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, 09:03 am
Yeah! So good to see SA rugby performing – BUT it has to be on more consistent basis.
I’m so glad to see the Kings performing and supporting their team. Already they have proved they deserve to be in the big league…
10 Mar 2013, 09:04 am
@W.P-286: That’s quite rare.
10 Mar 2013, 09:07 am
Looking for Carol in Cycle Tour …
Can’t find her
10 Mar 2013, 09:07 am
Well played my beloved bulls to beat the blues away is a great result for the team and the fans,well done it is good to be able to hold our heads up this morning,as the amount of negativity that has been written about the bulls on this site is rubbish.So to all you bulls haters out there who love to see the bulls getting beat UP YOURS as you deserve it.GO BULLS.
10 Mar 2013, 09:08 am
Congrats to the Bulls, what a fantastic result, I will say it again anyone writing off the Bulls will do so at their peril.
And like i said long ago, Sharks are not the favourites, Stormers are and deserve to be but Bulls i think will run neck and neck with them.
Now i wonder as Jantjies had to take the fall for when the Stormers lost? will he be given the credit as to the reason why they won?? ( somehow i do not think he will)
As for my team? Pathetic and they have gone backwards, Lambie kicks 100% yes but he is playing for HM, Lambie is now a mini Morne
And so a coach fcuks up another career. From a player that played attacking rugby to A KICKING CLONE.
LAmbie now stays deep in the pocket which proves that point, My other concern is that i wonder if the captaincy is effecting F Steyns own game?
10 Mar 2013, 09:09 am
With the Bulls win it’s SA 3 – 0 NZ this weekend, 2of the games away. This is why I don’t tolerate excuses from Heyneke Meyer, cos we are as good or if not better than these okes dammit
10 Mar 2013, 09:10 am
Jeez its no longer about rugby but about who hates who. No wonder so many good people have left. Where is the sportsmanship of the past… Eish…
10 Mar 2013, 09:13 am
@Sharks_are_gonna_get_you-305: Lambie last saw HM 3 months ago. in the meantime he’s been getting coached by the Plumtree and co.
“Now i wonder as Jantjies had to take the fall for when the Stormers lost? will he be given the credit as to the reason why they won?? ( somehow i do not think he will)”
So if Lambie has a better game next round, and the Sharks start playing like they should, when they’re not involved in a negative game like the one they played yesterday… Please do remember to give HM all the credit too.
10 Mar 2013, 09:14 am
Just finished the game, had pvr’d the game. Proper Champagne rugby!!
10 Mar 2013, 09:14 am
@ the tackler you had better take some sugar to take the taste of sour grapes out of your mouth,HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.The blues got beat and battered,i just love to see a kiwi team getting stuffed.
10 Mar 2013, 09:15 am
@Gumboots-307: Well said.
10 Mar 2013, 09:15 am
@Gumboots-307: Aint no love in the heart of this city. It sure is a pity…. Bobby Bland
10 Mar 2013, 09:16 am
Hell yeah!
The Bulls sure as hell surprised me today. Great stuff boys.
Must say I loved Naas’s comment after the game.
“To the peope from Cape Town who just woke up, no, it’s not a nightmare. The Bulls really did win this morning!”
Classic.
10 Mar 2013, 09:16 am
As Owen stated, Hougaard came on as a wing in this half and what does it say for his future?
10 Mar 2013, 09:17 am
@shooter-308: YOu missing the point toptally, Lambie is playing to keep his Bok Spot, he never ever stood deep, and nor you or I know of what instructions HM gave him to work on.
Lambie was never a kick and chase artist, he sure as hell was not till he got coached by HM
10 Mar 2013, 09:17 am
How did u guys rate Vermaak’s performance?
10 Mar 2013, 09:17 am
RT @mark_keohane: Bulls bully Blues http://t.co/mIE4Ym1uOc via @sharethis Clean sweep for SA teams v NZ. Something to celebrate today!
10 Mar 2013, 09:17 am
The more competetive teams we have the better for SA rugby. To become the best we need to have very strong provincial sides.
10 Mar 2013, 09:17 am
@Tacitus-313:
10 Mar 2013, 09:18 am
Jungle I dig that song!!!!!
