Bulls bully Blues
10 Mar 2013
The Bulls physically battered the Blues into submission to win for the first time in Super Rugby history at Auckland’s Eden Park.
The Bulls won 28-21 against a home team that physically took a beating.
Blues coach Sir John Kirwan made six changes to his starting XV and the powerful Bulls approach never allowed the newcomers to settle.
Kirwan at halftime bemoaned his side’s lack of passion, pride and commitment, but the Bulls were physically too strong for the Blues youngsters, who got their first taste of Pretoria’s finest.
The Bulls, as the Cheetahs did against the Highlanders, showed greater control, composure and appreciation for field position in giving the hosts a Super Rugby lesson. The South Africans were also physically imposing and did brilliantly to last the 80 minutes, given they only arrived in Auckland from Pretoria on Wednesday.
The Blues, under pressure throughout, fought back from 15-6 to momentarily lead 16-15 on 53 minutes. But the Bulls scored through flanker Arno Botha from the resulting kick-off to restore order and Morne Steyn ensured the victory with a penalty from the last kick of the game.
The Bulls scored three tries and could have had a few more. They played with enterprise and always looked dangerous on attack. The midfield of Wynand Olivier and JJ Englebrecht was strong but it was the strength in the contact that was decisive.
Rene Ranger played well for the Blues, as did captain Ali Williams and fullback Charles Piutau, but the rest were a shambles.
Williams described the effort as ‘piss poor’ and said the team would have lost respect with the performance after working so hard in the season’s first two games to win back respect.
The win is the first for every Bulls player, be it at Super Rugby or for the Boks, at Eden Park.
It completed a South African 3-0 clean sweep weekend against New Zealand teams, which like a Bulls win in Auckland doesn’t happen often. Enjoy it because it was fully deserved.
By Mark Keohane
852 Comments
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10 Mar 2013, 13:50 pm
118.NZINCHINA: Reply to this comment
2 Mar 2013, 10:24 am
The Bulls are next on the chopping block next weekend.
10 Mar 2013, 13:50 pm
Its not about one player it is about the sum of the parts fitting into the whole and if one part detracts from the combined effect of the whole under any particular circumstance then that one part is largely responsible for the inadequate performance of the whole.. this is simple sound understanding of how rugby works.. that is why you hate say someone like Watson as much as you do because that is ONE player you despise above all else.. or you would blame the inclusion of Skinstad over Teichman as the reason why Boks lost to Australia in WC semi 1999.. or the heralding of Francois Pienaar over Tiaan Strauss as Bok captain being the catalyst that Kitch Christie saw in molding his 1995 WC team…
So of COURSE ONE player makes a difference either positively or negatively to ANY combined synthesis of any team as a whole.. or where else you learn to read rugby..?? in your soccer playing bastion of non compos mentis colonic degeneracy?
Just like John Smit inclusion over Bismark Du Plessis cost Boks WC 2011 along with FdP and Spies over Hougaard and Alberts.. so too does one or two or three players in any team work scenario make a huge difference depending who you select and who you don’t … OBVIOUSLY.. dumb guppy yuppie snot nose schmuck.
10 Mar 2013, 13:51 pm
127.NZINCHINA: Reply to this comment
2 Mar 2013, 10:29 am
The NZ sides are going to run all over the SAFFA teams this season, fitter faster more skilled.
10 Mar 2013, 13:51 pm
The Kings are there to win, just like every other team. A spade is a spade.
Tell you what though, if they play like that against the Stormers they will win.
10 Mar 2013, 13:51 pm
172.NZINCHINA: Reply to this comment
2 Mar 2013, 12:10 pm
Bokkefan your excuse list was nearly as long as a roll of dunny paper, where’s your pride man.
10 Mar 2013, 13:52 pm
So now are we going to have 1000s of hate filled posts crucifying Reinach just like Elton? Remind me, how did Elton play on Saturday?
One poor game does not end a player’s career.
10 Mar 2013, 13:56 pm
The question should RATHER be asked of these piping hot devastating top of the saffa log rampant boom shakalaka magnificent mercenary specimens of banana slipping and sliding running rugby..
are you SATISFIED with squeaking home over the new boy no hopers by 7 gimme lucky packet kicks to 4 ?? Come on now don’t be shy spit it out again how you were going to teach Cheeky’s useless nobodies what rampant 100 point hidings at home supposed to look like.
10 Mar 2013, 13:57 pm
little Grantie chiming in:
66.grant10: Reply to this comment
1 Mar 2013, 09:01 am
Bulls better gird the loins for the Auckland trip….
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69.NZINCHINA: Reply to this comment
1 Mar 2013, 09:02 am
@grant10-66:
Yip a hiding looms
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10 Mar 2013, 13:59 pm
nc nc nc nc stinkbek prawn and harlot Xhosa a lot of trouble are way off the mark
Woman don’t you have a snoek to cook.
10 Mar 2013, 13:59 pm
@ShaunB-456:
The guy has promise but made plenty of mistakes against the Kings, and I have yet to see any attacking threat despite the speed he supposedly possesses.
