only getting started!
16 Mar 2010, 13:31 pm
@BokPower: pride comes before the fall…
SA deserved their wins last year, they were the form team, basing assumptions 5 weeks into a 14 week competition, months away from the actual 3Ns, when there are factors like injury -what if some of these legends youve mentioned are injured? who replaces FDP if he suffers something similar to Brussouw? Pienaar? we all know how indifferent his game can be..
or the loss of form? whose to say Bakkies will be the player he was after his injury? Our loose trio is only a decent number 8 (this is what we’ve lacked for a while) away from being on a par with SA’s…
also, finally the ABs arent the best team inbetween world cups, perhaps thats a good thing for us? and we’re still competitive against you guys…
16 Mar 2010, 13:41 pm
@BokPower: what if we throw the game against France and you meet them in the semis of the WC? havent got a good record against them in the last ten years or so? we had 07 s loss, one in NZ last year (their first win there in 14 years), yet trounced them at a ground that they have only ever suffered one other loss from memory.. you sound like some kiwi supporters before 07…
16 Mar 2010, 13:41 pm
@poppa69: France in the pool stages..
16 Mar 2010, 13:52 pm
@Black Panther:
84
Stegmann is an opensider.
And go look at the stats vs Brussow just this year even.
16 Mar 2010, 13:54 pm
Stegmann doesn’t have technique my arse!
Won a turn over in the final vs the Chiefs WHILE having his ankle ligaments torn, and placed.
16 Mar 2010, 13:57 pm
@poppa69: Agree pride comes before falling. Again you were telling us re the Blues players who were in the AB side in the 95 World Cup. Look at that side and compare it to todays side. It sucks. It is the normal way thing go you have your ups and downs, no unfortunately for you you guys are on a down cycle. Thankfully for us we are on a up cycle (long may it last).
16 Mar 2010, 13:58 pm
Why are we talking about Springboks – All Blacks? At the moment its 3-0 (or 4-0 if you count the Barbarians) for now. Case closed. It’s Super 14 time, and the two teams I predicted a final from before the season started are at 1 and 2. Who’s the clever Kitty?
16 Mar 2010, 14:03 pm
NZ has been grooming bigger and faster players over the years and that is leading to their demise. Some of the NZ players have shocking balls skills and spills easy passes. When everything do come-off it’s a try. Australia has on the otherside moved to smaller, skilled players, with Cooper being a star so far this year. I feel the balance between size and skilled players are were the Springboks coming into their own. Spies is playing excellent rugby and he has speed, big and has brilliant skills for a big player.
16 Mar 2010, 14:03 pm
@Kobus Kitty: the S14 final is over 2 months away, and they havent played under “ANZAC refs” yet…
and 42-33 is what really counts Kobus, you know it and I know it..
16 Mar 2010, 14:08 pm
@ufo: @katman: I think you guys are mistaken on the Mike Tyson issue.
If you ask any boxing affiocianado what they thought Mike Tyson’s single most impressive part of his “game” was, guess what they all say:
“HIS DEFENCE”
At barely 6-feet tall, how do you think he got close enough to knock out so many of his opponents? He constantly fought against bigger, taller fighters with significantly better reaches than him. Many of those fighters (Spinks, Ruddock) had fearsome reputations as punchers. If you watch any of his “classic” fights (i.e. pre Buster Douglas) you will watch him stalking his opponents with his head buried securely behind his two “lethal weapons”, bobbing and weaving around all the jabs and hooks. And when he got his chance: POW! Game over.
Yes, he was ferocious on attack. One of the most agressive fighters ever. He wasn’t kidding when he told Lennox Lewis that he wanted to eat his children. At the time he was in the zone (fight mode) and meant every word.
A great puncher, but an even better defender.
