Bulls fire, then fade

Bulls fire, then fade

25 May 2012

RYAN VREDE reports on a 28-22 victory for the Chiefs over the Bulls that leaves the three-time champions with little breathing room if they are to secure a home play-off.

The Bulls were acutely aware of the importance of victory in the context of their conference challenge, but they failed to negotiate a determined second half effort from the Chiefs, after being dominant for the opening half. They will hope the Sharks beat the Stormers in Durban tomorrow and also bank on teams close to them on the overall log dropping points. There is no panic just yet – they’ve finished strongly in recent years after coming off tour – but they cannot afford to drop many more points.

When their execution of their game plan is on point (which it was in the first half) few sides in the tournament could live with the Bulls. However, their inability to sustain their effort through 80 minutes cost them, as did numerous spurned opportunities early in the match.

There are still questions about Francois Hougaard’s kicking game, but tonight it was adequate. His shortcomings in this regard were made up for by Morné Steyn and Zane Kirchner’s competency in this facet of play. Their high kicks and a committed chase had the Chiefs’ back three looking like they were fielding grenades. This is an area the Hamilton franchise must address urgently if they are to be serious title contenders.

Once in the Chiefs’ 22m the Bulls were a mix of efficient and disappointing. Steyn banked two penalties and a drop goal and a try from Bjorn Basson, who profited from poor defence from Lelia Masaga, gave the Bulls a deserved 16-8 lead at the break.

On defence, such was the power and accuracy of their gainline challenge that the Chiefs were made to look toothless. Their primary strike runners – Sonny Bill Williams included – seldom posed a threat. Indeed the Bulls would have been disappointed at the margin of their lead at that point, the Chiefs’ only try coming courtesy of an Akona Ndungane error and their aforementioned wastefulness in good positions lending further weight to this assertion.

Steyn and Aaron Cruden traded penalties after the break, but the Chiefs, galvanised by the injection of quality impact players, gradually found the momentum and synergy they lacked in the first 40. The Bulls remained resolute but their resistance waned going into the final quarter when Cruden found wing Asaeli Tikoirotuma with an inside ball that left him with a clear route to goal. Cruden added the extras for a lead that was short-lived, Steyn edging his side ahead with his fourth penalty of the match.

Then the turning point, and this time another Bulls error inside the Chiefs’ 22m cost them dearly. The hosts turned over possession and ran the ball 70m before earning a lineout. A quick feed caught the Bulls’ defensive line unset, and Williams exploited this, surging through a gap then offloading to put Same Cane clean through. Cruden sunk the conversion and the Bulls just never looked like they had the capacity for a telling rebuttal thereafter.


752 Comments

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  • 701.Great White Shark: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:19 am

    Trash talk is okay, just keep it tidy with intelligent jibes, not low life foul mouthed gutter talk. Even HG can trash talk with more intelligence and that’s what gets the morons here because you all battle to counter his jibes without getting intimidated and emotional..then the gutter filth comes out.

  • 702.Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:22 am

    does words like c unteyed offend dawn?

  • 703.Great White Shark: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:23 am

    # 700…you’re in a bad mood so early in the morning. I’m raring to go. You gonna be at the game?

  • 704.Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:25 am

    gws i dont think she is going

  • 705.stormerforlife1: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:25 am

    Hahaha.You are the biggest racist piece of moronic trash on this website,now you wanna preach good moral values to all and sundry.you doggies are truly amazing.

  • 706.the artist formerly known as gunther: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:26 am

    @nama1(nama1)-685:

    silly boy.

    the previous two coaches also rated fransie at 12.

    In fact Clermont payed him 10 bar a year to play there.

    The only one who sounds infatuated is you.

    fathead.

    :lol:

  • 707.Great White Shark: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:27 am

    # 702…guaranteed if this skopshyte scumbag was a Sharks supporter these bloggers would be in a blind rage at his posts.

  • 708.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:29 am

    Oh stop whining and go polish your halo

  • 709.Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:29 am

    i am eagerly awaiting dawn and all these so called defenders of woman to answer me.
    is that term not misogynist?

  • 710.stormerforlife1: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:29 am

    These shark supporters truly disgust me.will be back after the game to toast our victory.

  • 711.Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:29 am

    so dawn do you find the term c unteyed offensive

  • 712.Great White Shark: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:31 am

    Wow such hysterical confrontation for a balmy Saturday morn. Is it nerves?

  • 713.Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:32 am

    they are k akking themselves gws

  • 714.the artist formerly known as gunther: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:32 am

    in other news I see the poison gnome is in London on the taxpayers dime.

    “checking out” the media facilities ahead of the Olympics and catching the Barbarians game.

    South Africa must been in the world top ten when it comes to Olympic Gravy Trains.

  • 715.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:33 am

    He must’ve really gotten up your great white nostrils for you to run screaming to the teacher.

  • 716.Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:35 am

    so dawn answer me,do you find the term c unteyed offensive?

  • 717.Great White Shark: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:35 am

    Fern she admitted the other day that she’s a racist. I am gobsmacked at how violently confrontational the caliber of bloggers that troll this site these days. So much pent up anger for so many that should be confident of the Stormers chances today.

  • 718.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:35 am

    Agreed Gunther.

    WTF is he doing there!

