Bulls looking ominous
28 Feb 2011
RYAN VREDE writes that the Bulls have been anything but impressive in their opening matches but suspects that those ugly wins precede a return to type.
In reflection perhaps I’ve been harsh when assessing the Bulls to date. Certainly for the first half against the Lions they were outstanding. However, for 105 minutes thereafter, including the first 65 against the Cheetahs on Friday that featured uncharacteristic tactical naivety of the highest order, they have, by their standards, been mediocre.
But there are mitigating factors, ones I didn’t show enough appreciation for initially.
Their victories have come away from home, which is no small feat when you consider that South African derbies are rarely easy matches. The Lions showed against the Stormers on Saturday evening that they are a vastly improved team from the one that masqueraded as a Super Rugby franchise in 2010. Their narrow defeat against the Bulls at Ellis Park was no fluke. That Bulls victory, initiated by the first-half excellence and attained through a desperate defensive effort in the second, was crucial to their confidence.
The Cheetahs were always going to be an easier proposition but the Bulls undoubtedly made their task more arduous by exhibiting a horrible hybrid approach – kicking poorly and attacking expansively without a platform to do so.
However, their capacity to rebound away from the comfort of Loftus must be applauded. Fifteen points away from home is a significant deficit, arguably one try conceded away from being out of the contest, and speaks of their character and experience. Few sides in the competition could have managed that and being able to grind out victories despite a flawed performance is a trait shared by champion teams.
Fourie du Preez was patently off the pace until it became clear that a general was needed to direct their assault, which until that point had featured plenty of brawn but not enough brains. He certainly isn’t match-fit yet, but played on memory, displaying the composure and sharp decision-making under pressure that comes from having been in similar situations before. The Bulls’ performances will improve in direct proportion to his match conditioning.
They will miss Du Preez (he leaves to join Suntory at the end of the season) more than they will the retiring Victor Matfield. The Springbok lock remains an important leader, but his powers outside his lineout prowess are waning. Du Preez will be just 29 years old when he begins his Japanese adventure, still be a couple of years away from the age-induced slide into the realm of the ordinary that Matfield is now experiencing.
There are secondary factors that will contribute to the Bulls’ form graph curving upwards. Pierre Spies’ running power will be harnessed better, Dewald Potgieter will display the dynamism that has marked him as a key man for the Bulls, Wynand Olivier will profit more greatly from the increased potency of his heavies and Bjorn Basson is yet to find his stride. Collectively there will be more precision and the tactical naivety they’ve displayed to date will slowly give way to the intelligent and precise approach we’ve become accustomed to.
A bye just before two massive games at Loftus (against the Stormers and Lions) is a godsend thereafter one will be able to more accurately assess where the Bulls stand in their bid to win their third successive title.
At present they are certainly not looking formidable, but with two flawed wins and a run of three home matches they are well placed to stir from their slumber.
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26 Comments
28 Feb 2011, 11:28 am
Bully Dragons.
28 Feb 2011, 12:02 pm
I think the points you raise are accurate, but I am not so sure the Bulls will be as good this year as the previous two. Yes those first two victories were poor ones, but the opposition it must be said was not in the upper echelon of the Super rugby heirarchy.
Best news for Bulls fans is this, Crusaders when they were a champion team also would start the season slow and build up to be playing their best footy from about halfway through the round robin on, and peaking for the semis. Waratahs in contrast are doing what they always do, start really strong, peak early and drop off towards the end.
With the competition now even longer than in previous years, it is important for the Bulls to be playing their very best in the second half of the comp. If they can continue to win at home all year you just know they will pick up some games on the road. But the crucial area for me will be the away games in Cape Town and especially Durban. If the Sharks or Stormers can put two over the Bulls this year and you are forced away from Loftus for the semis and final, it will be tough. And im not talking away as in Soweto, that place was packed with Bulls fans.
Dont under estimate the Highlanders just because its at Loftus either. Bulls game needs to improve markedly for a W this week. Another performance like the last two and you’ll lose to the Southerners
28 Feb 2011, 12:19 pm
the bulls need to play with more tempo and ball in hand.
altitude will do the rest.
the most important fact learnt these past few seasons by the bulls.
don’t kak your brook when an antipodean shows up at loftus anymore….just make them tackle you all afternoon, jetlag and fatigue will take it’s toll much the same as saffer teams suffer when heading east.
28 Feb 2011, 12:21 pm
not so sure about the Matfield age comment.
Martin Johnson and John Eales were formidable locks well into their mid thirties were they not?
28 Feb 2011, 12:48 pm
The most impressive thing about the Bulls victory on Friday is on how brilliantly the comeback was managed.
There was no panic.
Matfield was magnificent in this regard, penalties which I felt needed to go to posts were punted to the line, and when I reckoned they had all the momentum and should continue to pound the Cheetahs with a line-out or scrum, Matfield calmly went about taking the kicking to poles option.
For most part they were rubbish and smashed all over the show by the Cheetahs, but just the methodical and meticulous nature in which the Bulls with Matfield in charge managed their come-from-behind victory, should give any coach that still need to come up against this team nightmares.
Good teams win games they should, champion teams win those they should have lost.