But then, none of this has any real relevance to the rugby post. But I see your point: You are saying that as long as you can outscore your opponents you’re going to win, and you are most certainly correct on this issue. The bulls seem to dominate at will. I hope that when the Stormers meet them in the semis or finals, that we can make them rue the lack of defensive structures and put them away, a-la- Buster Douglas.
16 Mar 2010, 14:10 pm
Can anyone tell me what happened to keo’s mobile version. Iv been using rugby-talk on my i-phone because keo’s mobile version completely disappeared without a trace without even telling anybody.
16 Mar 2010, 14:10 pm
@poppa69:
We had a positive test record against the ABs till 1996, not our fault politics upset the boat.
16 Mar 2010, 14:14 pm
@Agile ***-Tyrant:
Mike had **** defense. He got in close by the “flying Mike punch”. Anyway he was never really the same after 1992.
16 Mar 2010, 14:15 pm
@Agile ***-Tyrant: not our fault either… you have 2 WCs to 1, we have a better head to head, just how it is
16 Mar 2010, 14:15 pm
@Agile ***-Tyrant:
Ag at Stormersboy
16 Mar 2010, 14:18 pm
@Airwell: @105
can you please point to the bit where Im “…bragging about how good the AB team will be” in this article ?
I merely responded to some nonsense here, no mention whatsoever about the ABs. This is, afterall, a S14 thread and Tests/TriN are months away.
Besides, why would I have to brag about how good/bad the ABs “will be”. They are currently IRB no1, and deservedly so after 2009 closed out. Thats what the stats say, opinion by me or others would merely be over-egging the pudding. Whether you believe it is the “weakest AB team ever” says more about you, as a pundit, than it does about the ABs. Atleast you have KKK as fine company (lucy you !).
Stick to the Bulls & Stormers for now huh. After all, thats what the article is about….
16 Mar 2010, 14:19 pm
@poppa69:
I don’t care about the WCs!!!
A kind of knockout tourney since 1987.
The record matters!!!
Hel, any in the top 10 can win it. We want to prove who’s best? Look at a long average, per season, per period, era etc. I love the AB-Boks clash I wish the Pumas would stay out of the 3N that we can play more ABs. Greatest rugby spectacle… still!
16 Mar 2010, 14:20 pm
The stormers will only get better. It brings a smile to my face to see Schalk prove everyone wrong who say’s his best years are over.
16 Mar 2010, 14:23 pm
The all blacks are **** they will never be the same team they once were from yesteryears gone bye. they completely lost that aura of invincibility.
16 Mar 2010, 14:23 pm
WC this WC that, Pha!
Invictus was such a sad effort of a movie, glad I saw the pirated version and not big screen with friends, Eastwood took all the emotion and drama out of it. Where have you see na try in your life where the entire team go over the line together in one bundle. they didn’t even showthe Silent Assasin’s try disallowed against France, that’s drama.
16 Mar 2010, 14:24 pm
Bring on the puma’s, at least they know how to beat the french at world cup’s.
16 Mar 2010, 14:26 pm
@Wezwp:
ABs aren’t ****, to say that is to call us ****!
Its since these modern kids are coming into the front row…no grit.
16 Mar 2010, 14:27 pm
I f##ken want my keo mobile version site back. Who the hell took it off. im bloodyb furious.
16 Mar 2010, 14:27 pm
@Wezwp:
Keep repeating it over and over again, and maybe 1 day you might actually believe it.
This ‘aura’ you say has disappeared still keeps filling stadiums everywhere, filled San Siro in a football-mad city, filled a stadium in France nearly twice as big as as was granted to the Boks’ and finished that Test tour unbeaten. Again.
The ‘****’ ABs ended the year, deservedly, no1. The best thing about that, to us Kiwis, is even we know there is massive room for improvement. On the contrary, this is possibly the best Bok team of all time and yet they got bossed by Ireland (again) and France (again ad finitum).
16 Mar 2010, 14:28 pm
@Agile ***-Tyrant: You’re wrong there. After Buster Douglass he wasn’t the same fighter, you’re right about that.