As the season progresses we’ll get a better idea of a players ability – depending on who performs consistently and what they show they’re capable of etc. Reinach hasn’t shown himself to be the next Springbok scrumhalf yet, not by a long mile.
Personally this weekends games just made me more concerned about our scrumhalf stock because I’m no fan of Nic Groom (need to see him take control of a game), Piet van Zyl sat on the bench and after Pretorius performance looks like he’ll continue there, and Reinach had a shocker.
10 Mar 2013, 13:59 pm
this is lekker
226.NZINCHINA: Reply to this comment
1 Mar 2013, 10:09 am
@the curse-222:
The Blues will run all over the Bulls next week, 50 wouldn’t surprise me.
10 Mar 2013, 13:59 pm
225.Taahirah: Reply to this comment
1 Mar 2013, 10:09 am
@NZINCHINA-214: We normally do well in our first game on tour.
Dont write us off completely.
10 Mar 2013, 14:00 pm
229.NZINCHINA: Reply to this comment
1 Mar 2013, 10:10 am
@Taahirah-225:
Okay 40
10 Mar 2013, 14:00 pm
241.NZINCHINA: Reply to this comment
1 Mar 2013, 10:13 am
@the curse-232:
Can’t see the Bulls living with the pace.
10 Mar 2013, 14:01 pm
changed your f’ng tune from a couple weeks ago ain’t you just..??
you and all your sharkshit cheeky Kings haters..
I think I’m gonna enlist Transie here to do a little spot check analysis of all those 100 point hidings you rampant useless mercenary humping EP player rip off artists were lavishly projecting by how much you were going to DRILL and THUMP and ANNIHILATE and DESTROY and BOOM SHAKALAKA DYNAMITE the poor Vodacom cup level nobody team from the EP franchise where you get around 50% of your player resource from.
10 Mar 2013, 14:02 pm
After yesterday’s display by Lambie I can see why Plumtree preferred the Frenchman last year. Lambie rated the worst of all the Saffa flyhalves this weekend.
10 Mar 2013, 14:04 pm
The real question is whether you Stormers chaps (who have found so much glee in a 9 point Sharks win – thanks!) are happy with YOUR teams’ 1 from 3 start?
We’re quite happy with our 3 from 3 (including just another win over the Stormers – 8 from 11 now!)
10 Mar 2013, 14:05 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-451: @i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-453: @i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-458:
Bakkies did you watch the match? Your Bullies are top of SA log whata surprise
10 Mar 2013, 14:05 pm
@skopdiekan-465:
I would suggest asking Bakkies.
He is currently on a man mission of krapping ou koeie uit die sloot and copying and pasting.
Sure he will oblige and dig in some archives for you
10 Mar 2013, 14:10 pm
@ShaunB-449: who said anything about being happy with the loss? i congratulated the sharks on their win & lamented my side’s inability to assert themselves.
now bigmouth bilebags who were predicting 50pt pastings from us the “bonus point merchants” must take it piping hot!
toughluck if you were one of them
we took on the might of the guppys & kept them tryless!
10 Mar 2013, 14:12 pm
@ShaunB-467:
Shaun, according to all and sundry we are useless and a bunch of amateurs.
So I guess one in three is a fair reflection.
Even according to the poll on Keo we have no hope.
What I did enjoy yesterday was the Stormers beating the champions.
That was nice and I enjoyed the match.
At least our country’s title contender is still on track with 3 from 3 of which 2 was away.
Very good start, and as the Stormers showed in their pathetic previous couple of years, you don’t need to be able to score tries to win matches.
Sharks have taken that blueprint to a whole new high it seems
10 Mar 2013, 14:12 pm
Haven’t seen the Bulls Blues game yet sounds like Kirwin made one massive fckup with selections.. even these highly rated can do no wrong rugby astute demigods like John Kirwin are prone to absolute blind spot idiotic knee jerk backward thinking reactions..
10 Mar 2013, 14:12 pm
@Transformation-444:
Do you ever think the turncoat guppy will ever become a brokeback? I certainly hope not. I’d rather stick needles in my eyes than have him supporting my team.
10 Mar 2013, 14:14 pm
@nortierd-471:
Right now, it looks like the Sharks couldn’t buy a try if they wanted. What comes around, goes around.
10 Mar 2013, 14:15 pm
Fern started off :’get ready for the try fest……then ….’ we will get it in the second half’…,then…he totally disappeared never to be heard off again.
. Come back fernly ,you still won the game! 
10 Mar 2013, 14:15 pm
@nortierd-471: don’t get too far ahead of yourself Naughty. Your team only scored 3 tries yesterday – insufficient to get the 4 try bonus point…
Your teams win was therefore just as valuable in terms of points haul as my teams win 
10 Mar 2013, 14:16 pm
@I am a stormer-474: see #467 – how many 4 try bonus points have the Stormers got this year?………….
……………..
I’m still waiting……….
10 Mar 2013, 14:17 pm
@I am a stormer-474:
Nope, now it’s the new improved blueprint of champions.
