Belligerent Bulls steal it late
11 May 2012
RYAN VREDE watched the Bulls score in the closing stages to register an impressive and vital 27-24 victory over the Waratahs in Sydney.
Werner Kruger surged over the tryline with four minutes to play and Morne Steyn, flawless with the boot once more, landed the conversion that gave the Bulls the narrow lead and ultimately the victory.
After trailing for the majority of the match the Bulls summoned the composure and resolve that was the hallmark of their championship sides of 2007, 2009 and 2011. Many thought those qualities would disappear after the mass exodus of senior players last year. But this youthful Bulls side continue to defy expectations.
The Tahs will lament their impotency in light of their possession and territorial dominance. They ticked all the main boxes you need to in order to beat the Bulls: physicality and accuracy at the gainline on attack and defence, an excellent kicking game that counters the Bulls’, and a committed chase that exerts pressure on the receiver. They also once again exposed the Bulls’ Achilles heel, discipline at scrum time (they lead the tournament in scrum penalties conceded). Some fundamental handling errors and missed touch kicks further undermined the Bulls’ cause. But the Tahs lacked a killer instinct and paid for that.
The Bulls trailed 13-10 at the break despite being second best for the better part of the first half. It was a good position considering they spent much of the 40 repelling the Tahs in their 22m.
There was an improvement on the poor defence that had marked their last two matches, but a questionable decision to shift inside from midfielder Johann Sadie saw Rob Horne slice through the line to score the game’s first try.
The Tahs lost Dean Mumm to the sin bin in the 22nd minute and Francois Hougaard hauled the Bulls into the contest shortly thereafter, powering through three tackles en route to the tryline. Steyn converted but Berrick Barnes kicked a penalty just before half-time to give his side a three-point lead going down the tunnel.
Barnes banked three more points after the restart but the Bulls refused to relent and going into the final quarter they scored through Akona Ndungane after a quick-tap move. Steyn added the extras, but, as they had done last week against the Rebels, the Bulls conceded almost immediately, wing Atieli Pakalani finishing in the corner.
You sensed then that the Tahs would close the game out but their visitors made a statement with their ability to call on their reserves in striking the late death blow after being pounded for most of the contest.
297 Comments
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11 May 2012, 12:46 pm
@Falken(Falken)-81: http://www.vipbox.tv/watch/51368/1/waratahs-vs-bulls-live-stream-online.html
Clear enough picture, live and no buffering. Not sure how string your internet connection is.
11 May 2012, 12:46 pm
51 The Bulls’ line-out throw is not straight – a sloppy mistake.
11 May 2012, 12:47 pm
What are the bulls doing!!!!! Get a penalty on their halfway line, kick not out, Tahs return it to the halfway line for a lineout, bulls take a short throw but its skew
11 May 2012, 12:48 pm
52 Atieli Pakalani comes in on the cut, but knocks the ball on near halfway.
11 May 2012, 12:49 pm
53 The Bulls use their big runners and then go to the left, where Sadie knocks on and Pretorius hoofs the ball downfield.
11 May 2012, 12:50 pm
Die bulle gaan die wedstryd wen……gee kans.
11 May 2012, 12:50 pm
Sadie having a mare bring JJ on.
11 May 2012, 12:51 pm
Scrum collapses on Tahs side, guess what a reset. They run the ball but knock on at the break down, bulls scrum on the half way line.
First bulls backline movement for a while, almost through, then the other way, steyn flat pass to Sadie? Gets monstered and knock on, back in bulls 22
Barnes blood nose, lineout tahs. Ball so skew the tahs lock takes over the bulls players heads. Well won back by the bulls, they run it into tahs half,
Zane tries a grubber, into touch on 22
Jj on, chilli off??
11 May 2012, 12:51 pm
55 The Bulls win a great turnover near halfway, but then Zane Kirchner hoofs it downfield
11 May 2012, 12:53 pm
56 Barnes goes downtown and this time’s Kirchner’s return is much better … driving the Tahs deep into their 22.
11 May 2012, 12:54 pm
@Stofstorm(Stofstorm)-109: Zane just wants to kick!
11 May 2012, 12:54 pm
Tahs on attack and as I look up after typing this, tahs lineout on thier own 5 metre line, Bulls win the line out, stander almost through, hougard takes it up again, almost over, one meter out, Penalty to the bulls, hands in the ruck, cynical to me. They take a quick one, out to the backs, defense Holding, another penalty to the bulls. Quick tap, hougard, spies, out to jj, who offloads to Akona! And he runs around to score under the posts
11 May 2012, 12:55 pm
Dankie tog
11 May 2012, 12:56 pm
60th minute 17 – 16 bulls
11 May 2012, 12:57 pm
Nice one bulls.
11 May 2012, 13:00 pm
Basson should not have been so far out of position there, he needed to mark his man.
The try is his fault. Could have gone the other way but it didn’t.