After 1992 however, he struggled struggled in all departments. He never put down any of his better opponants, so yes, his punch went AWOL along with his defence. He never floored Holyfield, Lewis, any of the really good champions of the day.
By calling Mike Tyson a “lucky” puncher you are showing your ignorance. But don’t take my word for it. Do some research before you put forward your opinion.
16 Mar 2010, 14:31 pm
@stormersboy:
I didn’t call him a lucky puncher.
16 Mar 2010, 14:37 pm
Yet you cant fill your own stadiums for super14 games. YOUR HURRICANES
16 Mar 2010, 14:38 pm
@Agile ***-Tyrant: That’s what your post implied to me.
PS it was the firing of his long time trainer, Kevin Rooney in 1998 that many people attribute to the beginning of the end. He got involved with Don King at that time and became a bit of a brawlers as apposed to the great boxer that he had been until then. This culminated in his loss to Douglas in 1990. By 1992 Tyson was in Jail for rape and it was all over for one of the most exiting boxers in history.
16 Mar 2010, 14:39 pm
yOUR HURRICANES THE 2ND BEST TEAM IN NZ JUST GOT HIDING OF THEIR LIVES. THE HIGHLANDERS GOT DEMOLISHED. NOW BRING ON THE CRUSADERS. (EXCUSE THE CAPS).
16 Mar 2010, 14:41 pm
@stormersboy:
Ja, shame for spectators… but good riddance. If I was president, I’d have the death penalty for rape. Mike should be dead IMO.
16 Mar 2010, 14:41 pm
The stormers has always been the most loyal supporters in the country yet safa still denied them a bil test match.
16 Mar 2010, 14:43 pm
@Agile ***-Tyrant: agreed.
16 Mar 2010, 14:43 pm
I really think it will be a stormers reds final this year. all blacks are ****. Theyll never ever win that world cup. Its sad really because they deserve it for dominating rugby for so long.
16 Mar 2010, 14:45 pm
some of you stormers supporters are getting ahead of yourselves!!!!!! there is still a long way to go before we know who the top 4 will be. all it takes is for a few bad matches ala sharks last year and the season is over. so i would remain humble imo…..but that just me…have been thru a few years here and bragging always comes back to bite you. use it…don’t use it. and go stormers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
16 Mar 2010, 14:47 pm
@stormersboy:
Ja,but now the problemis for some cases a proper conviction.
16 Mar 2010, 14:48 pm
@Wezwp:
Whose Hurricanes ?
Not mine, certainly. Hopeless team. Yet they still keep making the Semis….
Please inform me, which team keeps ‘filling their stadiums’ – even the Bulls dont.
Lets face it, in the days of gross tv over-exposure, NOONE fills their stadiums come S14 time any more. Watch the early years – mid-90′s – and there were huge crowds everywhere. A thing of the past, surely.
Ive only just returned from NZ. In 3 weeks, barely anyone talked about rugby, everyone was still talking cricket. And rightly so, its SUMMER. 1 more reason…
besides, SA/Boks couildnt even fill their stadiums for the Lions Series and I dont remember too many (any ?) spare seats in the house on the 2005 tour.
This obsession with ‘crowd sizes’ is surely outdated. Capetown alone has more people than the whole of NZ, figure it out before it passes you by.
16 Mar 2010, 14:48 pm
bring back the mobile version
16 Mar 2010, 14:52 pm
@Wezwp: @141
Youre crowing about the Bulls & Stormers yet they still havent set foot outside of SA. When the Champion Bulls did last year they got, erm, ‘demolished’ by my Mighty Highlanders.
Maybe you should keep your counsel until they do again.
16 Mar 2010, 14:56 pm
It’s simple,Bulls take into consideration: ELVs, altitude, support, pre-season fitness/freshness, team types, during the first phase. Successful!
Second phase, tighten up vs Chiefs, Blues.
