Bulls set up Christchurch showdown
14 Jul 2012
The Bulls will face the Crusaders in the play-offs after a bonus-point 37-20 victory over the Lions at Loftus.
The Bulls have beaten the Crusaders regularly in recent years. However, all of those victories have come at home. This will be the most daunting of tasks, facing the seven-time champions on their home patch and likely to have something resembling their full-strength side available.
The Bulls made hard work of their progression, initially looking like they’d be comfortable winners, then surrendering their lead just before break.
Powerful and accurate defence was a hallmark of the Bulls’ championship winning sides, but this one lacks that quality. Their tackle fight was weak for the first 40 minutes and allowed the Lions to play the expansive game they prefer. The Saders won’t be as generous as the Lions were this evening.
Furthermore, on attack the Bulls veered from their kick-chase approach, opting to attack from deep more than they have at most stages in their campaign. They would have been better served in the early exchanges by turning the Lions with tactical probes and inviting them to attack from deep. However, they remedied those flaws after the break to blow away their Gauteng neighbours.
Elton Jantjies and Morne Steyn traded penalties to get the contest going, but the Lions flyhalf erred when he threw an intercept pass to Akona Ndungane who sprinted clear. Steyn converted and was soon banked another after Bjorn Basson profited from a sniping break from Francois Hougaard, who drew two defenders before dishing off to the winger.
But the Lions rallied well, capitalising on the Bulls’ charitable defence to score twice – Michael Bondisio breaking from a 5m scrum and Josh Strauss crashing over after a powerful rolling maul. Jantjies’ touchline conversion ended the half with the scores tied at 20-20.
But the Bulls returned patently determined to blunt the Lions at the gainline, and succeeded. This allowed their defensive line to set and aided their task considerably. The Lions were rendered impotent, never threatening for the remainder of the match.
The Bulls also elevated to a new level of physicality in their carries, allowing them to control the tempo and flow of the game. Hougaard, who was excellent tonight, showed great awareness to spot an unguarded ruck fringe and dart in on goal from 25m out. Jacques Potgieter gained reward for an industrious performance when he barged over from close range shortly thereafter.
The Bulls closed out the game well to set up a match they will be underdogs in. They have never lamented the loss of a clutch of vastly experienced players. But I imagine they’d give a lot to have some of those boys on the plane to New Zealand.
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314 Comments
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15 Jul 2012, 13:05 pm
@stormerforlife1(stormerforlife1)-300: lol, you seem to own the copyright for “trashtalk”. Capo, can you see the irony in your message?
15 Jul 2012, 14:04 pm
SANZAR said they’d review the conference system this year. They should toss out the anomaly of a team getting home ground grand final even if they got less points than its opponent. Home ground for # 3 in first round sure, but if the final is Reds Crusaders the latter will have to travel despite beating them beating the former comfortably in the rounds. Surely the team that came 6th on points can’t host a grand final?
15 Jul 2012, 14:32 pm
The top two teams should contest the final or to appease sponsors the top four.We can never have the situation again that mediocre teams can still have a shot at the title at this stage of the competition.
15 Jul 2012, 15:09 pm
Galileo ?? complaining about refs? when the bulls have profited. the last few seasons with SA refs in control of their games. cheating basterauds.
why even Peypers performance in the sharks game was absurd.
SA refs are now at the level they were at pre isolation.
filthy dirty hometown ref cheats!
15 Jul 2012, 15:10 pm
Ah. Poopy69er is here with his filth and “returning serves”.
Time to leave him to it. Later.
15 Jul 2012, 15:10 pm
There goes the neighbourhood.
15 Jul 2012, 15:28 pm
Have to agree with you Pops.Peyper’s officiating was absolutely shocking.There was only going to be one winner yesterday…
15 Jul 2012, 16:25 pm
So the Reds qualify third even though they have the least competition points of all the Top 6 sides, just because they topped the Aussie conference? That gets them a home game next week versus the Sharks, but what happens if they win that match? Are they still considered to be the third best team when the draw for the semis the following week is decided? I.e. so they’d play the Chiefs in Hamilton? Or does it go back to competition points such that they are the lowest ranking qualifier and would go to Newlands to play the Stormers?
15 Jul 2012, 19:33 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-273:
No team would mind playing the Sharks away from Durban-they have put in some poor away performances this season,as recently as that game in Johannesburg against the LIons. You have a short memory.
16 Jul 2012, 02:30 am
@The Old Enemy(BoksSecondBest)-308: Reds are 3rd and will stay so as THEIR CONFERENCE WINNERS.
What is so difficult to understand. The BEST teams from EACH conference occupy first three places, no matter how many (or few) points they have. The point is EACH of them as more points than other teams in THEIR conference.
Even if all Kiwi teams would have more point than anybody else, only the best one would be in the top 3 while others starting from the 4th. That is the essence of the conference system, just look how, say, NHL, NBA or MLB works.
16 Jul 2012, 06:00 am
Aaaahhh here we go again, the rabid dog poppadoos comes trolling with his infected spittle dribling down his chin……doos!
I suppose the refs/Tmo in the crusaders did a good job? Cheating f uks
16 Jul 2012, 06:17 am
@whatever(whatever)-311:
Pondlife blah blah blah..
Dog ek antwoord gou vir hom…
16 Jul 2012, 10:23 am
Bring on the pain! at last play offs have arrived – the almighty red and black army will march on to another final in Cape Town ! See you in Kaapstad muther b*i*t*c*h*e*s
16 Jul 2012, 10:28 am
@Frenkly(FrenklyMuDeah)-298: Mate be ready for a scrum annilation of the Bulls at Christchurch
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