Bulls trample Cheetahs
9 Feb 2013
The Bulls beat the Cheetahs 32-10 in their pre-season match in Polokwane.
Flanker Dewald Potgieter scored the only try of the first half as the Bulls butchered a further three scoring opportunities.
Flyhalf Morne Steyn made it 13-0 with two penalties early in the second half, before another two tries put the result beyond doubt.
First, scrumhalf Francois Hougaard left opposite number Sarel Pretorius for dead and chipped ahead. While Hougaard was taken out as the ball landed, centre Francois Venter was able to score. Then the ball popped out of a ruck and replacement Lionel Mapoe ran the length of the field.
The Cheetahs finally got on the board when fullback Willie le Roux grubbered ahead and winger Raymond Rhule dotted down. Midfielder Johann Sadie then scored in the corner to make it 25-10.
But the Bulls struck again when ex-Bok centre Wynand Olivier burst through a gap and popped the ball to fullback Jurgen Visser.
43 Comments
9 Feb 2013, 19:08 pm
Horned dragons
9 Feb 2013, 19:09 pm
RT @keocoza: Bulls trample Cheetahs: The Bulls beat the Cheetahs 32-10 in their pre-season match in Polokwane. Flanker Dew… http://t.c …
9 Feb 2013, 19:19 pm
Cheetahs beat the Stormers
Bulls beat the Cheetahs
Shark are favorites to win the SA conference.
9 Feb 2013, 19:35 pm
@nama1-2: why are you so guppy obsessed – do they kepp you awake at night. Nama did your mama show you the Jaws movie or what. (Btw bad movie to show any kid I’m talking from experience).
Let my guppies be.
9 Feb 2013, 19:42 pm
@RL-3:
“Let my guppies be.”
Who are you going to support in the CC or heavens forbid, if the Lions play against the Sharks in the promotion/relegation match later this season?
9 Feb 2013, 19:43 pm
Cheetahs played without Johan Goosen, Coenie oosthuizen, Juan Smith (bench), Heinrich Brussow(injured), Andries ferreira(injured), Martin Muller(injured).
Bulls without Zane Kirchner, Dean Greyling.
Cheetahs can be dangerous against Sharks in Bloem.
9 Feb 2013, 19:52 pm
@nama1-4:
@bokkefan-5: they could very well finish behind the queens.
9 Feb 2013, 20:01 pm
It is early days yet. There will be new injuries as well.
How bad is the Eben Etsebeth injury?
9 Feb 2013, 20:01 pm
@bokkefan-5: so Bulls played their best side then?
9 Feb 2013, 20:24 pm
@Dilligafrican-8:
Correct … and their bench
9 Feb 2013, 20:30 pm
@RL-6:
The Kings can only get a better position than other SA teams on the log in early stages …if they get 4 points for a bye in Round 2!
9 Feb 2013, 20:35 pm
I think the Bulls best side at this point is arguable. They are not as settled with quality veterans as the Sharks and Stormers are. Hence, they have more experimenting to do.
I don’t think Francois Venter and JJ Engelbrecht are their best centre pairing. And will Morne Steyn still be their first choice flyhalf at the end of the season? Same with the loose forwards, where I would have Arno Botha in the starting line up.
Basically, I would consider both Serfontein and Olivier ahead of Francois Venter, and put Lionell Mapoe at 13 with JJ Engelbrecht moving to the wing.
This team is going to change a lot as the season progresses.
9 Feb 2013, 20:59 pm
@Tacitus-12:
Franna Venter way better then you’re making him out to be. Adjusted a little slowly to senior rugby but has all the attributes. I wouldn’t hesitate pushing him into the starting side. He’s way better then JJ Engelbrecht as well, who’s been a disappointment.
The Bulls have a clear hierarchy though, that involves most juniors only getting a shot once the senior players pack their bags (or get injured – but then will be relegated upon their return regardless of form), so guys like Venter, Serfontein & Pollard will have to hope for the best or bide their time at lower levels.
Bulls Vodacom Cup Inside-Backs:
10 Handre Pollard
12 Jan Serfontein
13 Francois Venter
That’s the Vodacom Cup won right there (considering the rest of the side wouldn’t look too shabby either).