Third phase, same against the Crusaders.
They have the most favourable draw. Cheetahs 1st, not too technically challenging, but physical… good to rough our boytjies up to get into the right mindset. then 3 challenges at home with Brumbies, Waratahs, Hurricanes., and some rest with bye and Highlanders.
Then, start 2nd with nice Farce. Chiefs up, Blues down etc. Nice variation.
Then coming back home we can relax a bit more with the Lion welpies. Then up again for Crusader toughness, technically and physically.
Then the Stormers long anticipated cracker. Nice draw.
16 Mar 2010, 15:02 pm
@Agile ***-Tyrant: Back in the day (1980′s), the death penalty was the prescibed sentence for:
1. Treason (without extenuating circumstances)
2. First Degree Murder (without extenuating circumstances)
3. Aggravated Rape
I would support this. The problem as you’ve alluded to, is the court system. And the fact that we have a constitution that protects the right to life. And that’s not something to take lightly….
16 Mar 2010, 15:06 pm
@stormersboy:
Ja,but we all know where the “treason” came from. I support a
“constitution that protects the right to life”. Innocent life.
16 Mar 2010, 15:14 pm
greenscrip:
16 Mar 2010, 15:19 pm
@stormersboy
Death penalty for abortion as well, except special circumstances.
16 Mar 2010, 15:24 pm
Too al Bulls and Stmrs supporters, yes the teams are playing excellent rugby, both teams are focusing on different aspects one is more attacking than the other, however we should not play the final yet there is a lot of Rugby to be played, and bad things can happen , hell it can start this weekend for both teams. If the players where as arrogant as some of the bloggers on this site (both sides) we would be in big trouble.
As for NZ, to even think that they will not be up to par, would be a huge mistake, they are classy players with exceptional ball skills always have and always will be.
I am truly disappointed in the Bulls fans I have not seen a full stadium yet, as for the Cheetah supporters, same thing how can you expect to make money from empty stadiums.
Stormers pavilions are full, mainly due to the fact that they have been starved from proper winning rugby for so long, they have to go see to believe.
16 Mar 2010, 15:27 pm
@vasteses:
This is a harmless blog.
16 Mar 2010, 15:28 pm
Everybody is windgat behind their keyboards.
16 Mar 2010, 15:29 pm
@Agile ***-Tyrant:
so noted, I assume you are a Bull
16 Mar 2010, 15:30 pm
HEINIE ADAMS OUT OF BULLS TOUR. WING TO BE INCLUDED, MAMETSA PROBABLY.
HOUGAARD TO ROTATE ON 9.
16 Mar 2010, 15:31 pm
@vasteses:
Uh, what makes you say that?
16 Mar 2010, 15:32 pm
And please M-Net do not show the “Oom’s” with the big bellies at Roftus on TV, they scare my kids. If I want to see big bellies I will go live in the USA
16 Mar 2010, 15:32 pm
read some of your blogs, or am i mistaken
16 Mar 2010, 15:34 pm
@vasteses:
100% Vas.
Bulls born and bred.
16 Mar 2010, 15:36 pm
@Agile ***-Tyrant:
I think Hougie can be the next bok SH, we should play him there more often, i also think we missed on an opportunity to play him as SH against the Highlanders if only for 15 min.
16 Mar 2010, 15:39 pm
@Agile ***-Tyrant:
Pretoria I mean. I just registered to give my opinion on why Stegmann should be a bok.
Then before I knew it, I had to defend my posts
And I haven’t yet been accused of being racist, so my Keo blogging experience is not complete yet.
And I’m bobbing for Keo dollars. What do you do with it? Can I become a company shareholder?
16 Mar 2010, 15:40 pm
@vasteses: 165
We only had 2 backs on the bench.
16 Mar 2010, 15:41 pm
@Agile ***-Tyrant:
same here, moved to George a few years back, couched juniors at Harlequins for a few years, mis the club setup and Roftus, great rugby nation the Blue Bulls nation. There is no junior clubs here in SWD only school rugby.