Subdue your opponents and take the points when on offer.
Unless you are a brokeback or a moffie, then it is boring rugby by a bunch of losers.
The hypocrisy is too good to be true
10 Mar 2013, 14:19 pm
You have to go all the way back to 18 June 2011 for the last time the Stormers gained a 4 try bonus point
10 Mar 2013, 14:19 pm
@ShaunB-476:
Yes Shaun, but we have established we are no good.
But even 3 tries against the Chiefs was 3 more than the Sharks managed in their last game against the Chiefs.
Remember, since the final you are on 4 games without a bonus point and counting.
Who knows what the future holds
10 Mar 2013, 14:20 pm
@ShaunB-477:
And I’m still waiting…………………………
…………till…
the Sharks…………..
….score another…. try. How long shall I wait?
hahahaha
10 Mar 2013, 14:20 pm
Rugby lion is a bull as well I see.he is like rugby’s own little prostitute fan ,jumping into every available bed !
10 Mar 2013, 14:21 pm
@S_K-482:
I wish the Lions were still playing.
At least picking them to lose was a sure Superbru pick.
10 Mar 2013, 14:22 pm
@nortierd-480: they have to drop Lambie as ten and the tries will flow again .
10 Mar 2013, 14:22 pm
@RL-468:
abso(farking)lutely i did, RedGuppy
twas beautiful like a Greek godess smiling down from mount Olympus
China’s big Polly boys huffed and puffed
but they couldn’t blow the Bulls house down
this was old skool Bulls rugby at its best
i could swear i saw ‘the ghost of Bakkies past’ somewhere around the Blues left hand touchline at one point… just standing there…. with big eyes… blowing kisses…
10 Mar 2013, 14:22 pm
@nortierd-483: that’s why I don’t play superbru this year.
10 Mar 2013, 14:23 pm
@ShaunB-479:
Ane we racked up 2 Conference titles in the process.
It looks like the Sharks are following the Stormers blueprint.
10 Mar 2013, 14:23 pm
@ShaunB-479: 2011 wow.
10 Mar 2013, 14:23 pm
The number of High Balls dropped by the Blues’ backs astonished me, haven’t seen such an incompetence from NZ teams since Sion Luauki dropped 8 passes in one test back in 2009.
Goes without saying the kicks were well aimed by M. Styen and had been WELL PLANNED IN ADVANCE!
It means among other things that the Bulls staff had planned into a well known weakness of the PIs, call that exploits whatever you like but we all know it’s based on racial profiling!
Cooper and Carter used that approach to a devastating effect against SA teams in 2010-2011, not sure why they abandoned it, Jantjies yesterday was ineffective with his high ball as he always has been!
Well done Morne, the sight of the rugby balls’ tip bounced off from the forehead of a PIs was priceless
10 Mar 2013, 14:23 pm
@Transformation-470:
Howzit? Apologies for not replying izolo, technology iyaphoxa namanye amaxesha. Unfortunately I couldn’t make it to the game, but I did catch it on tv…
10 Mar 2013, 14:24 pm
@nortierd-483:
Keep playing the ‘bru. I see one guy climbed 118 places in our pool of 130 this weekend.
10 Mar 2013, 14:26 pm
@I am a stormer-487:
Don’t mention conference title
It’s like a swear word, but at least it will be going to the rightful heirs this year.
I just hope they know they MUST make it count, otherwise we might have a couple of comments to make
10 Mar 2013, 14:27 pm
@I am a stormer-487: Plumtree said that he is looking for that conference title ,but I surely didn’t expect him to follow the Stormers blueprint right to the T. Good to know that we are still leaders and others like the sharks ,followers.
10 Mar 2013, 14:27 pm
@I am a stormer-491:
Lol
I already made my picks for next week
Got to hit some luck somewhere, every week I say it’s moving week, and every week I move down
10 Mar 2013, 14:28 pm
@S_K-493:
10 Mar 2013, 14:29 pm
who knew all Wynand needed was a new hairstyle
talk about Samson reborn
10 Mar 2013, 14:30 pm
On another note
Good score by the Proteas
Surely 300 should be enough
I hope so
10 Mar 2013, 14:30 pm
@nortierd-480: Their last TWO games
Sharks are now sitting with the distinction of winning their last 160 minutes of DEVASTATING BOOM SHAKALAKA banana slipping and sliding prominence of RUNNING rugby with 11 kicks to 6
Yeah they really are the bees knees of all the famous open play running franchise in all of SA rugby land… they are BOUND to be the most perfect ideal of slick balanced running rugby proficiency that will most DEFINITELY win the super rugby championship this year.. NO doubts about it whatsoever.
10 Mar 2013, 14:31 pm
Plumtree admitted that ending first is important to sharks chances of winning the title this year. Maybe plum got a bit more between the ears than the average sharks supporter like Hg,Sl and others.
10 Mar 2013, 14:31 pm
@nortierd-494:
The big ones are Sharks v Brumbies and Saders v Bulls. I still have to get my head around those two matches.
And we sit back and pick up a glorious 4 points.
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