11 May 2012, 13:00 pm
Elsom off, Tahs on attack, bulls 22, bulls defending the channel well, no way through, Amazed the tahs aren’t spreading it wide. 5th phase, they run it, but cut back inside, 10 out, Keeping it in the forwards, bulls looking thin, ball goes wide and bason goes for intercept, misses pakalani scores. Throws the ball on jj’s head, handbag sale ensues , flip shows 3 tahs players whose boss
21-17
11 May 2012, 13:01 pm
something wrong
with bulls
defence
they dont stop
opponents
at point of
contact
just like
last week
11 May 2012, 13:01 pm
Going to be an interesting finish to this game!
11 May 2012, 13:02 pm
bulls must score next, 14 minutes to go,penalty bulls 10 meter line straight in front
11 May 2012, 13:03 pm
Yoh Tahs hit back!
11 May 2012, 13:05 pm
Steyn gets it, 20 – 21 Tahs 68th min
Knock on from the restart from bulls, flip stays down,
Scrum to tahs just outside the 22
11 May 2012, 13:06 pm
What a game!
11 May 2012, 13:06 pm
Only one point in it with ten minutes to go.
Tahs looking to utilise their stronger scrum.
11 May 2012, 13:08 pm
Big scrum for replacement bulls prop, ey ey bulls engage early, free kick, tahs
Ask for another scrum. Penalty to the tahs, on the 22, looks like stander hands in the ruck? Should be easy 3 points, McKibben taking his time, first kick? Through the middle, 24-20 tahs 72min
11 May 2012, 13:09 pm
Now is the time. Come on boys
11 May 2012, 13:12 pm
Come on Tahs close out the game now!
11 May 2012, 13:14 pm
Tahs running it from their 22 after restart, get over half way line, stander does brilliantly and gets the ball on this own,Basson down the touch line, one of his few touches, pushes tah player into touch, line out on the tahs 10 m line.
Bulls win lineout, get penalty, going for touch, 10 meters out, bulls lineout. No drive possible, regroup andPenalty for tahs player, coming in from wrong side of the maul. Another line out, skew throw!!!!!!!!! Eish Tahs scrum. Flip looks broken
11 May 2012, 13:15 pm
Great scrum Bulls.
Put in on the 5
11 May 2012, 13:16 pm
tahs scrum, 5 minutes left, tahs early and front row buckles,
ref lets it go. Bulls carry tahs player over the line, bulls scrum
hougaard takes it up, bulls a meter out, TRY!
11 May 2012, 13:16 pm
Yes Werner!!!
11 May 2012, 13:18 pm
Morne slots it, 27 24 bulls 79th minute, come on bulls, secure the kick off!
Tahs go short, they knock on, bulls maul it up! They run it, what are they thinking,
Out to Basson, oh no intercept! Tahs under the posts!!!
11 May 2012, 13:20 pm
Wow, the Bulls steal it at the end!
11 May 2012, 13:20 pm
First 2nd game win on tour in 5 years!!
Well done
Top of the log boys, top of the log
11 May 2012, 13:20 pm
Only joking! Scrum to the bulls, time up on the clock,ball out and hougard kicks it out!
Good comeback win from the bulls! Well played pinkies
11 May 2012, 13:24 pm
@Sasuke(Sasuke)-127: bwahahahaha
11 May 2012, 13:26 pm
Well done, Bulls, pressurized hosts when it mattered. Playoff ticket is almost in the bag.
As for Aussies, Brumbies may sleep peacefully, if Reds fail as well.
11 May 2012, 13:28 pm
Is it just me or is the site slow?
@Atlas(Atlas)-136: Kidding
11 May 2012, 13:30 pm
eish
11 May 2012, 13:31 pm
very
slow
11 May 2012, 13:39 pm
@Porra the Fat and Clever Speedster(Porra)-140: Someone got their chair on the cable again
11 May 2012, 13:40 pm
Good one Bulls, well done….
11 May 2012, 13:46 pm
Daarsy Bulle! Lekker man, bly die manne kon die pyp rook!
11 May 2012, 13:50 pm
We needed to put away these guys with more precision.
Good win nonetheless but disappointed we not still putting away sides like waratahs!
Morne Steyn back on form..continuing the legacy of NTvl 10 dictating the game.
11 May 2012, 13:50 pm
Well played Bulls. Great win. Congrats to there supporters here…
11 May 2012, 13:51 pm
i hope Keo still has something left in his budget for IT after hiring the 4 blondes because his servers seize up when under the slightest pressure
11 May 2012, 13:51 pm
there = their
11 May 2012, 13:52 pm
The site is broken. Somebody forgot to pay their Uzbekistani web hosting fee.
11 May 2012, 13:52 pm
As a Sharks fan it pains me to say this. We’ve known for a long time now, since the 2007 final that the Bulls know how to turn what appears to be a losing position into a close win, I wish I could say that about my team.
11 May 2012, 13:53 pm
Nice win by the boys…
Teams on the charge at the moment are the Bulls, Stormers, Chiefs & Saders.
Sharks, Brumbies & Canes challenging for the remaining play-off spots. IF THIS SILLY CONFERENCE SYSTEM WOULD JUST GET THE BOOT!
Guess I speak for both Saffa & NZ fans in that if at all possible, both sets of supporters would love to see more teams qualifying for home play-off games.
We could easily see, under the old format, home semi’s @ Loftus and Newlands.
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