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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22 Feb 2013, 23:36 pm
@victoriabok-348:
Neeee, ons moet net vir Spies adjust.
22 Feb 2013, 23:36 pm
@skopdiekan-347:
> Jantjes paralyzed Stormers in every facet of play. Playing off the back foot because the pivot is downright hopeless.
Nope your forwards didn’t dominate, you were tackled on the advantage line
The two times you had go forward ball you scored
22 Feb 2013, 23:37 pm
@Anairetes agilis-351:
Ek sal hom adjust as jy hom vashou?
22 Feb 2013, 23:37 pm
@Anairetes agilis-344:
They did everything they had to do.
With Steyn on song, they played the field, got the points and won the game.
Easy peasy game.
Been a while since I saw a fly half kick so well for position.
Usually everyone just boots it straight to a defender. Steyn put the ball behind the players and just kept turning them.
Our Lion acquisitions, the less said the better.
Pietersen would have been better on from the beginning and even Aplon would have been better than Taute.
Poor Aplon had to come off to make way for a kicker.
When Jantjies played against the Stormers or WP he hardly ever missed, now he can’t kick his own arse playing for them.
22 Feb 2013, 23:39 pm
@Anairetes agilis-351:
I have to laugh.
Old Anti-Bull Stransky was practically popping his load in glee when the Stormers made their comeback in the first 15 minutes of the 2nd half. He then gloatingly said it was now time for Spies to show his leadership skills to get his team back on the front foot, as the Bulls were under pressure.
Lo and behold, the Bulls suddenly shifted to a higher gear and went from 12-7 to 25-10 in the next 20 minutes, with the Stormer never coming in sight of them again.
Maybe old Spies isn’t such a bad captain as you guys make him out to be.
22 Feb 2013, 23:40 pm
@victoriabok-352:
Rugby is a mental game, especially for inexperienced players.
I think that very first crash ball where Wynand used Jantjies as a speedbump took all of Eltons confidence away, and he imploded from that point onward.
He is a good player, but was just mentally unsettled by the physicality of the Bulls today. They targeted him with their strong runners early on, and it took him out of the game.
22 Feb 2013, 23:41 pm
@victoriabok-353:
Kyk, ek het krag in my hande, maar daar is genoeg geweld in ons landjie. En ek wil nie die toorn van die Spies sien as hy daar loskom nie, maar ek dink ook hy moet net bietjie kwaad raak haha.
22 Feb 2013, 23:42 pm
@victoriabok-352:
Yes and no
I agree with Skop
Jantjies doesn’t have right footed kick, he was almost caught close to the try line and managed to dodge 2 defenders before clearing with his left foot.
This is a Springbok, ffs, he should be able to clear with both feet.
On attack, I won’t place all the blame on him though, our props, locks and loosies all think the are God’s gift to backline players and keep interfering and trying to run the show
22 Feb 2013, 23:43 pm
@Tacitus-349: so ,you already accept that they will lose,but you will be happy with a bonus point? how will one point be of benifit to you in the greater scheme of things or are you only interest in scoring more points than the Stormers over the two games?
22 Feb 2013, 23:45 pm
@S_K-359:
At the start of the season we were told we wouldn’t win a single game against the Stormers. If we end up with more points than them from our 2 matches, then it means we only need to do the same to the Sharks to end top of the SA log, potentially, with a home semi.
After that, anything can happen.
22 Feb 2013, 23:46 pm
I’ve never understood jantjies hype – play joe p or grant still way better , popgun boot or not still the closest to honiball SA rugby produced and knows how to take it to gain line
22 Feb 2013, 23:47 pm
@Tacitus-355:
Ja, haha, I switched to Kobus Wiese and his “Is dit die vonk wat die Stormers benodig!?” every 10 minutes anyway.
22 Feb 2013, 23:48 pm
I think that frills Kirsten I saw number of years back in jnr SA rugby side – he damn good but I never know to what extent they come thru at snt level – kitschoff still young but needs to impose himself, strong as an ox
22 Feb 2013, 23:53 pm
@Tacitus-360: fair enough.i think it might take more than victories over fellow Saffa sides to end on top of the conference,but I accept it won’t do the bulls chances any harm if they can beat their main contenders in the points race over the two games.
22 Feb 2013, 23:53 pm
@cab-363:
Kirsten arrived at the Bulls with great promise, but was out for almost 2 years with a serious neck problem. He is fully recovered now and if he can make it through a ful season we might see him reaching the potential he showed at junior level.
But yes,I was very surprised that the powerful Stormers front row from last year were totally dominated by the rookie Bulls props today.
Last year Kitshoff was the next big thing, with Pat Cilliers being the next big thing in Heyneke’s Bok squad last year.
Today two nonames drilled them into the ground at Loftus. Strange game, this rugby.
22 Feb 2013, 23:54 pm
@S_K-364:
I think you’ll find that the team that did the best in the local derbies also ended up top of the SA conference in the last two years.
22 Feb 2013, 23:56 pm
@cab-361: it was his first game,bud. Let us give him a chance to get it right .it is enough that we got Skop going mental regarding his horror show tonight !