28 Feb 2011, 13:07 pm
What a load of rubbish. The Bulls don’t look ominous at all. Last year, they had major problems with their defense and organisation, but physically they were absolutely outstanding and despite letting in loads of trys, they were scoring more and then they really were looking ominous, the rest is history and they won fairly comfortably looking unrivaled. Then P-Divvy flogged them all to death in the internationals, didn’t try much new and now the Bulls are well off the pace. Maybe that’s because they’re aiming to peak later on in the season, obviously with the world cup in mind. Unfortunately I think its actually because they’ve not recovered enough from last year. Hopefully I’m wrong, but I think the players have been totally mismanaged and the difference between the team 12 months ago is huge. Ominous perhaps, but not in a good way.
28 Feb 2011, 13:27 pm
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-5: 100% as always.
As a supporter, 63 minutes into the game I felt we would lose, clearly the players didnt share my belief. They went about it as if it is their given right to win, no panic.
28 Feb 2011, 13:55 pm
Danie and Flip took up the tempo. Also the Bulls setpiece was impressive. Chilli hit his jumpers every single time and the scrum tortured the cheetahs’.
28 Feb 2011, 13:56 pm
@King Shaka(zulu shark)-8:
I thought Chili was horrid.
28 Feb 2011, 14:26 pm
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-9: I thought chilli was pretty ordinary but for some reason he just has to touch the ball and some of the presenters talk him up, just glad Stransky wasn’t commentating.
I’m a Sharks fan but will say I was impressed at how the Bulls pulled the win out of the bag, they luckily had Flip, Danie and Spies at loose trio, those big boys really had an impact on f’g up the Cheetahs scrum and winning the game.
28 Feb 2011, 14:29 pm
@Pissant. I was only talking about his lineout work. Elsewhere he was ordinary.
28 Feb 2011, 14:46 pm
@King Shaka(zulu shark)-11:
Suppose you cannot ***** about 1 missed line-out.
28 Feb 2011, 14:56 pm
i saw plod miss 2 lineouts that could have cost sharks the game…..chilli was not bad at all imo
28 Feb 2011, 15:32 pm
Ryan is right about the hybrid approach. Seems like they took Mitchell’s comments too sensitively about the need to be a 4 try team, and undertook to do exactly that by spinning the ball wide.
It was a total failure, because they didn’t dominate the physical encounters first. The simple formula was abandoned and it scuppered their entire gameplan.
Also, it looked like most of them REALLY didn’t want to be there, with most of the forwards just going through the motions. The Cheetahs in contrast were motivated as hell.
We just need to focus on the Highlanders game. Once that is over, we have a week off, and then Gary Botha, Francois Hougaard and Juandre Kruger will be back.
I’d slot Gary straight in at hooker, Kruger at no.7 flank, and Hougaard at outside centre. That will give us huge impact which we’re currently lacking.
I’d also consider starting with Flip vd Merwe or Danie Rossouw, who seemed to gain us more go forward than our starting lock pair.
The Bulls are under par, no question about it, but if they beat the Highlanders this weekend, they’ll be three from three and looking good for the second stage of their campaign after the bye.
28 Feb 2011, 16:04 pm
PissAnt – As usual i have been slow to watch any games, it is typical grey Feb in UK (deperessing), but have watched the highlights on youtube.
Man oh man i am impressed with the Lions. Again it highlights the real lack of great coaching we have in SA, mind you i thought the Cheetahs played very well and scared the daylights out of the Bulls.
But again the Bulls to me had to fight hard for that win instead of playing well!
Stormers look lack lustre and should have lost!
THe Sharks are showing promise this year!
28 Feb 2011, 16:49 pm
is your real name stransky?
28 Feb 2011, 18:40 pm
They Bulls may not be so lucky with a NZ or Aus referee, their scrum should have been penalised each and every time
Ditto against the Lions in Round 1.
28 Feb 2011, 18:50 pm
Hondo
Moenie k*k praat nie man.
28 Feb 2011, 19:02 pm
@Tacitus(Tacitus)-18:
I said it BEFORE the game: Joubert will win it for you guys
And there was a sizable of opinions which said exactly that AFTER the game on Super Rugby, Sport 24, IOL and other rugby’s website
28 Feb 2011, 19:12 pm
Yes Ryan, whatever! So what were you thinking or hoping when you wrote the original article? Having seen the other teams. Stormers, Cheetas and the Lions made you to start back tracking.
The Bulls in your own admission is far from what they can be. To gain some credibility you now have to do do some damage control. Stop thinking ahead for f..s..! in between now and 2012 lies a Tri Nation competition and the WC, who really cares how the Bulls will suffer next year?
Admit it, you just cant wait for them to go down into the gutters.
So I have to score you a 3 out of 10 for this article, you score 3 because I could not pick up any spelling mistakes.
28 Feb 2011, 19:16 pm
Excellent article about an excellent team.
28 Feb 2011, 19:23 pm
Hondokak is an ***.
28 Feb 2011, 19:39 pm
@Hondo(Hondo)-19:
Load of rubbish man. Just looking for *****.
28 Feb 2011, 20:30 pm
hondo
needs his
beeno
28 Feb 2011, 21:09 pm
The bulls are notoriusly slow starters and this year is no different the way i see it if we can win games playing as poorly as we are then just wait until we start playing good rugby go bulls.
1 Mar 2011, 00:56 am
Did anyone else notice how one dimensional Olivier has gotten?!
Why bother having a 13 and wings. As for running the ball right back at the opposition you may as well play another loosie. Your Bok dAys are over
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