9 Feb 2013, 21:03 pm
Sharks have awesome backline and good pack. Stormers about same as last year. Cheetahs just ahead of Kings but no depth. Bulls great youngsters but I think too young to be of use this season. Int times
9 Feb 2013, 21:05 pm
@FrenklyMuDeah-14:
Bulls too young? No man they are mostly old-timers. Plenty of experience – more then most sides.
Cheetahs are also WAY ahead of the Kings.
9 Feb 2013, 21:08 pm
What did the final log look like last year as far as the top 6 teams ‘final points tallies are concerned?
Looking at the fixtures, I’ve got the Bulls getting to 51 points this year. Trying to see how that compares to last year?
9 Feb 2013, 21:11 pm
OK just checked on wikipedia. That will leave them around 9th place.
Still, that’s how I think it will go this year. Tough tour where they will probably not win a single game.
Blues, Crusaders, Reds and Brumbies away. All very difficult games to win.
9 Feb 2013, 21:12 pm
@Tacitus-16:
Bulls & Sharks were the lowest qualifiers in 2012 – with 59 points.
9 Feb 2013, 21:14 pm
@Tacitus-17:
Blues are going to suck this year. Kirwan hasn’t got a clue.
They need a Mark Hammett type who simplifies the game-plan and brings in some discipline.
If the Bulls don’t beat them, they don’t deserve to reach the semi’s.
9 Feb 2013, 21:23 pm
@hendrikp-15: thinking of Pollard Serfontein Venter. Bulls need dome spark in backline and these are the right guys, just so young Pollard set to be best flyhalf in long time
9 Feb 2013, 21:27 pm
@FrenklyMuDeah-20:
Venter is too slow for outside centre. Mapoe and Engelbrecht the only options at 13, plus maybe Olivier as a stopgap, or else Small Smith if he can cut it so soon at senior level.
9 Feb 2013, 21:32 pm
@Tacitus-21:
Small-Smith won’t have a future as a starting centre for one of the big franchises in SA.
One of my favorite personalities – sort of person you’d want captaining the Springboks – but he’s not in the top 10 centres even.
9 Feb 2013, 21:32 pm
Think SA top 3 teams are going to be ubeatable at home. Aus teams can only qualify through rigged S15 qualifying rules New Zealand teams always good but seem to be in bit of slump after results end of last year.
9 Feb 2013, 21:34 pm
@hendrikp-22:
I háven’t seen enough of him to comment. What I HAVE seen from him in the Baby Boks game, was more pace than either Francois Venter or Serfontein has. Hence, he is an option at 13 where their lack of pace limits them to 12.
But whether Small Smith is big enough to be a star at senior level, that remains to be seen.
9 Feb 2013, 21:43 pm
@Tacitus-16:
The Bulls are two years away from being SR final contenders, imo…
15 Jurgen Visser/Clayton Blommetjies
14 JJ Engelbrecht
13 William Small-Smith/Dries Swanepoel
12 Jan Serfontein
11 Bjorn Basson
10 Handre Pollard
09 Francois Hougaard
8 Arno Botha
7 Jacques Potgieter
6 Deon Stegmann
5 Marvin Orie
4 Paul Willemse
3 Marcel vd Merwe
2 Chilliboy Rallepel
1 Juan Schoeman
16 Bongi Mbonambi
17 Dean Greyling
18 Werner Kruger
19 Flip vd Merwe
20 Dewald Potgieter
21 Jano Vermaak
22 Louis Fouche
23 Francois Venter
Is Jurgen Visser better than Blommetjies?
9 Feb 2013, 21:46 pm
@mxhosa-25:
Would rather have Jaco Taute than either of those two at 15.
9 Feb 2013, 22:16 pm
I never saw the bulls game today and i kinow it was only a friendly,but a win is a win inany shape or form.At the moment i am not sure ledeke knows what his best starting team is yet,and i hope he gets it right in time for the first super rugby game.It is so important that the bulls win their first game to get our show on the road.
