Excellent Anscombe buries Bulls
10 Mar 2012
RYAN VREDE reports on the match where Gareth Anscombe scored all the Blues’ points in a 29-23 victory over the Bulls at Loftus.
Where has this kid been? The Blues have kept faith with the mediocre Michael Hobbs (unavailable tonight) but the 20-year-old Anscombe has surely ousted him through this accomplished, all-round performance. His goalkicking was particularly impressive, outshining Morne Steyn, whose two from six return – the majority of those easy shots – was out of character.
The Bulls just never settled into a distinctive pattern despite bossing possession, territory and the set phases. Credit to the Blues, who, after building a 12-point lead at half-time, played intelligently and forced the Bulls into expansive attacks. The Blues held firm in defence, waiting for runners to isolate themselves then stifling the recycle or forcing infringements at the breakdown.
The Bulls started in the worst possible fashion, conceding a try three minutes into the contest when Anscombe snatched a loose ball and sprinted 50m to score and convert.
However, the Bulls rebounded well, profiting from a man advantage after Ali Williams had been binned with Pierre Spies rounding off a slick blindside move. The Bulls built immense pressure thereafter but butchered a number of scoring opportunities in the Blues’ red zone. They will lament this period when they review the match.
Steyn had missed the earlier conversion attempt then sent an easy shot wide to further compound the Bulls’ struggles. He traded penalties with Anscombe thereafter, but the latter was over the whitewash again just before the break, after a Bulls move broke down well upfield. Anscombe kicked the conversion to give the Blues a commanding 20-8 lead at the break.
Steyn banked three but Anscombe kicked a beauty from the touchline to keep the Blues’ tally ticking over. And the Blues got better as the match progressed, exhibiting none of the tactical naivety that had marked their previous defeats. They punched up through phases and Anscombe continued his kicking masterclass, adding his fourth penalty of the evening to take his side 15 points ahead.
With seven minutes to go the Bulls set up a tense finish, Bjorn Basson scoring. But Steyn pushed his effort wide and despite a late try from Basson the Bulls never threatened to steal the points.
Their limitations when asked to chase a game were brutally exposed tonight. Their impotence is concerning but there is time to remedy their shortcomings in this regard.
482 Comments
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10 Mar 2012, 22:16 pm
Can’t wait for the return Bulls fixture at Kings Park!
10 Mar 2012, 22:19 pm
You Saffies concentrate on the croquet,sorry cricket,while us kiwis look after the rugby.
10 Mar 2012, 22:22 pm
21.2 Where penalty and free kicks are taken
(a) The kicker must take the penalty or free kick at the mark or anywhere behind it on a line through the mark. If the place for a penalty or free kick is within 5 metres of the opponents’ goal line, the mark for the kick is 5 metres from the goal line, opposite the place of infringement.
(b) When a penalty or free kick is awarded in in-goal, the mark for the kick is in the field of play, 5 metres from the goal line, in line with the place of infringement.
I can’t actually find any reference in the laws to fouls committed in the act of scoring or just after… or from where such a kick should be taken…
but it certainly falls into the point above… can find nothing that says says any penalty kick after a try should be taken on halfway line…
so looks like Walsh should have awarded penalty 5 m out from try-line near touch… with kicker allowed to move back.. a very achievable kick by Morne…
food for thought…?
10 Mar 2012, 22:24 pm
@Horings(Horings)-290:
I reckon that Dewald would make a great opensider. He’s wasted at 7 and also doesn’t have the build for it. He’s a natural 8 but without the height. 6 would be the best position for him as he has the distribution skills and work rate that would balance todays requirements for a 7 and 8 to be big ball carrying forwards.
10 Mar 2012, 22:35 pm
@ufo(ufo)-303:
I think you are right
I said earlier that you could not end the game until the penalty was taken, even if time was up. The tackle and yellow card occurred in goal penalty should have been given 5 meters form try line and 5 meters in or at least on the half way line dead center.
Either should have been a relatively easy kick for M.Steyn
Bulls could have got that all important bonus point
10 Mar 2012, 22:38 pm
@ufo(ufo)-303:
Cant apply (b) since he was in goal you cant take it in goal, so i believe it is taken back to the Half way line
But is time up after the conversion and game over ? or should he have been allowed to take at half way line?
