Nothing one-dimensional about Bulls
5 Mar 2012
MARK KEOHANE, in his weekly Business Day column, says the Bulls were a revelation in Bloemfontein but the Lions’ defeat on home ground was all too familiar in Super Rugby.
The Bulls, rebuilding after the departure and retirements of Victor Matfield, Fourie du Preez, Bakkies Botha and Danie Rossouw, played with enterprise, maturity and conviction to score 50 points against the Cheetahs. It was a brilliant performance, given the relative inexperience of the side and the pre-match expectation that the Cheetahs would beat the Bulls for the first time in Super Rugby.
What made it even more remarkable was that the Bulls played with 14 men in the last 20 minutes. As with the stumble of the Lions against the Hurricanes, the humiliation of the Cheetahs emphasised just what a struggle the season will be for the boys from Bloem, whose squad boast a few stallions but too many donkeys.
Heinrich Brüssow remains one of the best loose forwards in the game and flyhalf Johan Goosen will become a Springbok, but two individuals will never be a match for a team playing with confidence, pace and intelligence.
A week ago the Bulls were accused of being one-dimensional in beating the Sharks, but the assessment was unfair based on how the Pretoria side have played in the last few seasons. They have, without fail, been SA’s most imposing and inventive side and the try-scoring statistics support this view.
The captaincy has improved Pierre Spies’s presence on the field as a player who can lead and do it the hard way. He is finally being true to his billing as one of the game’s most explosive athletes and one of the better No 8s. For so long the kid among hardened men, he is now the man leading talented kids, many of whom showed that good enough is old enough.
Bulls halfbacks Francois Hougaard and Morné Steyn gave contrasting master classes at scrumhalf and flyhalf respectively, and both have an appreciation of tempo and field position. They mixed it up wonderfully on attack and kicked with accuracy and intent.
They knew where they wanted the game to be played and they allowed the situation to dictate how they played.
There is nothing one-dimensional about this team. Better sides in the competition may force them into a more conservative approach, but when dominant, the mentality is there to trust their handling skills as much as their kicking game.
They can’t be praised enough. Don’t be shy with the compliments this morning and the generous acknowledgment has to be extended to coach Frans Ludeke, whose humility after the victory was consistent with his team’s respect for the ball and the basics of the game.
I like what I see in the Bulls. Then again I have always had a soft spot for the boys from Loftus Versfeld.
Not so the Lions because they should be getting better results. They should have clinically beaten the Hurricanes and the first-half naivety in approach and lack of intensity can’t be excused.
The Lions got lucky against the Cheetahs in the opening round, but at least they won and the country’s domestic champions needed to win again to make fools of those who refuse to believe they can be playoff contenders. These players, put on a pedestal for their achievements in last year’s Currie Cup, have to learn to play with the expectation of champions. There is no positive in the way they lost. There is no positive in losing at home.
John Mitchell has given the rugby franchise credibility again, but there was nothing credible about the defeat.
Where was the desire in that first 40?
Lions supporters must demand more of this side because they are good enough to win against anyone in this competition at home. I know Mitchell will never settle for two-point defeats. He can’t be the only one.
The Sharks in Cape Town should never have lost, but they did. Bismarck du Plessis was a one-man show in the pack, but he needs his passion, enthusiasm and excellence to be matched by a few more of his mates.
The match was typical of a South African derby and more physical than most international matches. However, physicality alone will make neither the Sharks nor the Stormers champions-in-waiting.
The quality of rugby was poor and the skill level was a betrayal of the talents of those on display. We know these guys can play rugby and do it better than most, which made it that much more disappointing for the 40 000 who were forced to cheer big hits and penalties instead of line breaks and tries.
85 Comments
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5 Mar 2012, 19:58 pm
@wpjoulekkading(wpjoulekkading)-49: Ugggh,nobody said the Bulls will be champions – where did you see that? The fact is every man and his dog living outside Pretoria have proclaimed that the Bulls will finish last in the SA conference and now they are top of the log with a brand new team with new combinations and little experience. Can you forgive the Bulls fans for being a little excited? This Bulls team can only get better spending more time together and if they can add another dimension to their arsenal with their exciting backs…well,who knows what can happen? I can’t wait for the Reds and Crusaders to come to Pretoria – should be interesting.
5 Mar 2012, 20:23 pm
“It is a stormer thing to proclaim every year their year”
Really? When? Who? That is just the nonsense sprouted by paranoid Bulls fans who’ve got nothing better to do.
