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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2 Jun 2012, 21:09 pm
De Villiers for Bok captain without a shadow of any doubt
And Heyneke Meyer a whole lotta egg on your face for failing to identify and select Kolisi who took on entire Bok back row contingent tonight single handed and came out on TOP
if Anybody should be a bok this year ahead of any of Spies, Stander, Coetsee, Kankowski, Daniel it should have been this iron man Kolisi, without any shadows of ANY DOUBT.. SHAME on you bok afrigter with hidden agenda laced blind spots all over your heilige face.
2 Jun 2012, 21:09 pm
@ufo(ufo)-242:
Amazing stuff!!- and I doubted them.
Now we are for sure in with a huge chance to win this whole thing.
2 Jun 2012, 21:09 pm
HM must bring in Kolisi..if he does not…he is a fool of epic proportions.
2 Jun 2012, 21:09 pm
Jeez just took time out from watching the Stormers/Bulls game to post on the Sharks thread to see Stormers have won.
Well done Stormers. Very, very good win. Probably the best for us saffas here. Stormers are probably our best bet from the saffa sides to win this thing, I really, really hope they do. Don’t want to see a kiwi side win it again. Good luck Stormers really hope you can win this damn thing for all of us saffa teams. Go get em for all of us boys. All the best.
2 Jun 2012, 21:10 pm
That’s my boys!!!
Made me proud!!!!!
Take that Bulls!!!!!
2 Jun 2012, 21:10 pm
Congrats Stormers you came to play rugby and deserved this win. Bulls get back to rugby , burn that pink jersey and focus on the game. Forget the red the pink the whatever jerseys and play in your color and more importantly play RUGBY
2 Jun 2012, 21:11 pm
@Pee Wee(Pee Wee)-234: This Meyer dude is going to have a tough time explaining quite a few of his selections……..This English series is starting to worry the c r a p out of me.
2 Jun 2012, 21:11 pm
Well played by the stormpies against a tiring missfiring bulls team.. Koli only 20 hey.. Future bok potential indeed! Well played Stormers.
2 Jun 2012, 21:12 pm
@louis schropnel(louis shrapnel)-251:
Yeah he had a fantastic game
Defended very well
His work rate amazing
He is a strong as an ox
He can carry the ball
he can make good decisions
strong in the tackle usually crosses the gain line
and can throw a decent pass with good timing
2 Jun 2012, 21:13 pm
Congrats to the Stormers, no bullshit. Atleast they have 3 weeks to sort out their attack. They can make use of Nick Mallet intellect to sharpen their attack
2 Jun 2012, 21:13 pm
Is this the squad on sarugby.net
Willem Alberts
Bjorn Basson
Marcell Coetzee
Keegan Daniel
Jean de Villiers
Bismarck du Plessis
Jannie du Plessis
JJ Engelbrecht
Eben Etzebeth
Bryan Habana
Francois Hougaard
Elton Jantjies
Ryan Kankowski
Zane Kirchner
Juandré Kruger
Werner Kruger
Patrick Lambie
Tendai Mtawarira
Lwazi Mvovo
Wynand Olivier
Coenie Oosthuizen
Ruan Pienaar
JP Pietersen
Jacques Potgieter
Chiliboy Ralepelle
Pierre Spies
Frans Steyn
Morné Steyn
Adriaan Strauss
Flip van der Merwe
Franco van der Merwe
Jano Vermaak
2 Jun 2012, 21:13 pm
Rob @252
Yeah… we sure are…
SB @ 255
*HUGE_GRINS*
SuperBul @ 256
Cheers… good to see you around again…
2 Jun 2012, 21:13 pm
Juan De Jong not in the squad ? WTF
2 Jun 2012, 21:13 pm
No Siya
2 Jun 2012, 21:13 pm
No Siya Kolisi
2 Jun 2012, 21:14 pm
10 or 11 Sharks in sqaud, well done to them
2 Jun 2012, 21:14 pm
@Puma(Puma)-254:
Cheers Puma…
2 Jun 2012, 21:14 pm
God gerd those kiwis got some ball skills on them – that blues saders game was a veritable skillfest – sbw offload never seen anythingvlike it
2 Jun 2012, 21:14 pm
Maybe HM can have a 5-2 split?
and add kolisi
2 Jun 2012, 21:15 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-252:
Yeah you doubting Thomas’s always doubting
In spite of EVERYTHING
Losing 5 or 6 lineouts lost on own throw, 3 times the tackle count and JdV and his warriors took the game away from bully brekers on home soil
Kak Bok team just announced some names that shouldn’t be there and some other names conspicuous by there absence.
2 Jun 2012, 21:15 pm
Never doubt, never farking doubt!!!!