10 Mar 2012, 22:38 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-296:
Skop,
That great show will have to wait until next time Peter Grant is not match fit, otherwise, Van Aswegen is condemned to the bench
Even a kncklehead such as AC realised what’s his best option
10 Mar 2012, 22:38 pm
so SA thought we had an array of depth at fly half
Goosen, Lambie, Jantjies, Van Aswegen, Fouche
while Kiwi S15 teams have uncovered the following
Barrett. Anscombe, Cruden, Slater, Bleyendaal
and Aussie got
Halangahu, Toomua, Harris, Stannard with Cooper and perhaps O’Connor still stepping up
maybe its time for next generation to put the game into a new dimension from the Carter, Steyn, Cooper – Barnes rivalry
10 Mar 2012, 22:39 pm
@David(David)-304:
Now I’ve been thinking/saying that for a while now. Dewald potgieter at 6 just takes me back to the times of Jean Pierre Rives, Rob louw, Neil BackI also don’t see him as a 7 in the Theuns Stofberg, Gert Smal, Smith mould.
the Bulls are wasting the talents of that boy.
10 Mar 2012, 22:40 pm
Pete @ 305
yes I agree with you… and I’m sure we all believe a game can’t end on a penalty and see this in practise in most games played these day…
but I can’t find such a clause in the laws… have the official irb law app on my phone and can’t see it anywhere…
if anyone else can post actual irb law point on this issue, would sincerely appreciated it
10 Mar 2012, 22:45 pm
@Hondo(Hondo)-307:
Why do you call AC a knucklehead?
The man coached the WP/Stormers to semi finals/finals in the last 2/3 years.
Something that Rassie couldn’t do. You know Rassie? The greatest rugby brain in SA since Danie Craven!
10 Mar 2012, 22:46 pm
Pete @ 306
it clearly states take it back 5m from try line
big question is when does game end… based on common practise in most games many people believe the penalty should be taken…
but can’t find a point in law to confirm this
10 Mar 2012, 22:50 pm
@nama1(nama1)-309:
He has been injured most of last two seasons, I feel he is too much of a rugby thinker for the Bulls coaching staff – like Erasmus for Laurie Mains – they may not tolerate any diversion from their game plan?
10 Mar 2012, 22:52 pm
even if Bulls kicked another 3 point penalty after the hooter to make final score 29-26 would make no diffs to standings.. same result of Blues get 4 points and Bulls get 1 for a bonus loss… what the fuss about a possible penalty that don’t change any result.?
10 Mar 2012, 22:56 pm
and AC may just start Van Aswegen again vs Blues and he may even surprise the likes of Hondo and some others here and take the game by scruff of the neck similar to what young Anscombe did today… then who gonna sing another melodious tune of what might never have been if only but for that.
10 Mar 2012, 23:00 pm
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-305:
I believe they got that bonus point.
Think you guys are confusing things here.
There is also a rule that says that play must start at the halfway line after a try has been scored.
So, if an offence takes place in the action of scoring a try, where do you and UFO think the penalty must be awarded? 5m from the try line?
@Hondo(Hondo)-313:
You may be right about that. What do you think of him playing at 6 though? You think he’ll be good?
I’m sure he’ll be better than Steggies.
Btw, Where is Steggies’ dad, Agyle Tietman?
10 Mar 2012, 23:08 pm
@nama1(nama1)-316:
Was there even an offence? From where I was sitting Ranger tryied to tackle Basson, who went very low diving to score his try. The fact that he also went low and hit the wind out of Basson’s lungs did not mean that it was a dangerous tackle at all in my opinion.
The ref probably saw it the same way hence his reluctance to award the penalty although the LJ recommended it.
It was a kak call from the start imo.
10 Mar 2012, 23:10 pm
well that’s a typically blinkered short-term view…
it’s about applying the laws correctly and consistently… no matter what the log says or which comp…
a situation could easily arise where the kick could win a game, top a log or win a championship…
it would be good if all the fans, players and particularly the refs knew the correct laws and facts…
of course that is if you’re interested in fact and correct consistent application of the laws…
10 Mar 2012, 23:15 pm
big fat deal about nothing.. applying letters of laws which make no difference whatsoever to any outcome.. only dumb dweebs wanna make such huge issues about nonentities are those blinkered by some big fat non important importance…
10 Mar 2012, 23:15 pm
@UFO
http://www.irblaws.com/EN/laws/2/5/44/before-the-match/time/other-time-regulations/#clause_44
5.7 OTHER TIME REGULATIONS
(a) In international matches, play always lasts eighty minutes plus lost time.
(b) In non-international matches a Union may decide the length of a match.
(c) If the Union does not decide, the teams agree on the length of a match. If they cannot agree, the referee decides.
(d) The referee has the power to end the match at any time, if the referee believes that play should not continue because it would be dangerous.
