Brittle Bulls edge Rebels
4 May 2012
RYAN VREDE watched a fine attacking performance from the Bulls undermined by a poor defensive one in their 41-35 victory over the Rebels.
From a Bulls perspective this match should be remembered less for the five tries they scored and more for the awful defensive display that allowed the lowly Rebels to run in five of their own. They are undoubtedly South Africa’s best attacking force but if their defensive struggles continue they won’t mount a serious title challenge. A better side would have scored more often and indeed beaten them on the strength of their defensive performance tonight.
They had secured a four-try bonus point by half-time but, tellingly, had allowed the Rebels to do the same. Their gainline fight was weak, allowing the Rebels to consistently run at an unset defensive line. They scored almost every time they entered the Bulls’ red zone and the ease with which they did so should be deeply concerning.
Only a Morne Steyn penalty separated the sides at half-time (31-28). The Springboks have recruited Bulls defence coach John McFarland, who has built a reputation for forging his sides into formidable defensive units. But he’ll have a significant amount of work to do in the weeks ahead. This was expected to be their easiest assignment defensively, with the Waratahs, Chiefs and Highlanders in wait.
They will, however, draw confidence from their potency on attack. Their primary strike runners brutally exposed the Rebels’ own defensive vulnerabilities, bossing the tackle fight, which allowed them to control the flow and tempo of the match when they were in possession.
There will also be renewed optimism about Morne Steyn’s match-winning potential as a goal-kicker. The Springbok flyhalf has been inconsistent with his kicking to date, but tonight his rhythm seemed to have returned, evident by him landing a clutch of touchline conversions.
The match settled down in the second half then exploded into life going into the final quarter. When JJ Engelbrecht touched down and Steyn banked his fifth conversion of the evening you thought the Bulls would close the game out. But just three minutes later the Rebels cut their line once more in a move that culminated in Cooper Vuna grabbing his second try of the match. Kurtley Beale had matched Steyn with the boot and kicked the extras to set up a tense final 10 minutes with the Rebels trailing by three.
Steyn sunk a penalty with eight to play and the Bulls did enough to hold but they will be acutely aware of fundamental flaws that need to be addressed.
411 Comments
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4 May 2012, 14:49 pm
@ryecatcher(ryecatcher)-248:
Good grief shame man.
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-249:
Should I enquire? What would you like to see her wearing.
4 May 2012, 14:50 pm
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-249:
Less boot and more – ah well…
4 May 2012, 14:50 pm
@Cheetahs27(Cheetahs27)-225: Where do you think it will leave the Stormers if they do not make it this year?
4 May 2012, 14:50 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-251: A Bulls jersey
4 May 2012, 14:51 pm
@capebull(capebull)-253:
hmmm…. trying again next year I guess
4 May 2012, 14:51 pm
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-254:
Pink?
4 May 2012, 14:52 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-251:
….body paint
4 May 2012, 14:54 pm
@ryecatcher(ryecatcher)-248:
Are you Keo’s oldest blogger?
4 May 2012, 14:54 pm
Bulls have won, Strompies won , now for Sharks , Cheetas and LIONS
4 May 2012, 14:54 pm
@Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-255: That’s so 2001
4 May 2012, 14:55 pm
@capebull(capebull)-260:
Rub it in mate!
4 May 2012, 14:56 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-256: Ok
4 May 2012, 14:57 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-241: No I want to laugh at Ryan.
4 May 2012, 14:57 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-258:
I would guess the Gerber13 bloke! He talks about games played in the 30′s…
4 May 2012, 14:58 pm
@capebull(capebull)-253: Well the Stormers have some really good youngsters coming through atm as do the Bulls. If they don’t make it I can’t see much changing. Might make 1 or 2 signings but who knows. Hopefully everyone just leaves the Cheetahs players alone. lol.
Lets just hope they do take it though. Or the Bulls. I really don’t care what people say about the brand of rugby being played by the Stormers. They winning and that is what matters.
4 May 2012, 14:59 pm
@Te Rangatira(Te Rangatira)-240:
Carlos,
Now there was a man who loved to play rugby.
What Einstein was to fuzzy hair,
What Paul Hogan was to Aussie self esteem,
What Kim.com is to Weight Watchers.
What Houston We Have A Problem stands for, in the field of reasoned and sound debate.
Carlos was rugby joy personified.
4 May 2012, 15:00 pm
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-249:
well thats an easy one… fark the outfit… i’d prefer to judge ‘that’ book without the cover….
4 May 2012, 15:00 pm
Didn’t see the game, but 5 points in the bag.
Now if by some stroke of fortune we are able to get a win from the next game, we will suddenly be sitting very pretty going into the NZ leg of the tour.
4 May 2012, 15:02 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-246:
A little bit of fun never hurt anyone Dear.
