Stunning Stormers stop Bulls

Stunning Stormers stop Bulls

2 Jun 2012

RYAN VREDE reports on a breathtaking spectacle in which an impossibly brilliant defensive effort saw the Stormers beat the Bulls 19-15.

This had it all. Abrasive phase play? Numerous examples. Brutal collisions? There were plenty. Foul-mouthed exhortations to achieve a level of performance that transcends the expected? Check. An underdog that refused to accept that billing. You bet ya. This was a derby of epic proportions, one befitting a match of this importance. And ultimately the Stormers took Loftus off the back of one of the great defensive performances.

When viewed in the context of their dire situation with injuries to key players, the importance of the result, the opposition, the venue, and having a man yellow carded, the Stormers’ performance was among the best and bravest they have produced in the history of Super Rugby.

The Bulls dominated possession and territory and that they scored just one try is a credit to the Stormers’ defensive structure and the accuracy of their execution within that structure. The Bulls needed to play with a high tempo to seriously trouble them, but their ability to do so was stifled by uncompromising hits at the gainline and a rabid breakdown contest.

However, the Cape side’s attack struggled and undermined their cause yet again. Credit to the Bulls, who themselves produced a tackle fight of appreciable strength and accuracy. The Stormers shelved their renowned kicking game in favour of ball-in-hand attack but their surges were often forced to go lateral as a pink wall advanced at them with pace and cohesion. Often the Stormers played well behind the advantage line and seldom threatened. There was a throwback moment from Bryan Habana in the 20th minute where the winger broke and made 40m. But that moment was birthed from a broken field situation. Their general play lacked innovation and precision, while the scrums were little more than adequate and lineouts an absolute shambles. But when it mattered they delivered, Habana, once a beloved son of Loftus, downing his former team-mates.

Morne Steyn and Peter Grant traded penalties before the Bulls crossed the whitewash, controversially so, as it appeared that Pierre Spies had grounded the ball on Deon Carstens’ boot. Steyn missed the conversion but banked three points shortly thereafter. Grant landed a penalty of his own just before the break to leave his side trialling 11-9.

Defence dominated threafter, and with neither side able to get go-forward and the lines able to fan out, the attacking play was laboured and largely impotent.

Stormers prop Frans Malherbe complicated an already arduous task when he got himself sin-binned for a tip-tackle with a quarter of the game to play. But the Stormers redoubled their efforts and scored the only points in Malherbe’s absence, Grant sinking a penalty to make it a two-point game.

Then the play that changed the game. The Stormers seemed to be venturing down another attacking dead-end when Quin Roux threw a speculative pass wide to Siya Kolisi. But JJ Engelbrecht was hesitant in closing the flanker down, allowing him to cut through a hole and pick Habana out with the most perfectly timed pass. It topped a masterclass from Kolisi. At only 20, his future is very, very bright.

The Bulls launched an almighty late assault but the Stormers held all the cards. It was the Stormers’ primary strength against a desperate and disjointed Bulls attack. They never looked like folding.

What a match.

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399 Comments

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  • 1.JackShanghai: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:19 pm

    A slight digression from rugby – A Jo’burg boy, Brett Savage, 44, this week starts a life sentence in Bali for drug smuggling. There appears strong and convincing evidence that he was entirely set up by his druggie sister – the question is if it is proved beyond all reasonable doubt that the smuggler is absolutely outright set up and entirely naïve with having narcotics in his luggage, should this person deserve a life sentence?

  • 2.roobarb2: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:26 pm

    @JackShanghai(JackShanghai)-1: do all international airports have signs asking if you checked and or packed your own bags?

    also, the charge would have been possession. which could not be disputed if he had the stuff on him.

  • 3.JackShanghai: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:49 pm

    roobarb2: – yip, valid points, although someone could have slipped something in your bag, like your sister, when you turn your back for a second.

  • 4.Michael: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:55 pm

    Have a sickening feeling that the Bulls will take it.

  • 5.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:00 pm

    Well done lions no excuses.

    Sharks overpaid primadonnas didnt have any heart tonight.

  • 6.Michael: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:03 pm

    @rangerman(rangerman)-5: And now for the two best sides to go head to head. Heart is with the Stormers. Head says Bulls by a large margain.

  • 7.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:04 pm

    Only aim for the Stormers tonight – no further injuries going into the break. Nothing more, nothing less. Slight relief of pressure on us thanks to the magnificent Lions.

  • 8.ufo: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:05 pm

    Go Stormers…!!!

  • 9.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:06 pm

    @Michael(mikeybrass)-4: If they can’t beat this relative ‘B’ team of ours, it will say more about the Bulls than it does about us going into the break.

