Steyn slays Stormers
22 Feb 2013
Morne Steyn kicked the Bulls to a winning Super Rugby start as the hosts easily beat the Stormers.
The Bulls won 25-17 after leading 9-0 at half time.
A Loftus crowd of 44 272 watched the opening match to the South African season.
The match was poor in quality with both teams a mess in the line outs and ineffective on attack among the backs.
Defence was good and the physicality was, as always, prominent, but neither side threatened with ball in hand. The backs on both sides moved it too lateral and this was a match won in the trenches by the more dominant and composed pack.
The Bulls at scrum and in the collisions were the stronger and superior team, especially in the first 40 minutes. The go forward and momentum was with the Bulls for the majority of the match and despite a brief rally from the Stormers after half time the visitors offered little.
Stormers captain Jean de Villiers admitted afterwards the better team on the night had won and that the Stormers had been forced into too many mistakes.
Steyn, man of the match, kicked seven from seven, and impressed with a composed and mature tactical kicking game. Steyn, with his forwards in charge, controlled the game and the Bulls played the match in the right areas of the field.
There was very little flow to the game and it wasn’t helped because of periods in which there were uncontested scrums. This favoured the Stormers whose pack took a beating.
Elton Jantjies suffered in his debut for the Stormers and one felt for the young Bok flyhalf, who suffered the tragic loss of his father less than a month ago. Jantjies is an outstanding goal kicker with a Super Rugby career average of 80 percent, but his radar never functioned and he missed four successive penalty kicks. Joe Petersen was introduced for Gio Aplon and kicked all three efforts, but the match was one influenced by the Bulls forward effort and sealed by Steyn’s flawless goal kicking.
Steyn and Pierre Spies excelled for the hosts, and predictably Victor Matfield’s planning in combating Andries Bekker and the Stormers line out paid dividend. It was also aided by Deon Fourie’s experiencing a night at hooker the equal of Jantjies’s goal kicking.
Jean de Villiers was a strong presence for the Stormers and Bryan Habana’s night did not lack for effort. Siya Kolisi was the best of the Stormers loose-forwards but with the Bulls, as a unit, the more cohesive and impressive up front, Steyn was good enough to slay the Stormers.
By Mark Keohane
613 Comments
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23 Feb 2013, 04:43 am
@Te Rangatira-449:
Yer that was him lets hope he has a blinder tonight, I was born in Wellington so I can’t lose tonight he he
23 Feb 2013, 04:45 am
@NZINCHINA-450:
Is sad about Jonah….I have to agree, the leadership core in that team was beautiful….in a manly way…
23 Feb 2013, 04:47 am
@NZINCHINA-451:
What….haha…When I watch North Auckland play Auckland, I feel the same way…
23 Feb 2013, 04:48 am
@Te Rangatira-452:
My brother is good mates with one of the guys in that pack, so we always got the good stories especially the ones when Auckland played Harbour they hated each other in those days, Zinny used to call for the pushover try when scrumming on the half way line.
23 Feb 2013, 04:49 am
Technically poor game with no apparent plan to get over the adv line. Yes they did but it just seemed they did it by accident.
Lots of Hester skelter!
23 Feb 2013, 04:52 am
Well CHINA…I’m off to my Sister in Laws Birthday, to drink their refreshments for pre-game warmup….Go the Blues and I will catch you up during the game…hope its another one like last night….give the crowd on Keo plenty to think about.
23 Feb 2013, 04:55 am
@NZINCHINA-454:
Zinny what a man…..the epitome of what was/is Great in Nz Rugby…
23 Feb 2013, 04:57 am
@NZINCHINA-454:
I hate North Harbour too….bunch of blouses…
23 Feb 2013, 04:57 am
@Te Rangatira-456:
Cheers Rangi
23 Feb 2013, 05:00 am
@NZINCHINA-459:
Yeah Bro….Cheers
23 Feb 2013, 05:27 am
I said the Bulls the would win.
I said the Stormers would NOT pick up a bonus point.
…………………………………………
I said the Stormers would finish 13th……..
’tis true.
23 Feb 2013, 05:28 am
STORMERSHITS SUCK!
23 Feb 2013, 05:29 am
BULLSHITS ROCK!
23 Feb 2013, 05:29 am
SHARKSHITS RULE!