4 May 2012, 15:03 pm
Forgot to set the PVR to record, so I called home this morning, trying to explain to the maid how to work the PVR remote using the “Information” button, then the arrow button to scroll down past “Rugby Chat” until it said Vodacom Super Rugby – Bulls vs Rebels.
And then had to remember where the record button is to get her to press it.
I’m hoping for the best, but I have a strong suspicion that the operation was a failure – valiant as the attempt was.
So I’ll just have to hope there is a rebroadcast sometime, like in the pre-PVR days.
4 May 2012, 15:03 pm
Cheers all. Got 2 go. All the best to all SA teams and once again… Well done BULLS. 5 points in the bag.
4 May 2012, 15:06 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-270:
The maid?????
4 May 2012, 15:06 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-272:
What?
4 May 2012, 15:06 pm
@cane(cane)-266:
why thanks cane… is that a compliment..?.. i’m a bit slow to understand it..fok ..?..
either way, carlos spencer is one kiwi i will always have a soft spot for…always thrilled me to watch him at play… just the guile and classiness of his moves…he’s right up there imo.
quade clearly grew up wishing he could be like carlos when he grows up.
4 May 2012, 15:07 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-270:
Magtag
If it means that much to you set the frigging thing last night already
Instead of asking your “maid” to do it and terrifying the living daylights out of the poor woman.
4 May 2012, 15:07 pm
@Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-257:
Naked from from the waist up.
4 May 2012, 15:08 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-273:
The new term is “domestic worker”
Like Artist’s Maevis.
4 May 2012, 15:08 pm
@cane(cane)-276:
Waist down?
4 May 2012, 15:09 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-270: Usually Monday mornings they show the full game.
4 May 2012, 15:10 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-275:
Sorry. I was busy, and forgot.
Must admit, halfway through the phone call the realisation dawned on me that I had made a big mistake. But to just say “never mind” at that point have hurt her feelings, so I had to push through.
Let’s see whether there is a recording waiting for me when I get home.
Didn’t mean to make her life difficult.
4 May 2012, 15:10 pm
Tries for:
Canes 34
Bulls 33-21
Brumbies 27-17
Chiefs 24-9
Strompies 16-9
Lions 12- plenty
I thought Chiefs scored more.
4 May 2012, 15:11 pm
Dawn @ 251. Probably the worlds.But you
guys help in keeping
geriatric dementia at bay.(Still have most of my teeth.)No ,thats a lie.Stay terse & laconic and lets remember Charlie Chaplin
who amazingly became a father in his 90,s
4 May 2012, 15:11 pm
Bulls leaked 21 tries , 10 in last 2 games
4 May 2012, 15:11 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-280:
What is her name?
You underestimate her. Would it surprise you to know they all have DSTV.
4 May 2012, 15:12 pm
@ryecatcher(ryecatcher)-282:
Terse and laconic.
Willdo
4 May 2012, 15:12 pm
@houston, we have a problem…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-274:
Quade is a natural player of unspeakable potential.
If he can stay free of major injuries and is not Coached out of his natural game.
Aussie have a gem to polish.
4 May 2012, 15:16 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-278:
No that would be crude and vulgar.
so would waist up…………………………………………………but slightly less so.
8)
4 May 2012, 15:18 pm
Welcome to the top of the log Bulls.
It’s rarefied air up there.
Don’t get too used to it
We’ll be claiming it back soon
Oh, and congratulations.
4 May 2012, 15:19 pm
@cane(cane)-286:
yip.
thankfully for him, and perhaps for our enjoyment as fans of the game too, if theres one country that wont coach hom out of his natural game, its oz.
winning at all costs is not the be all and end all for the wallabies in the way it is for sa and nz as much maybe.
4 May 2012, 15:20 pm
Aaagg Quade blows hot and cold
4 May 2012, 15:21 pm
Where is Tacitus now
4 May 2012, 15:21 pm
I get the feeling Mark couldn’t afford to keep her!
4 May 2012, 15:21 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-288:
the airs always thin up at loftus…. nothing new there…
4 May 2012, 15:22 pm
@Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-292:
Shame man
You really are disappointed
She was here last night and had to rush off.
4 May 2012, 15:22 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-290:
like the wallabies…?…
4 May 2012, 15:22 pm
@houston, we have a problem…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-293: Touche.
Hands off.
It’s our turn.
4 May 2012, 15:23 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-294:
Yeah! A tad but at least you are here.
Rush off???
4 May 2012, 15:24 pm
@houston, we have a problem…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-295:
Nothing wrong with the way the Wallabies play
They are better than us
4 May 2012, 15:24 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-288: For your sake I hope they don’t choke again come crunch time but I reckon by now there should be more than enough ‘old heads’ in the mix to keep things together.
Stormers and Bulls to fly the flag high for SA. The rest, well………
4 May 2012, 15:25 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-296:
Howzit Buddy! Such a boring weekend without the Stormers…
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