16 Mar 2010, 15:44 pm
Francois Hougaard is definitely the best potentially. Faster, Stronger, more physical and fitter than Fourie du Preez.
He just needs time with the kicking coach and to gleen off Fouries tactically brilliant brain. Both Matfield and Du Preez will be in a coaching capacity…excellent seeing as we gat Juandre Kruger who was already 2nd or 3rd lineout stealer in heineken cup.
16 Mar 2010, 15:53 pm
@Agile ***-Tyrant:
How do you know Hougaard is stronger and faster than Du Preez?
16 Mar 2010, 15:55 pm
@Tacitus:
Are you joking?
16 Mar 2010, 15:56 pm
@Tacitus:
Ok, ek gee toe, ek lei dit maar af van wat ek gesien het.
16 Mar 2010, 15:59 pm
I will definitely ask in the next Bulls chat.
16 Mar 2010, 15:59 pm
@Agile ***-Tyrant:
No.
Du Preez is damn quick and has scored numerous long distance tries for the Bulls. And his strength in the tackle has been demonstrated many times when holding up attackers over the goal line.
Hougaard is a great talent and I am very glad that he is Du Preez’s eventual successor. But let’s not write off Du Preez’s attributes so quickly.
Remember, Hougaard is actually a bit on the slow side for a wing. He has enough pace to make it there, but only barely.
Interestingly, the 3 quickest guys over 20 metres at the Bulls at the moment is vd Heever, then Dippenaar, and then the 30-odd year old Jaco Pretorius. Not Hougaard.
I think Hougaard and Du Preez are probably of similar pace.
16 Mar 2010, 16:02 pm
@Tacitus:
Agreed, Du Preez vs England 36-0, and also the Chiefs final.
Heerlikheid, but you pounced quickly on me for that one.
16 Mar 2010, 16:03 pm
yes, things do look on the up with Juandre returning, he will pair with Flip in the CC. they can become the next Vic and bakkies, I am sure we will have a stronger CC campain than last year.
15 Jaco vd Westhuizen
14 Shadow
13> jaco Pretorius
12. JL
11. Ngudwane
10 Brummer
9 Hougart
8. Van velze
7. Pottie
6 Steggies
5, Kruger
4 VD merwe
3 Roux
2Botha
1 Kruger
Man this looks good
16 Mar 2010, 16:06 pm
@vasteses:
We can get Okkie in at 6, Stegmann might be on his way for the green and gold. Also Wanneburg in place of Potties most probably.
16 Mar 2010, 16:07 pm
And swap Bees and Werner. Steenkamp.
16 Mar 2010, 16:08 pm
@Agile ***-Tyrant:
Hehehe. It is an interesting question you raise, however. I wonder how Du Preez and Hougaard compare in pace.
Whichever way it goes, I don’t think there’s much seperating them.
Hougaard does look very strong, though, even if he is quite short.
16 Mar 2010, 16:09 pm
Oh ja, and swap VDH and Ndungane
16 Mar 2010, 16:10 pm
With the demise of the Sharks and the poor form of their boks just who the hell is Snor gonna pick? and no Blueblood, he wont pick the whole Bulls team?
16 Mar 2010, 16:12 pm
@Tacitus:
Hougie has a whole-body hand-off under the shoulder that we’ve seen in CC ’09. Very aggressive, shoving flanks and props on their butts. Also, Du Preez breaks lines with his finesse, Hougaard just tries to hit it hard.
16 Mar 2010, 16:14 pm
@fuzzy:
PDV IMO can pick the whole Bulls team minus 4 players. Just get Frans Steyn FB, BJ Botha TH, Bryan LW, Jacques Fourie OC.
16 Mar 2010, 16:17 pm
And I’d prefer Juan Smith @7. Still,just recently merc Habs, was light blue so.