9 Feb 2013, 22:24 pm
@mxhosa-25:
Okay so you haven’t a clue really.
Juan Schoeman will never crack the senior side. Morne Mellett is far better – heck even Greyling if he can stay away from brain farts is better.
Marvin Orie has a distance to go. Needs to show a rough edge if he wants to play senior rugby at lock.
Deon Stegmann is up there with Werner Kruger & Dean Greyling for worst Springboks ever. His career with the Bulls is nearing an end. To think you’ve got Dewald Potgieter on the bench behind him… laughable.
Jurgen Visser is a solid option, similar to Hennie Daniller. Clayton Blommetjies is worse, by quite a margin.
Bongi Mbonambi can go. They brought Callie Visagie in for a reason – they’re afraid of what happens when Willie Wepener leaves and something happens to Chiliboy (or he’s on Bok duty).
9 Feb 2013, 22:25 pm
Elsewhere they’re raving about Hougie having a fantastic game running the ball.
He’s good at that, but was made much easier probably considering his opposite number doesn’t bother tackling.
Piet van Zyl over Pretorius please.
10 Feb 2013, 00:33 am
@hendrikp-28:
Juan Schoeman at 21 is a much better prospect than 25 year Morne Mellett (Vodacom Cup player at best). Just because Stegmann couldn’t make the step up to international rugby, that does not make him a bad provincial player, all of a sudden. As for Dewald Potgieter, ground skills not good enough to be an effective openside flanker, not big enough to play blindside and will never be as good a number 8 as Arno Botha or Pierre Spies (a poorman’s Schalk Burger).
I thought Callie Visagie was on loan? And if that’s the case, there’s nobody better than Mbonambi….
10 Feb 2013, 00:35 am
@hendrikp-28:
Juan Schoeman at 21 is a much better prospect than 25 year Morne Mellett (Vodacom Cup player at best). Just because Stegmann couldn’t make the step up to international rugby, that does not make him a bad provincial player, all of a sudden. As for Dewald Potgieter, ground skills not good enough to be an effective openside flanker, not big enough to play blindside and will never be as good a number 8 as Arno Botha or Pierre Spies (a poorman’s Schalk Burger).
I thought Callie Visagie was on loan? And if that’s the case, there’s nobody better than Mbonambi….
But let’s agree to disagree.
10 Feb 2013, 06:05 am
@mxhosa-31:
Age matters little. You can’t say that because he’s younger he will be better. Mellett is actually a very good loosehead, and miles better then Schoeman who was disappointing for the Baby Boks in 2011.
Stegmann is just useless, even at provincial level. Nothing you say can change that. He’s not even going to make the Bulls first-choice 22 this year – pretty obvious given the line-ups they been putting out. Potgieter still a better option. They could offer someone like Jaco Kriel a small contract. I’m very interested to see how Albertus ‘Kwagga’ Smith goes for the Baby Boks this year. Could be a great openside option for anyone besides the Cheetahs probably (who already have Brussow).
And I’ll give you a better hooker then Mbonambi at the Bulls. Jason Thomas! Miles better.
10 Feb 2013, 09:00 am
Steggmann is useless?????
Probably the most important player in the Bulls set up…
Last 2 years without him the Bulls have been done 6 love at the breakdown
10 Feb 2013, 09:46 am
Bulls backline should go Hougard Pollard Basson Venter Serfontein / Mapoe Engelbrecht Kirschner/Visser and they will be a force to be reckon with. Drop Spies
10 Feb 2013, 10:27 am
Think Potgieter is under-rated at 8. Would play him ahead of Spies. Better hand skills and brain. Stegman good franchise player. Still think Pollard is two years away from Super rugby, but great talent
10 Feb 2013, 11:55 am
@hendrikp-32:
Jason Thomas – great prospect. Would fit in well with the Stormers particularly with their hooker crisis at the moment. And the Bulls have a surplus of hookers right now.
