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, 15:28 pm
Any serious injuries today?
I hear Potgieter and Olivier left the field. Did it look serious?
4 May 2012, 15:28 pm
@Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-297:
“275.Nikita:
3 May 2012, 21:22 pm Sorry guys and girls I have been ordered to leave. Speak tomorrow.”
4 May 2012, 15:29 pm
Joanne was ordered to leave.
They mustn’t try that with me.
4 May 2012, 15:30 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-302:
4 May 2012, 15:31 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-298:
better?
like a 52% ratio better?
4 May 2012, 15:32 pm
@Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-300: All I’m glad about is not having to sit through 80 min of Habana’s attempts at an Oscar……Fark he irretates me with his bloody sideshows. Plays a lot better this year and seems to have some form but his acting skills really go for a ball of sh it.
4 May 2012, 15:34 pm
@KWAGGA ROBERTSE(KWAGGA ROBERTSE)-306:
Agree! He would have been a great soccer player. His form has been good this year.
4 May 2012, 15:35 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-301: Olivier, no but Potgieter looked like his knee was seriously buggered
4 May 2012, 15:36 pm
@Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-297: keo told her to stop whoring herself out to the bloggers…..they need to crave you
4 May 2012, 15:36 pm
Tacitus @ @301.Pogieter was down for a long time with what
looks like a knee injury.Aussie commentators very complimentary
about him.
4 May 2012, 15:37 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-301: Potgieter might be injured but he seemed better after the match when the players shook hands.
Flip vdM was carded and could get a few weeks though.
4 May 2012, 15:37 pm
@Sasuke(Sasuke)-309:
4 May 2012, 15:37 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-302:
ag the women use those sort of excuses all the time.
she probably wanted to get to her boyfriend or some camps bay eatery so just used a sheap excuse.
4 May 2012, 15:38 pm
@Beertjie(Beertjie)-311:
Was it a punch or just handbags?
4 May 2012, 15:39 pm
@houston, we have a problem…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-313:
Is that a NZ excuse of a cheap excuse?
4 May 2012, 15:39 pm
@houston, we have a problem…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-305:
I dont deal in numbers
I deal in what I see
4 May 2012, 15:40 pm
Sheep or cheap – vingers werk nie lekker nie.
4 May 2012, 15:41 pm
@Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-314: It looked like nothing to me but you never know with these things. Once a guy gets carded then it automatically gets reviewed and then it is really a lottery from there. Also, i think after three cards you’re automatically in trouble and old Flip had a few cards already.
4 May 2012, 15:41 pm
I guess we should all down tools and go slow…
4 May 2012, 15:43 pm
@Beertjie(Beertjie)-318:
Yeah and the Ozzie pannel don’t take too lightly to SAFAS
4 May 2012, 15:43 pm
@Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-315:
thats funny on a few levels.
cos everybody knows the kiwis ‘order’ their sheep.
4 May 2012, 15:44 pm
@Beertjie(Beertjie)-318:
Proper uppercut my man. Clear as day on the replay.
Considering his history he’ll get a week or two at least.
4 May 2012, 15:44 pm
@Beertjie(Beertjie)-318:
Thanks.
I’d rather have him get a card against the Force than against the Highlanders or Chiefs, and it was bound to happen, with his disciplinary record.
Just think we need an additional lock option as backup, and I’m not talking about Gerrit jan van Velze.
Maybe time for Vic to fly over as cover?… …
4 May 2012, 15:44 pm
@houston, we have a problem…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-321:
Exactly
4 May 2012, 15:45 pm
@Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-315: lol
4 May 2012, 15:46 pm
what is Fireman’s like on a Friday?
4 May 2012, 15:47 pm
@Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-320:
ag look, it is my firm view that the ozzie panels dont take lightly to saffas only cos they’d rather illtreat us than have to put up with the kiwi side of the panel whining and bitching to them about ‘dirty saffa’ transgressions.
4 May 2012, 15:48 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-323: Now that would be interesting…
4 May 2012, 15:48 pm
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-326:
Like it is from Sunday through to Thursday I guess!
4 May 2012, 15:49 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-323: Lock is a big concern for us. We have been very lucky so far.
I think the Victor Matfield comeback is over.
4 May 2012, 15:49 pm
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-326:
Hey, I drove past that Fireman’s place when I was in Cape Town a few weeks ago – unless there’s more than one of them.
Immediately thought of the Keo locals hanging out there.
4 May 2012, 15:49 pm
never been there bill,more info please
4 May 2012, 15:50 pm
@Beertjie(Beertjie)-330:
Rob Houwing isn’t an authority on anything.
Victor’s comeback may or may not be over, but Houwing’s opinion doesn’t make it more or less likely, as his opinion isn’t worth *****.
4 May 2012, 15:51 pm
@houston, we have a problem…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-327:
before you go befok pops, i forgot the
(smiley face)
4 May 2012, 15:51 pm
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-332: @Tacitus(Deucalion)-331:
It is right opposite the Keo Mansions.
4 May 2012, 15:51 pm
@Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-329: lol
4 May 2012, 15:54 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-333: I saw his opinion on it, but i thought the same earlier already. Time is running out for Vic. There is only a few games left for him to make a comeback. I cannot see Meyer selecting him with no game time under the belt.
4 May 2012, 15:55 pm
Cheers peeps I am outta here. Enjoy the rest of this rugby weekend. Pity my Stormers are not playing.
4 May 2012, 15:56 pm
@Beertjie(Beertjie)-337:
That was HM’s red herring! Wanted people to get distracted. I think the JdV comment may be one too. I think he is eyeing the chosen who runs through walls… I hope I’m wrong…
4 May 2012, 15:56 pm
i am here by n1 city,any good spots in the area
4 May 2012, 15:56 pm
@Sasuke(Sasuke)-338:
Cheers Bud! Yeah the weekend is not the same if the Stormers aren’t playing…
4 May 2012, 15:57 pm
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-340:
The N1 North about now. A hive of activity.
4 May 2012, 15:57 pm
Who do the Stormers play next?
4 May 2012, 15:58 pm
@Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-339: Injuries will make most of his selections for him.
4 May 2012, 15:58 pm
@Beertjie(Beertjie)-330:
well, his comeback was never really about the bulls and was rather about the boks. he would have played himself back to match fitness for the boks by playing a few games for the bulls at super level, i suppose.
the problem with regard to his comeback has to do with irb regulation issues that govern a players retirement from international rugby apparently. it would seem that if a player officially announces his retirement he is obliged to wait a minimum number of months (i dont know how many) before being allowed to ‘come out of retirement’. theres also paperwork and bearuacratic issues too perhaps.
4 May 2012, 15:58 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-343:
Cheaters at Newlands.
4 May 2012, 16:00 pm
bearuacratic = bureaucratic
4 May 2012, 16:01 pm
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-340:
Are you still here
4 May 2012, 16:02 pm
@Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-346:
Damn. Couldn’t Goosen have waited until AFTER the Stormers game to get injured..
4 May 2012, 16:03 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-349:
What is your maid’s name
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