I’ve just seen the SB squad, JDV – Etsebeth – Habana……………..these are the only Stormers in the squad. Bulls and Sharks players left right and centre. Wynand Olivier! Is HM j@s? I’m sorry but he can suck my farking nuts. JJ Engelbrecht. F U HM
2 Jun 2012, 21:15 pm
De Jong is a shocker. Siya might be young and seen as a future player , but Wynand Olivier ahead of De Jong confirms my fears of Meyer as coach.
2 Jun 2012, 21:16 pm
No JDJ…
2 Jun 2012, 21:16 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-255: Congrats M bro , that was sensational defence
2 Jun 2012, 21:16 pm
Oh dear sweet Jay sus. Anyone telling me this man is a Bok coach and not the Bulls coach parading as a Bok coach is on crack. Absolutely scary this. Kanko and Spies? No Siya? Meisiekind? JJ? The Poms will fancy their chances against this lot.
2 Jun 2012, 21:16 pm
@louis schropnel(louis shrapnel)-270:
Wheres is the bok team ? Can someone post it
2 Jun 2012, 21:16 pm
No Derick Minnie
2 Jun 2012, 21:17 pm
bok team is a joke.
heyneke and his koeksisterbrigade
2 Jun 2012, 21:17 pm
JJ does not deserve to be there
2 Jun 2012, 21:17 pm
Jdj had a huge game tnite
2 Jun 2012, 21:17 pm
jaque potgieter over siya? That’s a heyneke favourite…he plucked him from the Kings to the Bok!
2 Jun 2012, 21:18 pm
JJ and Meisie, and no de Jongh and Aplon? The Twilight Zone………..
2 Jun 2012, 21:19 pm
Kolisi getting srcewed in favour of the limited Kancowski.
2 Jun 2012, 21:20 pm
Jantjies, Kirtchener, Olivier, Vermaak, Daniel dont belong in a Springbok squad making Kolisi’s absence even more contentious for me.
2 Jun 2012, 21:20 pm
HM what a ****. Gio vs Zane. Had PdV done this we had a riot…what an idiot
2 Jun 2012, 21:20 pm
Kolisi and Fourie Dup are not in the Bok squad of 32
2 Jun 2012, 21:21 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-278: When I said this yesterday – I was called PARANOID and delusional by the Bulls folk. And now what? I reckon my paranoia is WELL founded. This is actually embarrassing.
2 Jun 2012, 21:22 pm
Hm has just become the George Bush of rugby. Moron.
2 Jun 2012, 21:22 pm
There’s something off about the mix in that squad
2 Jun 2012, 21:22 pm
HM what a ****. Gio vs Zane. Had PdV done this we had ****…what an idiot
2 Jun 2012, 21:22 pm
Alberts is A Jaque Potgieter wannabee
2 Jun 2012, 21:22 pm
Again, Wynand “One try pony” Olivier is there as some other usual suspects.
Poms may come as a nasty surprise.
2 Jun 2012, 21:22 pm
JJ, jano V., Elton J. are 3 of the 9 new caps in the 32.
2 Jun 2012, 21:24 pm
Furthermore, six promising players have been added to the Springbok squad for the next three weeks. They are not eligible for selection but will train with the squad in Durban, Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth.
The six up-and-coming players are Siya Kolisi (flank), Arno Botha (No 8), Frans Malherbe (prop), CJ Stander (loose forward), Francois Venter (centre) and Piet van Zyl (scrumhalf).
Meyer said: “We feel that these players have what it takes to play for the Springboks and they were close to selection in the final squad. However, these three weeks provide the ideal opportunity to work with them, show them what the Springbok culture is all about and hopefully put them on the right track to play for South Africa sooner rather than later. By doing this now, we will reap the dividends going forward.
“We also rate a number of great players in the South African Under-20 squad, but they were not considered at this stage due to the fact that they are playing in a very important Junior World Championship
2 Jun 2012, 21:24 pm
@Speartackler(speartackler)-285: Farking ridiculous. There really are some awful players in there- proven failures as well guys that haven’t shown enough in SR.
2 Jun 2012, 21:24 pm
No FDP well waddaya know he obviously decided bok captaincy was one step too far beyond his own character capacity, I reckon he chickened out when the hard core commitment had to be made
Only one option left for Meyer, maybe 2
JdV or Josh Strauss, those his only two options left for bok captaincy now…
Omission of Siya Kolisi when Kankowski, Potgieter, Daniel are in is a kick in the face for the young yster from E. Cape
2 Jun 2012, 21:25 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food(The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food)-287:
u were 100% right- we are going to long for pieter de villiers.
2 Jun 2012, 21:25 pm
No Juan De Jongh
No Gio Aplon
I am shocked…!!
2 Jun 2012, 21:26 pm
Only 3 Stormers players yet we top the SA conference!!!NO APLON,KOLiSi or Juan De Jong pathetic
2 Jun 2012, 21:28 pm
Gio…
the most dynamic, quickest attacking rugby weapon in South Africa… not in the bok squad…!!
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