22 Feb 2013, 23:56 pm
@Tacitus-365: That’s because the 2 no names have two LOCKS behind them. Not a lock and wing wannabe.
22 Feb 2013, 23:59 pm
@cab-361:
> grant still way better , popgun boot or not still the closest to honiball SA rugby produced and knows how to take it to gain line
No no no, that’s sacrilege or blasphemy, your pick, comparing Grant to Lem, the Bos scored tries with Lem in charge
How many bonus point tries with “take it to the gain line” Grant in charge of your backline last year? zero
Even the Bulls with Morne “skop en jaag” got 6 points for scoring more than 4 tries
23 Feb 2013, 00:02 am
@Tacitus-366: correct,but then the bulls at least needs to beat the Stormers or sharks twice this season to win the conference title.i don’t see an extra two points over their main rivals clinching it .just my opinion.
23 Feb 2013, 00:03 am
@S_K-367:
> it is enough that we got Skop going mental regarding his horror show tonight !
He goes mental every night
He’ll start swearing soon
Like in his song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwXrBe4QbMU
23 Feb 2013, 00:05 am
I couldn’t f’ng believe it Jdv was giving this guy tough kicks at 6-0 down which I knew would miss and then keep giving him more chances to miss from way out. Every one of those kicks in first half should have gone to touch and Stormers would have been in the game if not in front at half time.
Worst f’ng decision ever by Stormers management to buy Jantjes biggest fckup purchase ever and there been some bad ones before now. He will never get Stormers backline going ever. Grant is 1000 Times better pivot for Stormers than Jantjes. When Duvenhage went to 10 suddenly some shape and direction in backline and Pietersen kicking more difficult kicks from touchline over.
I been saying from outset that buying Jantjes was a big fckup and what’s worse is I reckon if they hadn’t have bought him there’s a good chance we might have kept Pollard or Du Plessis. Now we got saddled with Jantjes who is NOT Ever going to be the pivotal force Stormers need.
23 Feb 2013, 00:06 am
HM will be pleased with Steybs kicking form
can see him being first choice for the bokke if he continues.
23 Feb 2013, 00:09 am
@skopdiekan-372:
> to buy Jantjes biggest fckup purchase ever and there been some bad ones before now.
After the 1999 WC the Bulls bought Jannie de Beer, Os and Naka.
I don’t think Jannie ever played a full game for us, Os played a few, but they were mostly injured
Naka on the other hand unfortunately played many games for us
The worst purchase ever was the Force(?) buying Abdre Pretorius
23 Feb 2013, 00:12 am
@skopdiekan-372:
Grant is better, but even with him we don’t really rake in the tries do we?
We must get rid of these fat, tall and lomp forwards that keep taking the first receiver pass.
Even with Brock Harris not playing, some other plod just takes his place.
23 Feb 2013, 00:19 am
@nortierd-375:
I though you’re going with Brock on flyhalf?
Jantjies missing the first couple could be understood, why Jean persisted with him should be questioned
23 Feb 2013, 00:23 am
Jantjies doubts himself, which is a problem, unless he’s fundamentally brilliant skilful talented, which he’s not – so u got a kak bang fkthalf where instead stormers need to be smacking it over gain line with their robust mobile pack and halfbacks getting on over it.
Grant always been v underrated by a predominantly skop-befok flyhalf rugby public, but Joe p has IMO the makings of a great fkthalf after goosen for boks.
23 Feb 2013, 00:24 am
NORTE 375
Problem is NOT Grant problem is Stormers game plan and conservative mind set.
If the pathetic coaching would give the backline the directive to play running ball in hand rugby like we only started doing at 12 – 0 or 15 – 0 down today we would see plenty more tries. I have been very disapproving of Stormers coaching and game strategy for long time. It better change soon or we going absolutely nowhere in any kind of hurry.
Jantjes is not the answer at 10 I knew this long before they even signed him when they were so eager to do so.
If we played Schroeder or Duvenhage or Joe P at 10 would be huge improvement to Jantjies but Peter Grant is also far better option to Jantjies in every respect. Kicking or running game. Both.
23 Feb 2013, 00:25 am
Tho VB has a point honiball was the gdam meneer. Where’ve all the great fly halves gone?
23 Feb 2013, 00:26 am
@cab-377:
Neither Joe nor Grant has the X factor, Jantjies will come through
23 Feb 2013, 00:27 am
I am sorry Skop ,but you are an idiot to go on about Jantjies like this .a guy that had an 80 percent kicking success rate last super season can’t just suddenly be a flop after one game.
23 Feb 2013, 00:30 am
@skopdiekan-378:
I like Grant at 10, always have.
I agree that We will have to make changes, but is it just game plan or is it mindset?
The players are like robots in SA
23 Feb 2013, 00:30 am
Grant got fckd around in S.A. rugby should have been Bok 10 in 2008 pdv would never have looked back. But he is not a kick chase big boot fly half. Boks play an archaic game that went out in the dark ages. If HM plays Morne Steyn at 10 he will see his arse big time again.