  • 719.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:37 am

    Aaaaw shame.

  • 720.Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:38 am

    so dawn by not answering is a answer in itself
    she is a bitter old ugly dragon

  • 721.Great White Shark: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:40 am

    Dawn why are you so concerned? How does his life negatively impact on yours?

  • 722.Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:41 am

    gws some people wont grant others a bit of sunlight
    they thrive on schadenfraude
    it is not like keo took what is theirs

  • 723.Great White Shark: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:42 am

    Fern you got to wonder how she got the job at Shell. My step sister works at the Durban branch and she is super intelligent.

  • 724.the artist formerly known as gunther: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:43 am

    @Dawn(Dawn)-718:

    Keo is first in line when it comes to junkets.

    Probably flew business class as well.

    If people like keo are going to travel in the front of the plane, I’m going to have to give serious consideration to abandoning commercial aviation entirely.

    a waste really when his feet don’t even reach the floor.

  • 725.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:44 am

    What you two banging on about now.

    We blog on his site, we pay him money, what’s he got to do with Olympics, his supposed “forte” is rugby.

  • 726.Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:45 am

    most prob affirmative action gws
    she just answers the switchboard
    not like she has to think

  • 727.Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:46 am

    dawn he is his own person,you blog here out of free will
    he does not have to answer to anyone
    if you want to go to london just buy a ticket and fly
    real simple

  • 728.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:46 am

    And how I got my job at Shell is none of your beeswax.

  • 729.Great White Shark: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:48 am

    Still can’t fathom what this keo dude has perpetrated to make people so envious of him.

  • 730.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:48 am

    What’s wrong with you two this morning.

    Some early brawling?

    With a woman?
    :lol:

  • 731.the artist formerly known as gunther: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:50 am

    @Dawn(Dawn)-725:

    :lol:

    SASCOC enjoys the taxpayers silver.

    fernley and the merc probably don’t contribute.

  • 732.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:50 am

    Ag Keo is OK.

    We love tugging his chain.

  • 733.Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:50 am

    a “woman” who has no problem with the use of a term like c unteyed
    male stormers supporters are more feminine than you.

  • 734.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:51 am

    Keo is a rare breed.

    A white tenderpreneur.

    Good stuff!

  • 735.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:54 am

    Fern dry your eyes.

    Unlike great white I take things on the chin and don’t go running to the moddereater.

    You’ve uttered far worse on this site and should know by now to take Skop with a pinch of salt.

    Be a big boy now.

  • 736.Great White Shark: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:55 am

    The UN won’t employ anyone that has worked for a private security company.

  • 737.Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:56 am

    dawn ek huil nie
    jy is duidelik n morsige vrou
    ek sou die doppe in die kaap gekoop het want ek weet jy is arm.

  • 738.Great White Shark: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:58 am

    Dawn is being a hypocrite. She would be deeply offended if the filth attacked her. Liar liar pants on fire.

  • 739.Pee Wee: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 08:58 am

    Good Morning all. I see the sharkies are all bluster again. Good to see. Just don’t let all the enthusiasm evaporate after a failure at home today. Its only a game. There’s always 2013. :)

  • 740.Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 09:00 am

    gws she is just common
    accused rangerman of things he did not even say

  • 741.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 09:01 am

    Morsig?

    ?????????

    Best you can do?

  • 742.Great White Shark: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 09:02 am

    Dude I am looking forward to the game. No bluster.

  • 743.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 09:03 am

    Me and Rangerman are cool. Sorted.

    Leave the baggage.

  • 744.Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 09:04 am

    gws did you get lekker tickets?

  • 745.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 09:05 am

    Anyway sharkies am bored of this, gonna make me coffee.

  • 746.Great White Shark: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 10:10 am

    @Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-744:

    East stand..somewhere in the corner by the goal posts. Better than nothing. It seems that the game is going to be chockablock.

  • 747.Hondo: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 10:13 am

    I owe Aaron Cruden an apology
    I said on Thursday that only Carter and Cooper know how to milk soft tries from the Bulls (and the Stormers) Back Three, but Cruden demonstrated – albeit only once – how it is done with one of the Bulls’ tokens.
    There were no serious attempts to exploit that gross weakness of the Bulls further
    The Bulls midfield defended reasonably against the ABs combo of Kahui and SBW although physically inferior, it was a mild surprise really cause I expected the kind of thrust similar to the kind we saw from Roberts & BOD at Jacobs in 2009 which yielded hansome results.

  • 748.chch: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:02 am

    I was at the game with seats on halfway. Great game

    I have not read this thread or seen any post match analysis but the Bulls looked hard done by a ridiculous no arms tackle about 6 minutes from full time. How did it look on TV?

  • 749.sharks_lover: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:32 am

    @chch(chch)-748: hiyas CHCH ltnc, i never saw it either, was busy working so didnt get to see the match

    But good on you for shwoing out bad refereeing no matter from which country it is

  • 750.sharks_lover: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:37 am

    Sharks. Stormer match has even more pressure now that the Landers beat the Blues

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Keo.co.za has always promoted uncensored views, but has never tolerated racist or crass outbursts. Come on guys and girls. If you can't moderate yourselves or each other then I am going to be forced to regulate the posts and enforce a registration process for comments. The choice is yours.

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