(e) If time expires and the ball is not dead, or an awarded scrum or lineout has not been completed, the referee allows play to continue until the next time that the ball becomes dead. The ball becomes dead when the referee would have awarded a scrum, lineout, an option to the non-infringing team, drop out or after a conversion or successful penalty kick at goal. If a scrum has to be reset, the scrum has not been completed. If time expires and a mark, free kick or penalty kick is then awarded, the referee allows play to continue.
(f) If time expires after a try has been scored the referee allows time for the conversion kick to be taken.
(g) When weather conditions are exceptionally hot and/or humid, the referee, at his discretion, will be permitted to allow one water break in each half. This water break should be no longer than one minute. Time lost should be added on at the end of each half. The water break should normally be taken after a score or when the ball is out of play near the half way line.
10 Mar 2012, 23:18 pm
there too many laws in this game already anyway.. get rid of at least half of them and maybe it gets a whole lot more entertaining .. and interesting..
10 Mar 2012, 23:18 pm
When there is a penalty infringement AFTER the act of scoring a try then a penalty is to be awarded from the half way line after the conversion attempt.
Time would have run out in the phase of the kicker taking the conversion. Therefore, whether the conversion kick was successful or unsuccessful, by the time the ball was kicked the time would have been up.
Therefore the real issue at stake is this:
Should the fact that it was a penalty have meant that it should still have been awarded after the conversion, even though time was up?
We have seen after the hooter, if play is stopped by a team being awarded a penalty, that that team is permitted to take the penalty even though time is up. Otherwise, the opposing/defending team after the hooter had sounded would simply infringe in any way possible to bring the game to an immediate end.
Or alternatively, and I think what Walsh was saying, was that the penalty would only have accrued and therefore could only have been awarded AFTER the conversion, and therefore the time would already have been up. A technical issue as to the timing. I believe Walsh was saying the penalty only accrued after the conversion and therefore after time.
However, in my view, I would say given that an offence/infringement was caused before the end of time, it would be common sense that the Bulls should have been permitted the benefit of having a penalty from the half way line after stadium time having ended.
I hope the IRB or someone with the relevant knowledge can clarify this issue.
Who knows, they could have taken a tap and scored a try to win the game?
10 Mar 2012, 23:19 pm
@Sharkshooter(Sharkshooter)-320: at halfway
10 Mar 2012, 23:20 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-301:
I believe you’ll moer them at Kings park
They’re on a slippery slope to nowhere from here on.
10 Mar 2012, 23:20 pm
@Sharkshooter(Sharkshooter)-320:
“…If time expires and a mark, free kick or penalty kick is then awarded, the referee allows play to continue.”
This would suggest that Walsh should have allowed the penalty to be taken. The penalty infringement was made before the end of time in any event.
10 Mar 2012, 23:23 pm
Nama @ 317
10.4 Dangerous play and misconduct…
(g) Dangerous charging. A player must not charge or knock down an opponent carrying the ball without trying to grasp that player.
Ranger clearly did not attempt to grasp basson… but charged/dived on him shoulder first…
Sharkshooter
10 Mar 2012, 23:23 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-322: Refer 5.7 (e) above
10 Mar 2012, 23:24 pm
one more grey area law for IRB to set a standard about.. shows the ref’s don’t even know exactly which laws are stated in any statuary law book most the time anyway
10 Mar 2012, 23:24 pm
@Sharkshooter(Sharkshooter)-327: refer to post #325 above
10 Mar 2012, 23:25 pm
@Sharkshooter(Sharkshooter)-320:
What’s your point?
10 Mar 2012, 23:30 pm
Sharkshooter…
thanks… so the continuation of play for penalties is purely at the refs discretion…?
another law which can be applied differently depending on the interpretation and perspective of the individual ref… could have a huge impact…
also would like to see the reaction if a ref ended the game before allowing the penalty in the field of play to be taken…
10 Mar 2012, 23:31 pm
@nama1(nama1)-330: According to rule 5.7 (e) a penalty should have been awarded on the halfway line.
Kicking for posts would not have made a difference though – only if the Bulls tapped and ran…but based on the way they played tonight, it would have been highly unlikely that they would have scored from there…
10 Mar 2012, 23:32 pm
@ufo(ufo)-331: I believe you have interpreted it incorrectly.
10 Mar 2012, 23:43 pm
spooner…
tired n fuzzy brained…
meant that in practise… as per Walsh this pm… despite the laws as posted by sharkshooter… walsh is/was free to basically do his own thing…
I believe he should have allowed spies to take the tap at halfway as spies was clearly asking
10 Mar 2012, 23:51 pm
What was up with that kortgat manager of the Bulls wanting to take on Mealamu?