23 Feb 2013, 05:30 am
SKOPISHIT NEEDS TO WEAR A DIAPER.
23 Feb 2013, 05:53 am
Haha, I’d like to thank the following:
Robzim
Ruck/Dog Pedigree
I am a Stormer
stormerboy
S_K (Capo the c…nt)
Transie
WP
haha at least the Bulls won. Anyone but the Stormers
23 Feb 2013, 05:53 am
f*ck the Stormers!!!!!!!!!!!!!
13th place.
23 Feb 2013, 06:38 am
Apologies to the decent Stormers folk out there but with “supporters” like Skopskiet & S_K (wnbb) on their books I’m so glad the Stormers lost.
23 Feb 2013, 06:46 am
I think some of you are a bit harsh about Jantjies, yes he had a bad game….BUT….I think he is very much a confidence player and was desperate to do well in his first game playing in a new team.
He should have been taken off when it became apparent he was not coping, no support from his Captain, and his Coach should know better.
In saying this, I don’t think he is Bok material even though he has had games when he just couldn’t do anything wrong. He is to much like Ruan Pienaar, cept he doesn’t get that defeatist look about him.
23 Feb 2013, 06:52 am
@BrumbiesBoy-468: many of them went bulls on bru.
23 Feb 2013, 06:53 am
Stormers must be miffed about their two Lions hand me downs. Pathetic showing by the Stormers. As usual all the pre season hype amounts to bugger all for the Cape clowns. See Habana has not lost his acting abilities in the off season either
23 Feb 2013, 07:03 am
Rather at the beginning of the season. Also ShaunB its the first game of the competition for. There’s plenty of games left for the Sharks to prove you wrong.
23 Feb 2013, 07:31 am
Interesting to see how Keo mentioned good defense…… easy to defend against either team that have attacking prowess of a pack of worms.
23 Feb 2013, 07:36 am
Elton (Candle in the wind) is pretty useless without Uncle Carlos to hold his hand.
With Fat Pat and Red John to anchor the scrums, the Stormies will end up in Row K in the scrums against most teams. Fortunately for them, the Bulls also had babies packing against them.
Perhaps a better idea to pick Bekker at Spare Wing. I think he finds the rucks and mauls too claustrophobic.
23 Feb 2013, 07:47 am
Well done Bulls.But above all gO SHARKS
23 Feb 2013, 07:48 am
2 teams who dont play stamkar rugby.Judging by selections,think it will be
match of the week end.Go Sharks
23 Feb 2013, 07:49 am
stampkar
23 Feb 2013, 07:51 am
@Hurricane-473: Good luck to your team in a few, they better not drop me, i have you guys winning on SBru.
23 Feb 2013, 07:57 am
1) again congratulations to the Bulls
I don’t think we will end 13th though
2) Loftus remains a fun place to watch rugby, the Bulls support gives goosebumps.
3) ShaunB, as long as you are happy
4) Jantjies had a poor match, but by the same token, so did Taute.
5) If Jantjies was still not over his grief, he should not have played.
6) They should never have started with him in the 1st place after no warm up games. He could have been on the bench.
7) The Bulls deserved the win, but it’s not as if they set the field alight, they were just so much less poor than the Stormers.
8) From a SANZAR point of view this match did not come close to what we saw between the Highlanders and Chiefs.
9) If the Stormers persist with having props and locks and loosies in the backline, it doesn’t matter who plays at 10.
10) I hope the Sharks win, I am so desperate for Superbru redemption that I will gladly read from the HG’s and ShaunB’s how good they are just so that I don’t slide any further.
23 Feb 2013, 07:58 am
@ryecatcher-476:
The match of the weekend involving the Cheetahs, we’ll see but I doubt it.
23 Feb 2013, 08:00 am
@nortierd-479:
Norty somebody needs to teach these boys how to attack with ball in hand.
23 Feb 2013, 08:04 am
@nortierd-479: Howzit Nortie. I think start of season rust will be a thing of the past come next but yes this was hardly a showpiece for SA rugby. Just we put one over the Stormpies
23 Feb 2013, 08:07 am
@Hurricane-473: No comments collumn Hurri. We won it, no matter how ugly. We should win at least 4 of our first 5 games going forward which should give us the start and the momentum going forward.
