Cheetahs conquer Bulls
17 Aug 2012
GARETH DUNCAN watched the Free State Cheetahs deliver a commanding performance in their 32-18 victory over the Blue Bulls in Bloemfontein.
Head coach Naka Drotske will be happy with his team’s performance. They weren’t convincing against the Golden Lions last weekend, but they were very impressive in this triumph over the Bulls.
They delivered a great physical performance, which saw them dominate the collisions and breakdown battle for most parts of the match. Their forwards were instrumental in creating go-forward ball during general play, which was key in their two tries scored by lock Andries Ferreira and flank Kabamba Floors.
Wing Riaan Smit was also pivotal as he executed a flawless effort from the kicking tee, slotting all of his seven goal attempts (two conversions and five penalties).
The Bulls struggled early on in their opener against Griquas, before delivering a better second-half performance for a 30-25 comeback victory. The Pretoria union struggled again in the first stanza against the Cheetahs, but this time, there was no improvement as they were errant throughout the match.
The visitors found themselves on the back foot from the first minute, when Ferreira powered over after the Cheetahs poached possession in the opposition’s red zone. Smit added the extras.
The Bulls replied with a try via CJ Stander, with flyhalf Louis Fouche scoring the conversion and a penalty, but Smit continued to punish their ill-discipline with the boot. By the time Floors dived over for the last action of the opening 40, the Cheetahs held a 23-10 lead.
Smit helped seal the win in the second stanza, slotting two penalties, while replacement wing Nico Scheepers also converted a three-pointer from a difficult angle.
The Bulls scored their only points after the break via Stander, who completed his brace.
166 Comments
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17 Aug 2012, 17:50 pm
Cheetah Dragons!!!
17 Aug 2012, 18:27 pm
I flippin do not know what so ever why sadie needed 2 b rested for another week… I mean I’d like 2 see what he can bring bare in mind him leaving ?
Loved 2 see
15-visser
14-akona
13-sadie
12-venter
11-beyers
10-cronje
9-snyman
8-stander
7-potgieter
6-steggman
5-steenkamp
4-hatting
3-kirsten
2-wepener
1-steyn
I’m a angry bull today
17 Aug 2012, 18:48 pm
Just play Serfontein…
Go the TAHS!
17 Aug 2012, 18:58 pm
@xtremebull-2:
As a WP/Stormer, I’ve stated before that I’d like to see a Venter/Sadie centership combo. I think they would complement each nicely.
But with Serfontein coming along nicely at the Bulls, that combo of ours might still happen.
At the Cheetahs.
17 Aug 2012, 19:00 pm
@xtremebull-2:
We need to get our centre combination to settle, he’s going away
17 Aug 2012, 19:12 pm
@I am a stormer-4:
Did you watch the wp/cheetahs under 20 game on tv.
As usual WP stopped playing and did not get the bonus try but they have some good players in that team in particular flyhalf Tim Swiel and inside centre Pat Howard. The sooner they move them to the senior side the better. Howard is one of those players who has the rare natural ability to straigthen the line and to create space for those on his outside while Swiel is just plain class.
Hopefully Grant’s (very lovely) wive loves Japan
17 Aug 2012, 19:19 pm
@Robzim-6:
Missed that one. But heard a lot about Swiel. Saw the clips on you tube and looks a good prospect. And Pat Howard also impressed me at the IRB U/20 tournie. So it wasn’t all about Serfontein. I hope they both make the step-up.
Will keep an eye on both of them.
17 Aug 2012, 19:39 pm
@Robzim-6: Of course he has rare abillity Rob he is a NAtalian after all
17 Aug 2012, 19:46 pm
Farkit I’m gatvol of these tappit Cheetah planks.
Lazy lying over the tackled player after every ruck, grabbing our guys around the throats, niggling all the time.
Fecking tappit mulletboys the lot of them.
17 Aug 2012, 19:50 pm
What kak reffing.