10 Feb 2013, 15:03 pm
@hendrikp-32:
Morne Mellett was just as disappointing for the baby boks in 2009. Besides, in most cases, a loosehead is only as good as his tighthead. For example, Os Durandt was not as dominant in 2004 when Eddie Andrews was on the other side of the scrum – in fact, the bok scrum was probably the worst in world rugby. And Ruan Dreyer didn’t look too flash in 2011 either, but he’s looked good for the Lions in the last three weeks.
Speaking of baby boks performances, did you see Siya Kolisi in the 2011 semi final? He got the ball four times in the first half, the only time he didn’t knock it on, it was turned over. In the second half he was marginally better, he only knocked on once… Look at him now.
Forgot about Jason Thomas. Maybe they can have them both in the team, since Chilliboy never seems to finish a season… And whatever happened to Henry Bantjies?
10 Feb 2013, 17:58 pm
The Cheetahs can be the surprise package.
Johan Goosen aith Willie Goosen on the wing and Hennie Daniller back on full back with Raymonf Rhule can make a dangerous backline.
Coenie Oosthuizen back with Juan smith in starting line up with Adraan Strauss can be a strong pack.
Just have to sort out the lineouts.
10 Feb 2013, 17:58 pm
The Cheetahs can be the surprise package.
Johan Goosen with Willie Goosen on the wing and Hennie Daniller back on full back with Raymond Rhule can make a dangerous backline.
Coenie Oosthuizen back with Juan smith in starting line up with Adraan Strauss can be a strong pack.
Just have to sort out the lineouts.
11 Feb 2013, 12:31 pm
@hendrikp-19: Actually the Reds were, with 58 points.
I almost got the same as Tacitus, with 53 points. Still nowhere near playoffs this season.
Gonna be a long one.
11 Feb 2013, 13:02 pm
Visser and Ulrich Beyers are good options as back-up 15′s to Kirchner
Mapoe is not physical enough for centre and needs to stay on the wing, along with Basson. The Bulls have no depth on the wing.
JJ Engelbrecht showed some great touches in last years S15, making some telling breaks, he won a few minutes of test rugby on the wing and then got dicarded by Meyer for no reason at all. It seemed to affect his CC performance thereafter. JJ needs to stay at 13 for the Bulls, he has clout. Dries Swanepoel will prove a great back-up
At 12, Jan Serfontein is a must, with Frans Venter as a back-up. Old man Olivier is a good stop gap.
The Bulls should be adventurous and pick Pollard at 10, Morne is a liability and its time to move on.
Great to see Hougaard back at 9 where he belongs. It was a poor call of Meyer to move him to the wing.
Mellet is a better option than Greyling and Kirsten is far better than Kruger at 3, who is a liability.
Chiliboy is a class act at 2 as is Visagie
I want to see Willemse break into the starting 15, he is a great prospect with plenty of agression.
Flip and Kruger are good, but the Bulls need to work on their back-ups. Steenkamp is average and I see Orie’s name mentioned elsewhere – this kid is far too light for lock. The real deal is Jacques du Plessis. Willemse and du Plessis are the future for the Bulls.
CJ Stander is a massive loss for the Bulls. Arno Botha is a class act and has to be in the starting 15. I am a Dewald Potgieter fan, not convinced about Jacques Potgieter, he lacks finesse. Spies was one of my favourite players but has failed to impress for some time now – lacks mongrel. Hattingh is a useful squad player.
The Bulls have a good squad, its just a case of selecting wisely. Lets hope they move on from the old hasbeens like Olivier, Morne, Greyling, W.Kruger and co
11 Feb 2013, 13:27 pm
@mxhosa-30: Were the heck do you get your info? Brain Dead Central? Please check Mellett’s age again and then come back with something meaningful to say. Lastly, someone hung-up on Age Group players and their performances, reeks of “emotional attachment”, you Schoemans’s brother/sister/jockey or what? Get your facts straight, performances of age group players RARELY translate to any meaningful throughput when they walk among the big boys. Shame, watching live scrumming sessions at the Bull’s clearly show Schoeman has a few lessons to learn.
11 Feb 2013, 13:49 pm
@brickm-42: Since it seems you are “Google impaire”, Mellett’s age is 23. Anyho, good to have a close relative punting an age group players merits on social media. Good luck mxhosa.
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