Bulls surge into semis

Bulls surge into semis

13 Oct 2012

RYAN VREDE watched the Blue Bulls qualify for the Currie Cup semi-finals with a 50-29 victory over the Golden Lions at Ellis Park.

The Bulls will travel to Kings Park to face the Sharks in one of next Saturday’s semi-finals, but for the first quarter of the match they where in real danger of finishing bottom and having to play a relegation-promotion match to retain their status in the Premier Division.

They trailed by 10 points and were on the ropes as the Lions ran everything. However they regrouped, improved their defensive accuracy and attacking potency to emerge comfortable victors after a testing first 60 minutes.

Mention must be made of Morne Steyn’s goal-kicking, which has been poor this season. The flyhalf amassed 22 points with his boot, many of those kicks from difficult angles.

The Lions, who had already qualified for a home play-off, played with a freedom that reflected their unassailable log position, spreading the ball at most opportunities. They also benefited from Butch James’s pin-point goalkicking – the flyhalf landing two penalties before they scored a try that was birthed deep in their half and featured slick interplay.

But that was as good as it got for the Lions, the Bulls pegging them back through Steyn’s boot before they matched the Lions’ try for wow-factor – Jacques Potgieter cutting the defensive line at speed before offloading to Bjorn Basson to score. Steyn banked the conversion and a couple of penalties to give the Bulls a 22-16 half-time lead.

The Lions had opted to rest a string of their first-choice players, but some of those were introduced and their influence was immediate. Twice they came away from the Bulls’ 22m with points, James sinking a brace of penalties to level the score. However, the Bulls cut loose once more to regain the lead, Arno Botha feeding Jano Vermaak with a pass that appeared to drift forward. Steyn converted from the touchline to take his side seven points ahead.

But the Lions responded brilliantly and instantly, driving into the Bulls’ red zone through intelligent, speedy and powerful phase play before Anthony Volmink wriggled out of a tackle en route to scoring. James kicked his seventh successful goal of the evening to level the scores at 29-29.

With 20 minutes to play, Botha emerged from an impressive rolling maul and powered over the line and four minutes later the Bulls pounced on a senseless quick lineout feed in the Lions’ 22m, Dewald Potgiter crossing the chalk for the try that broke the defending champions’ resistance.

Akona Ndungane gathered another wayward pass shortly thereafter to pave the way for them to put 50 on their Gauteng rivals and set up what has the potential to be a spectacle of note against the Sharks.


358 Comments

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  • 51.viewer: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:02 pm

    Northern Transvaal playing to their Blue(Bull)Print. Lions beware

  • 52.trupisero: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:09 pm

    @RL-50: doesn’t look much like throwing at this point.

  • 53.RL: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:11 pm

    @viewer-51:

    As strange as it may sound I actually want the Bullies to win and make it into the semi finals.

    First it will condemn those Cheets to face the King harlots in a Currie Cup promotion relegation match – who ever loses that match will be a win for my Lions :grin:

    Then the bullies to take care of the guppies in the semi and gift my team a home final.

    It is win win win play from AC Kerman.

  • 54.mikeybrass: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:14 pm

    @RL-50: Shut it kitten. At least your team is showing claws and not being a bunch of grumpy farts like you.

  • 55.shooter: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:15 pm

    wil somebody please sponsor a voice-box operation to Joel.

    I don’t know,,,
    maybe it’s his nose or something – that got like that from being stuck up in his own aas.

  • 56.Rage: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:18 pm

    According to the commentators the pass from Porgieter to Vermaak was forward yet the TMO saw nothing wrong with it…yeah right

    I_love_Bakkies what did you think about that?

    Bulls at the receiving end of yet another favourable decision…cheaters!

  • 57.viewer: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:19 pm

    Sharks Bulls at the Tank ?

  • 58.sharks_lover: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:20 pm

    all square again

    Butch 7 from 7

  • 59.Lions_Soutie: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:21 pm

    Try! Only because crab Cronje had nothing to do with it.

  • 60.gecko: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:23 pm

    @56. Pretty simple that pass. Botha let it go before 22 line, Vermaak caught it 2m otherside. Pretty obvious it was forward.

  • 61.viewer: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:23 pm

    TMO damn!

  • 62.Slumtown: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:23 pm

    Jeez Kruger effed that up

  • 63.Slumtown: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:24 pm

    so called Boks and they dont know how to finish

  • 64.Slumtown: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:25 pm

    Ralepelle guilty of a really nonchalant 50/50 pass a few metres from the line just before that. No wonder the Boks are getting hammered.

  • 65.RL: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:25 pm

    Stransky is a doos “the passing was fine” WTH Kirchner was standing in front of Chiliboi when he got the ball.

  • 66.Rage: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:33 pm

    If those forward passes came from AB players okes like Bakkies would’ve been on here in a flash…proclaiming that the Kiwis are filthy cheats…now that the Bulls are getting away with forward passes his silence is deafening..lol

  • 67.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:33 pm

    @Rage-56:
    i am not happy with it either.
    the whole point of the extended tmo powers’ ammendents is to combat this sort if thing (and the kiwis deliberate cheating).