Ball dropped forward by the Cheetahs. Then picked up again and then passed forward and both missed.
17 Aug 2012, 19:51 pm
Tac!
17 Aug 2012, 19:52 pm
@Tacitus-9: You offering to go give them hair cuts Tacci??
17 Aug 2012, 19:55 pm
Another forward pass
17 Aug 2012, 19:56 pm
Jeez, Wepener is kak
17 Aug 2012, 19:57 pm
@sharks_lover-8:
We are losing so many players so I guess we must every now and then gain a good one as well. Where is he from? One of those fancy Natal private schools I suppose?
On a serious note, he is pure class- big and strong, tackles like a demon, and has that vision of when and where to pass to- that is something that cannot be coached.
But it is early days, he is still under 20 so lets see how it goes- lets just hope the bulls keep their hands off him.
17 Aug 2012, 19:58 pm
That Rian Smit looks like a cross between Justin Bieber’s uncle and one of the Waltons.
17 Aug 2012, 19:58 pm
@Robzim-15: Durban born and raosed Rob , went to Glenwood, Same time as Zeilinga
17 Aug 2012, 19:58 pm
@Tacitus-16:
Probably John-Boy.
17 Aug 2012, 19:58 pm
I’m always dumbstruk how players like “Brandewyn Wange Wepener” get so many
opportunities.
17 Aug 2012, 19:59 pm
@Tacitus-16:
17 Aug 2012, 20:00 pm
As you can tell, I’m off to grab another Heineken from the fridge.
17 Aug 2012, 20:01 pm
Must say the Bulls have been nailed by the ref, really poor showing so far
17 Aug 2012, 20:02 pm
Where do they find all these highly incompetent officials. The ref doesn’t belong in the third league but then again: it’s from a Jack to a King week.
17 Aug 2012, 20:03 pm
As for the Bulls, their problem is it looks like they have two backline coaches and no forward coach.
17 Aug 2012, 20:04 pm
I was amazed today at the comments of the Kings into Super Rugby. Talk about how the Lions to be in the Super 15 and the Kings don’t. As if rugby is some kind of meritocracy. Here’s a thought Lions, if you do not want to be relegated, start winning. Here’s another swirler, get more points than the opposition.
The Kings currently are not playing ’1st division’. Well I say lets see how they fare with a big budget and sponsors. I’m sure they’ll be ok. I like the PE stadium and hate Ellis Park. Hopefully the Boks can play more at FNB Stadium.
I think this promotion/relegation clause will actually make the Super Rugby competition exciting. Games that don’t matter will suddenly have massive exposure from media and fans. I forecast that the attendance next year at games will increase. This will also force franchises to be more professional.
17 Aug 2012, 20:05 pm
@sharks_lover-22:
Which parts?
17 Aug 2012, 20:06 pm
@Tacitus-21:
Dump a calmettes into the beer.
The Bulls are a better 2nd half side. They’ll still win.
17 Aug 2012, 20:08 pm
@sharks_lover-17:
Thanks… I just googled Glenwood and saw they also produced Jordy Smith, Kevin Curran and the arsehole Steven Jack. Not too bad for some little school in Durbs, lol.
17 Aug 2012, 20:09 pm
@I am a stormer-27:
Not so sure. We’re in this “hybrid” style phase. Trying to become an expansive side, but sacrificing our physical dominance with this change of mindset.
So caught in no mans land, instead of focusing on the basics first. Not earning the right to go wide, so to speak.
17 Aug 2012, 20:13 pm
So typical of this wannabe Brumbies style that everyone’s begging for.
Going wide from first phase all the time, but not getting any go forward.
That’s not the way to play expansive rugby. The correct way is Heyneke’s way. Which is to crush them in the collissions first, and then run it wide at your leisure.
17 Aug 2012, 20:16 pm
@RugbyStudent-26: Watch the Game with a fair unbiased view and you will see, I aint gonna repeat everything mate
And i aint a Bulls fan
17 Aug 2012, 20:19 pm
@sharks_lover-31:
Ok but then how do you expect anybody to believe you when you can’t point out a couple of mistakes or have you decided on guilty until proven innocent?