23 Feb 2013, 00:31 am
S_k
He’s got a phenomenal offload, but it appears wholly coached by the kiwi magician no 10 whose name I forget. not sure hes a natural and he gets one hard shot and its normally tickets .
23 Feb 2013, 00:33 am
@victoriabok-380: exactly.convincing cab and Skop will take some beating.
. I now believe that the sarugbymag guys were right in saying that Jantjies should not have started on Friday night.
23 Feb 2013, 00:33 am
@S_K-381:
It wasn’t just his goal kicking that was poor.
He brought zero to the game today.
Steyn outplayed, out kicked and outclassed him.
If this was a trial game, which in a sense it was, he failed.
I realize our stupid forwards mess the backline up, but he still managed buggerall with the ball he did get.
And I’m not just knocking him, Taute also brought zero, so he also looks like a dud buy
23 Feb 2013, 00:38 am
I really don’t see how grant is Bok material .he is at best a crash ball merchant .no boot on him as well…and a ten needs a good boot on him irrespective whether the team is playing a kicking game or not .
23 Feb 2013, 00:39 am
@cab-384:
Strange game indeed like Tac said, two years ago Etzebeth took the game to Bakkies and no-one expected it
Last year Morne couldn’t hit the posts if he stood next to them and lost us the Stormers game, yet today he couldn’t miss
We expected to be slaughtered by your front row, but our youngsters did the Eben thing to your frontrow
Wynand bullied Jantjies, we expected him to run us ragged
23 Feb 2013, 00:39 am
Jantjies is a kak fly half and will not do Stormers any good we got way better options at 10 from Grant to Pietersen to Duvenhage to Schroeder to Van Aswegen. Wtf these morons were thinking breaking the bank to sign Jantjies when they should have far rather been concerned with retaining Pollard and / or Du Plessis they got sweet f’all rugby brains between their numbskull ears.
Jantjies is a poor purchase and he will never amount to a top rate game winning 10 definitely not at Stormers we don’t need a kicking 10 we need a hard running one who at least gets some tough kicks over . 5/5 missed in one game isn’t poor kicking it’s downright diabolical.
23 Feb 2013, 00:40 am
@nortierd-386:
How many games did it take before Habana settled, a whole season?
23 Feb 2013, 00:42 am
@nortierd-386: What quality of ball did Jantjies get? In the first half the possession was 70% to 30% in the Bulls favor. Also territory was all Bulls. No I don’t care who you are… you will struggle. Also he did not have the luxury of the warm up games.
Judging people on the first game of the season?
Last year Grant was kak. Duvehage was kak etc etc now they the answer again?
23 Feb 2013, 00:43 am
@nortierd-386:
What did you think about Hougies game?
He looked better than last year
Maybe Skop was right about him eventually living up to his potential?
23 Feb 2013, 00:43 am
@nortierd-386: you are prepared to say that after one game ? Give the two chaps a few games more and we can pick up this conversation again. Us supporters are normally a fickle bunch and I fully expect the tune to change when these guys have brilliant games .it’s just the nature of the SA beast.
23 Feb 2013, 00:45 am
VB
Not my front row, I just think stormers currently got pre-eminent pack in SA rugby but beating the bulls in PTA never easy maybe they gone soft again after breaking the voodoo – always capetonians problem too laidback too much boom too much gdam mountain beauty, that’s why they won’t beat the ernstige boere for too long – but there’s a great deal of natural talent
23 Feb 2013, 00:45 am
@victoriabok-392: Box kicking still ****. He needs a big season. Ruan Pienaar not the answer.
23 Feb 2013, 00:46 am
@victoriabok-390:
Jantjies is only there for one season.
You know that the fly half must run the show.
I feel sorry for him, it’s not all his fault.
They should never have started with him after the tragedy of his father passing away and him not being involved in the warm up games.
I suppose his mind was a whirlpool today knowing his dad wasn’t in the stand.
Fact is, he was selected and did play, but played poor.
We have all lost relatives, but still had to go back to the office and do our jobs, so in a manner of speaking, he went back to the office today, but stuffed up his job.
23 Feb 2013, 00:48 am
@skopdiekan-389: pollard and du Plessis are schoolboys or were.what the hell is your problem with Jantjies.i don’t think you have ever seen du Plessis play ,but it fits your agenda to go on an anti-Jantjies tirade.
23 Feb 2013, 00:49 am
Speaking of mountainous beauty, yodelee ooo ooo
Night
23 Feb 2013, 00:49 am
And I don rate Lambie either also overrated fly half but he’s couple notches better than Jantjies presently. Fr Fcksake we fckdup Sharks with Katraklis at 10 and he is also never going to be a world rated 10 either.
23 Feb 2013, 00:50 am
@victoriabok-392:
Was still slow and caught a couple of times.
If I was the Stormers, I would have been in his ear all game about how he caused the shooting etc.
I know it’s dirty, but all’s fair in love and war.
Reckon he would have lost it if they gave him some verbal.
@S_K-393:
SK
I am talking about today, that’s the only point of reference we have on him so far regarding the Stormers.
He was poor, and see my post 396 for possible reasons and that the selectors are also to blame, but it doesn’t change the fact that he failed today’s test
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