“No bulls supporter proclaims the Bulls champs, but we live in the knowledge that the team can and has done it.”
If you can’t see the irony in that statement then there is no hope for you.
As for Wynand Olivier, he is a limited player. Good with go-forward ball against averages defences, but not so great against world class ones. That is why he was never great at international level. And playing well against an insipid Cheetah’s peformance proves nothing. Is he bad? No. Is he as great as you obviously think he is? Don’t think so.
As for “living in hope” and all that nonsense you sprouted – of course yes. That is the beauty of being a sportsfan. In fact, reading my comment again, what on earth made you wet your pants? Basically all I said what it was too early to know who looks good in this season. How old are you anyway?
5 Mar 2012, 20:28 pm
@drew(drew)-48: Flip is a penalty machine and a walking yellow card. Also he is not that impressive. I would be more than happen to see Steenkamp run onto the field than Flippie, if I supported the Bulls. Flip lost the plot in a CC game last year against the Lions.
5 Mar 2012, 20:35 pm
@Loftus(Loftus)-51: Well I have almost never heard Keo be so excited about anything as he is in this article. And on the other thread JC bashes the Stormers stukkend for not playing more attractive rugby.
I for one never said the Bulls will finish last. Whoever said that was not the brightest bulb in the pack. But I do think they will have to re-invent themselves. And scoring 50 points against a hapless Cheetah side does not prove that they have.
There is cause for hope, it was a good game by the Bulls indeed. But the amount of praise flying around and the level of critisicm leveled at the Stormers for winning ugly seems a little exaggerated, like many things in SA rugby. I wish people could just be a little more objective.
It’s like how now suddenly Bismark is not the number 1 hooker anymore. We had two listen for YEARS how de Villiers was a peanut and how Bismark is the best 2 in world rugby and in the previous world cup. And now, just TWO GAMES into the s15, people are starting to bash him. Can people not just show a bit of calm and keep a sense of perspective?
5 Mar 2012, 21:15 pm
The Bulls got one of those draws that could work for you if you are championship material. They got the Blues, Crusaders and Reds at Loftus while they got the Rebels on the road. None of the NZ teams will be easy in NZ. They dont have a bad team this year. If you are a weak team (which the Bulls may still prove to be) then it is a very difficult draw as you could lose all of your games. The Bulls can use their homeground advantage to not only hold some of the favourites back, but to be unbeatable at Loftus throughout the year and get some points on the road. It is just a pity that the Reds will get between 35 and 40 points this year from within their conference.
Wallabie, I know they did not do it last year, but that is only due to not turning up for their derby games. The Waratahs showed that it was a weak conference.
5 Mar 2012, 21:22 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-6: “That young venter bloke will in all likelyhood oust DeVilliers by the end of the year as a bok12.” I dont think de Villiers stands a chance. He has really lost any spark he had. Turning his shoulder into tackles as if he is trying to protect some part of his body. That will not cut it. Heyneke will pick a conservative team for England and slowly but surely bring in the likes of Greyling, Etzebeth, Arno Botha, Goosen, Venter, Sadie and Engelbrecht. Expect the end of year tour to be very good one with young players such as the above to cement their places.
5 Mar 2012, 21:40 pm
@Horings(Horings)-56:
Interesting that 5 of the seven you mention play for the Bulls.
5 Mar 2012, 21:48 pm
@David(David)-57: It is more interesting that Heyneke hand picked six of those seven to be the next best and only Goosen declined the opportunity. Jake White picked his team in 2004 on the same principles. He knew who was the best youngsters in the country at the time through his work as national u20 coach and no one had a problem with it. In fact his knowledge of the junior players was one of the most important aspects of his successful tenure. Please show me how this is different from Heyneke. Everyone expects Heyneke to select Kirchner, Olivier, Stegmann above the established players, but he wants to build a new team and it took him a year or so to identify most of the players I mentioned. Why would he not select them?
5 Mar 2012, 21:49 pm
Bulls better not start counting chickens after 2 rounds or this marathon competition
sure they look the business, their preparation and their overall team ethic and combined forceful cohesiveness is quite a revelation to behold.
This youthful Bulls side to me is at this stage of proceedings looking like streaks ahead of any prior Bulls side before them, including the 2007-2009 and 2010 versions with all those so called legends of yesteryear.