Man, I was so hoping Mealamu lost it for a few seconds and moered that oom.
He is becoming a disgrace, that oke.
Was the same fool who wanted to take on Os when Os was moering Danie during a CC final, wasn’t it?
He’ll probably be hailed as a hero tonight in Pretoria for standing up for his “seuns”.
Freakin fool!!!
10 Mar 2012, 23:53 pm
@ufo(ufo)-326:
How do you “grasp” a player when the player is
10 Mar 2012, 23:58 pm
@Sharkshooter(Sharkshooter)-332:
See how quickly you have put this case to rest? You should’ve said that in your original post.
I see the Kiwis are all on their knees praying for rain to avoid a defeat in the cricket test match.
11 Mar 2012, 00:00 am
@nama1(nama1)-311:
Don’t know about that, Rassie was there alright last 2 seasons above AC in the coaching hierarchy, he traveled with the Storms to every match
Let’s see how AC does without Rassie and WITHOUT the Jonker/Joubert/Pro Legota Brigade shafting the opposition for him?
11 Mar 2012, 00:04 am
@nama1(nama1)-336:
Freakin computer! Posting before I was finnished.
Sorry UFO.
I wanted to ask how you “grasp’ a player when he is only 10cm from the ground.
I believe that Ranger was also going as low as he could in order to tackle a diving Basson into touch or at the very least, knock the ball out of his hands.
That kind of “diving tackle” is so common in the in-goal area. It takes place every week. The fact that Basson got winded in the tackle, did not warrant a yellow card at all, if you ask me
11 Mar 2012, 00:06 am
Bulls rely on Morne too much. When he is kuk on the day they will lose. Bulls fans must hope and pray Morne don’t get injured because I don’t think XXL gum guard Fouche will help them a lot. Another Brummer/JLP in the making.
11 Mar 2012, 00:07 am
@Sharkshooter(Sharkshooter)-332:
Ya right!
I can imagine Ndungane doing the Carl Dup slalom, running from the halfway line to score under the posts through the Maneaters, or Kirchner for that matter
11 Mar 2012, 00:13 am
@Hondo(Hondo)-338:
Come on now Hondo. Remember, the Stormers made the semis in Super rugby last year, no?.
How many games did Pro ref for the Stormers in Super rugby last year? Did he even officiate in Super rugby? Why would he have any influence on the performance of AC as a coach?
What would your verdict be re Ludeke if the Bulls get nowhere without Meyer holding his hand in Super rugby this year?
11 Mar 2012, 00:22 am
@Hondo(Hondo)-341:
Yeah, I believe the only wing currently playing with the ability to do that would be Shadow. Unfortunately the stupid Bulls decided to sell him to the Stormers. They could’ve won tonight if only he was there.
11 Mar 2012, 01:45 am
@ufo(ufo)-310:
very true But had M steyn missed the kick then it would have been an issue
11 Mar 2012, 01:57 am
How was the gutless and dirty Saffa who bottled Mealamu whilst he was sitting on the bench.
Gutless and cowardly South African rugby fans throwing bottles tackling refs.
I guess thuggery 101 is one of the first lessons taught at rugby and rugby supporters school in the republic.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/6556535/Blues-skipper-Mealamu-bottled-after-Bulls-clash
P.S Ranger should be suspended for that shoulder charge there was no need
11 Mar 2012, 02:04 am
@Sir Rugga(Sir Rugga)-345: These boere are so embarrassing. They are clearly all touched.
11 Mar 2012, 02:12 am
POWER RANKINGS after 3 rounds:
1………..REDS
2………..HIGHLANDERS
3………..STORMERS
4………..CHIEFS
5………..BULLS
6………..HURRICANES
7………..WARRATAHS
8………. BRUMBIES
9……….BLUES
10……..SHARKS
11……..CRUSADERS
12……..LIONS
13……..FORCE
14……..REBELS
15……..CHEETAHS
11 Mar 2012, 02:17 am
346.garth said
How does anything of what you have posted relate in anyway to the gutless act by the Bulls fan after tonights game!
Honestly bottling a oppossing teams player because your team lost then running on to the field like he would actually stand a chance against Mealamu.
Disgusting and all Bulls and South African Supporters should be ashamed!
COWARD
11 Mar 2012, 02:24 am
@Sir Rugga(Sir Rugga)-345:
“P.S Ranger should be suspended for that shoulder charge there was no need”
What shoulder charge?
You guys still praying for rain over there?
11 Mar 2012, 02:26 am
Why do you call yourself “sir?”
You a subject of a faraway queen?
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