16 Mar 2010, 16:44 pm
I live in hope
16 Mar 2010, 16:57 pm
@SpringbokSarah:
Of what may I politely ask?
That Steves’ Prophecy will come true?
16 Mar 2010, 16:59 pm
@Agile ***-Tyrant:
Ok more like a mantra: “MAAK DIE BULLE ALMAL BOKKE!”
16 Mar 2010, 16:59 pm
@Agile ***-Tyrant: who’s Steven?
I live in hope that the Bulls’ season could be derailed
16 Mar 2010, 17:00 pm
@Agile ***-Tyrant: who’s FB and LW?
16 Mar 2010, 17:01 pm
@SpringbokSarah:
SIES MAN, haven’tyou heard that when WP and NTvl rugby is strong, Springboks are strong?
16 Mar 2010, 17:03 pm
@SpringbokSarah:
No no, FB=fullback and LW=left wing.
But ja, I can see how you’d wish for Bulls to derail,maybe the only chance you might have of getting the trophy.
16 Mar 2010, 17:04 pm
@SpringbokSarah:
Anyway, if the Bulls “derail” it’s going to be like a runaway freight train, so be careful of what you wish for.
16 Mar 2010, 17:26 pm
@Agile ***-Tyrant: yeah yeah yeah whatev… they can take a break
@Agile ***-Tyrant: lol blond mo
what can I say? Last time my team won anything I was in grade 2
16 Mar 2010, 17:31 pm
@SpringbokSarah:
Eish you probaly can’t remember it. Your grand father probably had to tell you.
16 Mar 2010, 17:34 pm
@SpringbokSarah:
Hang on, then you must be like in std 6 or something? why waste your time blogging? Go do something fun.
16 Mar 2010, 18:10 pm
propa gande! stormers flourish >bulls defence could derail them -why not mention that the bulls arent this dumb rugby unit they have had labled on them for the past decade? they actualy scoring well worked tries of set pieces ,they no longer use the direct route as their only route and in an era where attacking rugby has come full cycle they are probably the best unit in the game? tsk tsk tsk
16 Mar 2010, 18:42 pm
@vasteses: What makes you think Potties and Steggies won’t both be Boks?
16 Mar 2010, 19:02 pm
@baw: 196. You speak sense here. As a Sharks supporter I can only respect the Bulls for the type of rugger they are playing at the moment. You sense that whatever defence “frailties” they are showing at the moment, that they are able to tighten up and be stingy whenever it suits them.
The overseas leg will be a good test for them and there I reckon their defence will become more prominent.
Heck, they can win games by the boot if they want, but at the moment they score tries at will and why not.
I am envious of Bulls supporters at the moment – the Bulls look like the real deal.
16 Mar 2010, 19:12 pm
The following list states the Tries for and Tries against, it is only the strmrs, crusaders, brumbies and blues that have a good defensive record with the stormers leading the pack.
which although not a good record from the bulls puts it a bit more in perspective, and the bulls scored by far the most tries at avg of 6 per game closest to them are the tahs , but they had a 11 try fest against the kittens
1Vodacom Bulls 24 15
2 Vodacom Stormers 15 4
3 Crusaders 15 8
4 Chiefs 18 14
5 Brumbies 12 8
6 Reds 18 12
7 Waratahs 20 16
8 Hurricanes 16 13
9 Vodacom Cheetahs 7 12
10 Blues 10 8
11 Highlanders 12 20
12 The Sharks 4 11
13 Auto & General Lions 15 29
14 Western Force 5 21
16 Mar 2010, 19:16 pm
@catleya:
Well i do think potties might make it but i doubt if steggies will be picked over burger
16 Mar 2010, 19:18 pm
how many players do they take on overseas tour to NZ and Aus ??
16 Mar 2010, 23:20 pm
@Tacitus:
174
He is faster than the Ndunganes and JPP,
LOL
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