  • 68.sharks_lover: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:35 pm

    Lions now falling apart!!!

  • 69.Rage: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:36 pm

    Well what do ya know! Just as I was calling out for him,our pal Bakkies shows up and true to form gets in a kiwi insult…hehe…gotta love this oke…congrats on the Bulls win..you cheater

  • 70.viewer: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:36 pm

    Damn. Heyneke will pick Morne again

  • 71.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:37 pm

    @Rage-66:
    this is a hell of exciting game of hard, uncompromising and honest rugby… seesawing from one side to the other.
    i do not have time to point out incompetent refereeing issues. we never hailed joubert as the best ref in the world… the kiwis did…

  • 72.RL: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:37 pm

    @i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-67: the bullies are getting away with kiwi style cheating with all those forward passes and corrupt officials blatantly doing a cheat job – no complaints from me though.

    Just take care of those guppies.

  • 73.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:40 pm

    morne 1 – elton 0

  • 74.Rage: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:42 pm

    Bakkies did YOU really say these words “I do not have time to point out incompetent reffing issues” lmao..

  • 75.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:42 pm

    @Rage-69:
    well, the whistle is not over
    but thanks all the same

    @RL-72:
    i blame the ref :grin:

    guppies will choke

  • 76.Rage: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:45 pm

    @ 72 dont let HG hear you

  • 77.viewer: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:46 pm

    50!

  • 78.RL: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:46 pm

    Butchy you are forgiven.

  • 79.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:46 pm

    @Rage-74:
    not while the game is this exciting.

  • 80.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:47 pm

    @RL-78:
    :lol:

    kak pass from elton though

  • 81.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:48 pm

    @viewer-77:
    you better believe it

  • 82.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:49 pm

    I’ve taken my bows
    And my curtain calls
    You brought me fame and fortune and everything that goes with it
    I thank you all

    But it’s been no bed of roses
    No pleasure cruise
    I consider it a challenge before the whole human race
    And I ain’t gonna lose

    We are the champions my friends
    And we’ll keep on fighting till the end
    We are the champions
    We are the champions
    No time for losers
    ’cause we are the champions

    Of the world…..

  • 83.14261774: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:50 pm

    ackerman f****d up 2 weekends in a row, no maku next weekend, no deon vn rensburg at 13 next weekend, whats he going to do about taute, hollenbach and mapoe for the semi game?

  • 84.Rage: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:50 pm

    I hope for the Lions’ sake they dont employ this helter skelter approach against WP…otherwise they can expect a rogering of note.

    They need to realise that you have to earn the right to go wide…cliche I know but true,nevertheless.

    If I was a Lions fan I’d be afraid,very afraid…..

  • 85.RL: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:52 pm

    WTH is wrong with Stransky? not only is he a doos but he has the temerity to name Morne the man of the match.

  • 86.14261774: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:53 pm

    @Rage-84: yip, wonder if ackerman’s going to cope with a semi??? and wp looked pretty good earlier today

  • 87.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:54 pm

    @RL-85:
    morne was outstanding

  • 88.mikeybrass: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:54 pm

    Steyn mom? That’ll make the Colonel a happy bugger.

  • 89.mikeybrass: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:55 pm

    @i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-87: Vlokkie sorted out his kicking?

    Didn’t watch this match. Can’t bring myself to degrade to watching the Kittens.

  • 90.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:56 pm

    jacques potgieter had a cracker

  • 91.Treehugger: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:56 pm

    A hard game, thought the other game would be like this as well, its not as if the Cheerahs are a cr*p team.

  • 92.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 20:58 pm

    @mikeybrass-89:
    when morne’s good, the team’s good.
    his kicking and all round play was top notch.
    definitely played his way back into the bok squad.

    lions are very good at cc level, i enjoy wathcing them play.

  • 93.RL: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 21:00 pm

    @Treehugger-91: the Bullies are coming for you guppyhugger with the “outstanding” Morne and the “cracker” Potgieter – Bullies by 7 points at least.

  • 94.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 21:01 pm

    i think the lions foolishly emptied thier tank today.
    they wont have enough left next week.

  • 95.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 21:02 pm

    the smarter strategy would have been to throw the game instead.

  • 96.I am a stormer: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 21:02 pm

    What chance a Province v Bulls final at Newlands?

  • 97.RL: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 21:03 pm

    @i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-94: @i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-95:

    Bakkies the plan was to get the bullies into the semi’s – AC Kerman made Morne look good. It is true

  • 98.Treehugger: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 21:12 pm

    @RL-93: pleeeeeeeeezzzz ! If they pip us, the will blow your team away, am thinking Jantjies doesn’t have it.

  • 99.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 21:12 pm

    @RL-93:
    i like your work :grin:

  • 100.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    13 Oct 2012, 21:17 pm

    @I am a stormer-96:
    6.3%

    @RL-97:
    well, they certainly looked like they got behoorlik opgefok while doing so… :grin:

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