The likes of Greyling, Chili, Kirsten, Steenkamp, Kruger, Potgieter, Stander, Hougaard, Venter, Engelbrecht, and Basson all looking like the new vanguard of the new look Bulls brigade interspersed between some of their longer standing stalwarts.. with Sadie, Fouche, Visser, Botha, Van Velse etc. still to make some telling contribution ahead
So all looking rather rosy for the new revamped Bully boys
However fact remains that Sharks had them by the throat for all of 40 odd minutes and had they been better finishers they could have spoiled the early party…,
Cheetahs on the other hand are simply not quite in their league in terms of across the board player conditioning and depth.
Better wait another couple rounds before we proclaim the invincibility of the new Bulletjie Behemoth.
5 Mar 2012, 21:54 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-59: Definitief! I don’t know who to go for in this week’s game. The Blues first two losses will make them even more difficult to beat and after that it is the Reds, Stormers (CT), Crusaders, Lions (JHB). They could lose all of them and then it is 2 from 6 with the tour to come. They could also be 6 from 6.
5 Mar 2012, 21:57 pm
Stormers next 6 games are Blues, Lions (JHB), Bulls, Highlanders (A), Crusaders (A), Reds (A). Eina! Very important for them not to lose one of their next 3 games, because they have a very difficult tour.
5 Mar 2012, 22:05 pm
Interesting that the Reds wont play the Cheetahs and Hurricanes this year. The Bulls will not play the Force and Hurricanes this year, while the Highlanders will not play the Force and Lions this year. The 3 teams that got the worst draws for sure.
5 Mar 2012, 22:35 pm
Bulls should put travelling Blues away with ease, can’t see the disjointed Blues outfit giving Bulls a problem at Loftus unless they catch them off guard early and disrupt their flow and confidence. But Bulls this year the most balanced Bulls outfit I’ve seen in a long time because their model is built around youthful vigorous attack through a combined onslaught through forwards and backs. Blues may not roll over to the same extent as Cheetahs but it could still turn out a hiding of note if Bulls front 8 get on a roll, which I suspect they will.
NZ sides to be wary of are Highlanders, Chiefs, Crusaders.., and Aussie sides Reds and Waratahs, only saffa side to concern Bulls now is Stormers having got their first game vs Sharks safely tucked away.., the rest Bulls should account for without too much anxiety.., unless their away form gets unsettled and they lose the confidence that’s brimming through the ranks after the last games outright cohesion.
5 Mar 2012, 22:36 pm
I think Bulls vs Reds at Loftus will be very, very interesting. Harris actually gives the Reds a very strong kicking option, and his early season form suggests they can rely on his boot in close matches.
As for the draws, bit naive to merely look at who plays who, when who plays who where is a factor that cannot be ignored.
5 Mar 2012, 22:46 pm
I reckon Stormers could prove the Bulls big hurdle, Bulls will know Stormers won’t back down in the showdown.., don’t count out Stormers vs Bulls.., that the one team Bulls will have to come ready for a mighty rumble.., Highlanders, Crusaders, Chiefs, Reds, and Waratahs won’t lie down neither.
5 Mar 2012, 22:52 pm
Lol. Many bold predictions after only 2 rounds.
Long way to go yet.
5 Mar 2012, 22:52 pm
that Harris is a remarkable metronome to match Steyn, he’s scored 45 of Reds points in 2 games thus far and his place kick record in super rugby is 25 from 25…, that is some outright remarkable dead eye sharp shooting.., depending who’s reffing that game could be quite a prospect Reds vs Bulls at Loftus
5 Mar 2012, 23:13 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-67: mckenzie is kak bang the reds defence was shown to on the porous sideby pocock & stannard on the weekend plus their forwards aren’t such hot s(hit.
that said the Reds have klapped the Bulls 2 years in a row now whole jetlagged after having travelled back from SA.
5 Mar 2012, 23:16 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-66: surely Plumtree won’t repeat his 2010 season start of 0 from 5 this year? he should know there’s no coming back from that as the Sharks finished waaayyy out of playoff contention in 9th spot.
5 Mar 2012, 23:51 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-69: I wonder why you selectively chose the Sharks?
Oh yes, that was the year the Sharks won 7 of their last 8 games. Finished 8 points off a semi place.
If you want to talk about the Sharks this year, let’s start with three words: tough opening draw.