  • 10.chch: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:08 pm

    Would prefer a Bulls win with no bonus points

  • 11.Hondo: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:09 pm

    I put the Bulls by 8 to 11
    They let me down last two weeks though, inflicting some losses

  • 12.AssassinWP: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:09 pm

    Stormers Agenda:lose by less than 7 an do not let the Bulls score 4 tries………Cummon Stormers win an the Conference is yours

  • 13.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:11 pm

    Another upset again? :)

  • 14.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:12 pm

    Kudos to Bulls for the cancer awareness drive!

  • 15.ciccino: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:12 pm

    wtf?? why are they in pink??? it’s not an away game!!!

  • 16.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:14 pm

    @JackShanghai(JackShanghai)-1:
    Sorry to hear but you sure you got the right blog site?

  • 17.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:14 pm

    @CoachPete(CoachPete)-13: I think the upset quota has been reached for the weekend. But man oh man – those courageous Lions have done the Stormers (and few Kiwi teams) a massive favour. There is far less pressure on this Stormers team now in terms of the chasing ‘pack’.

  • 18.Hondo: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:15 pm

    Yep
    Styen kicks for the corners, left to see for how long

  • 19.cab: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:15 pm

    Gdam lions would beat both these sides – whoever travels to ellis next is as good as poked.

  • 20.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:15 pm

    @ciccino(ciccino)-15:
    Read # 14

  • 21.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:16 pm

    Jackshanghai is stuck at the airport under arrest.

  • 22.theOracle: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:19 pm

    tough start to the game… HM must be biting his fingernails hoping for no serious injuries…

  • 23.Tuna: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:20 pm

    Lots of Stormers supporters in that stands going home in tears tonight :)

  • 24.ciccino: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:21 pm

    got it, thanks!! but they could have had just armbands!!! hate this form!!!!

  • 25.ciccino: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:22 pm

    pink uniform + jonatan “hate bulls” kaplan = bad sign)))

  • 26.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:22 pm

    Lots of Stormers supporters fullstop

  • 27.AssassinWP: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:23 pm

    Greyling always guarenteed a few Penalties……keep it up DEAN!!

  • 28.Hondo: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:23 pm

    Liebenberg corks Chiliboi badly in the scrum, makes the Bulls to pay

  • 29.AssassinWP: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:26 pm

    The Scrum Lottery has Begun!!!

  • 30.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:27 pm

    @AssassinWP(Ashraf Ismail)-29:
    Harsh call yes kaplans theory You get one they get one

  • 31.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:28 pm

    This MacGuyver Greyling is a chap I would like to see with his face in the dirt (even if he plays for the Boks)

  • 32.ciccino: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:29 pm

    @AssassinWP(Ashraf Ismail)-29: refs just flip the coin after every collapsed scrum

  • 33.garth: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:30 pm

    Greyling’s a bit soft

  • 34.RL: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:31 pm

    @chch(chch)-10: if you see my buddy cane tell him that we did it for our Wellington Lion brothers … when I said did it I mean broke guppy backs.

    Cane brother enjoy the playoff spot.

    :cool:

  • 35.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:31 pm

    @Tuna(Tuna)-23: Mate, the longer this game goes on without the Bulls getting a clear upper hand, the more these Stormers benchwarmers will ‘believe’. They have come to play, not roll over like the Fish Fingers earlier.

  • 36.cab: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:33 pm

    Yessus man yessus – u can hear a pin drop in hear – where all the maggas chirping the odds like little jack russels?

  • 37.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:34 pm

    Macgyverism

  • 38.theOracle: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:34 pm

    Spies dives desperately for Habana but in vain… there are some mamparas who still think Spies can play wing. :lol:

  • 39.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:37 pm

    Cab

    Have you lost your command of English

  • 40.JackShanghai: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:38 pm

    dawn 21 – nope, stuck in shanghai watching in my apartment

  • 41.RL: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:38 pm

    Mufasa will kick that cows asss!

  • 42.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:38 pm

    Besides everyone is watching

  • 43.superBul: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:39 pm

    background cover here still normal

  • 44.David: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:40 pm

    @theOracle(theOracle)-38:
    There are still some mamparas who believe Spies is a rugby player, period. :lol:

  • 45.garth: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:40 pm

    Kolisi outplaying the Bulls pack

  • 46.viewer: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:40 pm

    “Get the F out” ?
    what a foul mouth from whoever that was :-|

  • 47.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:40 pm

    :lol:

  • 48.theOracle: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:40 pm

    Kolisi is a monster in defence!!

  • 49.cab: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:41 pm

    Dawnus – yippiedooda. See those Lions, smaaklik ekse.

  • 50.Pee Wee: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:41 pm

    Jebb Sinclair. How on earth!

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