17 Aug 2012, 20:20 pm
@sharks_lover-31:
Am watching the game, the ref’s not the reason for the Bulls kak gameplan.
17 Aug 2012, 20:21 pm
@RugbyStudent-33: no he aint mate but his poor reffing is giving the cheetahs momentum
17 Aug 2012, 20:24 pm
Huh? Yes, he has made one or two mistakes, like most refs but your comment below:
22.sharks_lover said:
17 Aug 2012, 20:01 pm
Must say the Bulls have been nailed by the ref, really poor showing so far
makes it seem like the score is 49-0
17 Aug 2012, 20:26 pm
Wouldn’t it be insanely fun to see a playoff between the Bulls and the Lions next year! Ellis Park would be filled like no other year.
17 Aug 2012, 20:31 pm
Do the Blue Bulls still have a youth academy? If so, I want those guys jobs cause they haven’t done anything.
17 Aug 2012, 20:32 pm
@Tacitus-30: I dont think the Bulls have the personnel at the moment to do much crushing….Very swak so far.
Cant wait for the Sharks/Bulls encounters !
17 Aug 2012, 20:34 pm
Little Kabamba Floors is outplaying big CJ Stander.
17 Aug 2012, 20:34 pm
@RugbyStudent-37: You have to excuse the Bulls for being so kak – they have Ruan Snyman playing scrumhalf !
17 Aug 2012, 20:35 pm
yo yo yo yo….schoolboy rugby….
17 Aug 2012, 20:36 pm
@Tacitus-30: Shame dude…and the Olympics is over….
17 Aug 2012, 20:36 pm
Is it just me or is Kabamba looking blonder than usual?
I put it down to the Free State sun.
17 Aug 2012, 20:37 pm
@Dusky-40:
They don’t look any better than the Lions. Last year the Lions won the Currie Cup while their were no Springboks in the competition. The Bulls should be that good at least, right?
17 Aug 2012, 20:37 pm
@I am a stormer-43:
Blonder? or Darker?
17 Aug 2012, 20:38 pm
Sarel pretorius is not as lively as he used to be. Probably still struggling to adjust to country life after spending some time in the bright lights of one of the best cities in the world.
17 Aug 2012, 20:39 pm
Punch by the dirty playing Bulls props. Bulls can be proud of Brandewyn Wepener and Peakedathighschool Kruger. Kak players.
17 Aug 2012, 20:42 pm
So far the Bulls high profile buys from Cape Town has resulted only in JJ Engelbrecht bringing some sort of return.
17 Aug 2012, 20:43 pm
@RugbyStudent-44: In my opinion it has less to do with the number of Springboks, although that does bring the real issue to the fore which is continuity.
Teams like the Cheetahs and Lions bring that advantage into the Currie Cup. Strangely enough, although it may lead to a trophy for either the Cheetahs or Lions it indirectly builds a huge amount of depth in teams like the Bulls, Sharks and WP because we have a bunch of Vodacom Cup players trying to lift themselves to the level of a Super 15 Lions or Cheetahs outfit.
So – although the Lions and Cheetahs will rightly celebrate their trophies – they might not realize that they are actually indirectly strengthening the other unions and so the vicious cycle of why the Lions and Cheetahs will never be real Super rugby contenders continues. At least while the Boks are made up predominantly of WP, Sharks & Bulls.
Lions deserved their trophy last year, but lets put it this way. If they dont win it again this year, their Super 15 side intact vs. the Sharks, Bulls and WP Vodacom Cup teams….then it kind of vindicates the decision to put them out the Super 15.
Lions have to win this Currie Cup, if their argument for the Super 15 is going to hold any water.
17 Aug 2012, 20:46 pm
@Dusky-49:
I thought they should have been out of the Super 15 ages ago. In fact I think it should go back to the Super 12.
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