Two away games against the Bulls and Stormers. No big deal. As I said. Long season.
At least I sleep easy at night knowing the Sharks will always be better than your King Clowns. :duplicitoussmiley:
5 Mar 2012, 23:52 pm
I wonder if the Kings will ever be able to win 7 out of 8 games in super rugby?
6 Mar 2012, 00:27 am
Sharks have a rough start. Still have a few tough ones on the close horizon too, but they’ve yet to concede a try and picked up 2pts, honestly, things could be a lot worse for them.
6 Mar 2012, 00:37 am
@Tartan(Tartan)-72: Extremely tough!
Currie Cup champions
then Super rugby champions
then away tour!
Very tough draw.
But hey, life goes on.
6 Mar 2012, 00:39 am
Blues to blow Bulls off the park this weekend, based purely on the fact they have to or their gone.
6 Mar 2012, 06:36 am
@wpjoulekkading(wpjoulekkading)-52:
If you have to know, my ID says almost 44.
The brain training memory game on my tablet says I have the brain of a 14.9 yr old. Personally I think it is closer to 32 and might dip to around 18 when I have had 6 double Vodka and Red Bull and a few Tequilas.
My wife thinks I have the body of a 24 yr old with the experience of a 44 yr old.
Answer your question?
You sound like a bitter old man (Grant 10?). Just admit that the Bulls did very well against the Cheaters and is setting the pace in the comp at the moment. I know a lot can change, but the Bulls of old got better as the comp progressed.
If that is the case this year there is a lot of pain waiting for the other teams and especially the stormpies. I cannot wait for that game.
6 Mar 2012, 06:56 am
Wow, Matfield and FDP leave the Bulls and they start playing well. Big surprise there.
6 Mar 2012, 07:03 am
@garth(garth)-76:
Matfield and FDP at the Bulls = they play well.
Matfield and FDP leave the Bulls = they play well.
Yeeeep, one of life’s great paradoxes.
6 Mar 2012, 07:24 am
The Cheetahs are a disintegrating team, add Joubert shafting them from the minute go, the bulls got them on a plate
The first two tries that I watched were both concocted by Joubert (2nd one was a long forward pass behind the defender’s back), the thing is the Bulls didn’t need any of Joubert’s help to win but now they are tainted as a part of the scam
6 Mar 2012, 08:02 am
To be fair it doesn’t take much to confuse Garf.
6 Mar 2012, 09:17 am
So last year the Bulls ended 7th in the league. They were 3rd in the SA log, only beating the Lions and Cheetahs. Fantastic results. If that’s playing well then you need your head read. This was clearly because of one dimensional gameplans instigated at both Super Rugby level and the Boks by Victor friends.
6 Mar 2012, 09:20 am
@garth(garth)-80:
**** man, use brain before opening mouth please.
bulls beat the stormers at newlands and sharks in the tank. on consecutive weekends if i remember correctly. Bulls lost to the sharks by 3 points at loftus in the last game otherwise they would have been in the knockout rounds again.
6 Mar 2012, 09:24 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-81: It’s sad that Bulls supporters have become so used to average performances. The Bulls were **** last year. Everyone knows that. The point I am trying to make is that the team is playing much better with the old fogies dictating gameplans that suite their fitness levels and old age.
6 Mar 2012, 10:29 am
@Xkreni-WP(Xkreni-WP)-75: I am not bitter in the least. And I said already that the Bulls had a good game.
But pace-setters? For smashing the Cheetahs?
6 Mar 2012, 12:09 pm
We (the Bulls) can’t get to excited. We have played the cheetahs and the sharks (2 of the weakest teams in the competition), still a lot of hard work ahead….
7 Mar 2012, 02:20 am
@willievz(willievz)-47: The bulls played”one dimensionally” at Loftus because sometimes you play the game you are allowed to play. I think you underestimate the Sharks team – they ARE good.
The Sharks got parity at the tackle area and ruck, so the bulls could not get quick ball (maybe also because of the ref’s interpretations on the day). So running rugby becomes more pointless, and gaining meters by kicking and chasing becomes more important.
Against the Cheetahs, the Bulls forwards made ground carrying the ball up, which allowed them quick ball, and led to more ball-in-hand rugby – when it made sense to do so.
The great thing is that the Bulls adapted – and adapted intelligently. they have more than one game plan, and can carry them out expertly when needed.
They are looking VERY strong. And VERY well coached. And smart!
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