23 Feb 2013, 08:09 am
@NZINCHINA-481:
Difficult for a backline to attack when the first receiver is a fatboy prop or lanky lock.
@KWAGGA ROBERTSE-482:
Hope so, for all our sake, but again, geluk Boet, julle het verdien om te wen.
If it wasn’t for uncontested scrubs, you would have murdered us towards the end, the Bulls were definitely the fitter and stronger side by then
23 Feb 2013, 08:12 am
Think the Drifta must be on this afternoon.
, I don’t think the Kings will match them in viewer stakes.
Kings playing the same time as Eng vs France, and the latter is definitely my first choice to watch, with respect to the Watsons,
Maybe even Cheeky will have that match on in the losie
23 Feb 2013, 08:15 am
That was the worst performance by a Stormers team that I can remember seeing! What have happened to Jantjies, he had a dreadful game? The Bulls were not much better but at least their kicker could slot the ball through the poles. After watching the Highlands v Chief game on Friday morning, if these are South Africa’s best teams, we have major problems.
23 Feb 2013, 08:21 am
@479,
I have not posted here in a while but want to tell you two things that some other bloggers can learn from you.
A little class goes a long way.
You dont have to flook the world to make a point
Very nice post.
23 Feb 2013, 08:27 am
@BULLET-487:
Thanks
Cheers
23 Feb 2013, 08:31 am
@KWAGGA ROBERTSE-483:
And well done for the win.
Correct no matter how it is a win.
23 Feb 2013, 08:45 am
@nortierd-479: Hi Nortie, I haven’t read any comments except for this page. I concur with most of what you have said!
First of all – well done to the Bulls !
Jantjies was always going to be under cooked and as you have said, perhaps he should not have started.
Fourie had, as was predicted by many Stormers supporters (myself included) a dreadful night at lineout time. AC and especially Proudfoot will have to come up with a plan but this situation will never cease while Fourie has to feed the lineout. You can’t play rugby if you can’t even get decent first phase ball.
Too much was said about Mellett’s so called scrummaging weakness: do the talking on the field. It is fairly stupid IMO to say beforehand that you are going to target an inexperienced player. It only provides motivation to the opposition! Mellet did very well IMO
If you leave 12 points on the field against the Bulls by missing your penalty kicks, you are going to pay the price for it.
Fortunately the Super competition isn’t won in February !!
23 Feb 2013, 08:49 am
@CharlesM-490:
very impressed withour scrum
Good win but we need improve on attack
Spies answered his critics
23 Feb 2013, 08:52 am
@CharlesM-490:
Hi Charles, you are right.
I mentioned earlier last evening that if you opt for a 5 m line out instead of the 3 points, then you must win the line out.
As much as I like Fourie as a player, he is too light and out of his depth as hooker.
I hope Tiaan and Scarra get fit soon.
23 Feb 2013, 09:48 am
@blueboy-241:
How insightful clever boy
23 Feb 2013, 09:58 am
Do racists C*nts like Hondo really exist or his kind is just a keyboard warrior?
23 Feb 2013, 10:05 am
@greatest13gerber-491: I missed the match, however playing at home against a weakened Stormers pack does not constitute “answering his critics”
Let him play away in NZ vs Crusaders and handle Reeche etc .. THEN we can say he is answering his critics. Sorry but the Bok no8 is still DV for me but hopefully this year we will get more balance if HM doesnt keep picking 7′s in all back row.
23 Feb 2013, 10:06 am
Well played Bulls. Took all the points that came your way while we were wasteful almost nonchalantly.
Stormers not gelling lekker yet.
Overall the game was too tactical for a matchup so early in the season.
Hope the Gups & Cheetahs are prepared to take more risks.
23 Feb 2013, 10:08 am
@CharlesM-490: Your problem is AC as coach, he is not progressive enough .. Proudfoot is ok should be doing better but for Stormers to make the next step in winning the S15 they need a coach in the quality of Ewan M, Jake snakey or a Robbie D.
23 Feb 2013, 10:28 am
@XhosaKid-494:
You must be on drugs.
Do you honestly think that the entire ANC is not awash with racist bigots…and you have the cheek to ask such a dimwitted question???
23 Feb 2013, 10:31 am
@Te Rangatira-457:
One of the gentlemen of rugby.
23 Feb 2013, 10:41 am
@the curse-373: Steyns tactical kicking
sublime
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