10 Mar 2013, 09:19 am
We love the BULLS!
10 Mar 2013, 09:20 am
@Tacitus-313:
Well done Tac. Your team was great. Vermaak was quite outstanding and Botha is a star in the making… A game I thoroughly enjoyed and I always love to see a SA side beat a Kiwi team – away even better…
10 Mar 2013, 09:20 am
I still find it humorous how the Kings are still higher than the Stormers on the log, nice one Transie
10 Mar 2013, 09:20 am
Tac said HELL YEAH!
10 Mar 2013, 09:22 am
Seeing the highlights again and it was quite impressive the deception employed by Janjties for the 1st try and had good touches in moving the Stormers back line forward, WHAT A GREAT WEEKEND for Saffa rugga
10 Mar 2013, 09:23 am
@Sharks_are_gonna_get_you-315: no man… Plum will tell him where to stand and to play the gameplan he wants him to… you can be sure.
Really. Blaming HM at this stage is not realistic. Maybe if it was after the June/ July Bok games and he’s had time with the Boks and all that, you can start thinking about such allegations, but not at this stage.
10 Mar 2013, 09:26 am
Lotsa portly people riding the tour
10 Mar 2013, 09:26 am
@papaown-324: almost perfect… pity the (cape) Crusaders lost
10 Mar 2013, 09:27 am
I can clearly see Matfield’s influence on this team. He is the attack coach, but it’s not so much specific moves or plays that impress me, rather it’s the improved decision making and the decisive way we take the ball wide when it’s on.
A try by each of our wings, and a try out wide for Botha which could just as well have been a second try for Ndungane.
Great stuff.
This team is growing as far as cohesiveness is concerned. They are going to get better.
No, this game does not mean that we are suddenly title contenders. But we sure are looking a whole lot better than before this tour started.
Psychologically this could be a breakthrough game for us. Hell, I actually picked the Blues on Superbru. That’s how unlikely I thought this victory to be.
10 Mar 2013, 09:29 am
@Dawn-326: just sub ‘lotsa’ for ‘plenty’ and ‘riding’ for ‘pedalling’
10 Mar 2013, 09:29 am
Shame on you Tac
10 Mar 2013, 09:30 am
Wow! I thought game should be going just now.
Alright, big congrats to the Bulls fans, no way did I see that coming.
10 Mar 2013, 09:31 am
Watsup shooter
Bellies hanging over handlebars
10 Mar 2013, 09:32 am
with Ndungane injured I think the fact that Hougaard went onto the wing is not as mysterious as people think. I dont think anyone should read too much into that.
if not for that I am pretty sure he would have come in for vermaak at about 60min.
10 Mar 2013, 09:33 am
Ahem, Keo, tell me how on the scoresheet Blues scored once but converted twice (and Ranger of all people). I did not see the game, so it is a bit confusing.
Of course, I can do the math myself.
10 Mar 2013, 09:34 am
and for once an IRB rule is having a positive impact on the Bulls, as this new “use it” shenanigans is forcing them to “use it” and the next thing the wings are getting the ball and scoring tries.
who would have thunk it, but long may it continue.
10 Mar 2013, 09:34 am
Great result for the Bulls. Well done to them. And a great weekend for South African rugby. There were some great tries scored this weekend. By most of the teams, that is.
10 Mar 2013, 09:35 am
@polaris-334:
Difficult to do a victory dance and maths at the same time
10 Mar 2013, 09:35 am
@Tacitus-328:
i had a hunch that we might get a win this morning.
what Matfield does have the forwards doing is playing as an 8. Flip is really starting to put himself about and Arno I would already rate as worldclass. I think our frontrow is going to get really strong with a couple more games and they got screwed with a couple early engage calls this morning.
Wynand Olivier remains the finest superrugby 12 SA has produced in my opinion and JJ is starting to look the part..
10 Mar 2013, 09:36 am
“Bulls bully Blues”……….. i think you meant to say BULLDOZE
or is that reserved to describe the tour? :funnyface:
10 Mar 2013, 09:37 am
and before anyone gets too carried away, that blues team was pretty ordinary this morning. how many unforced errors?
still, the opposition must put you away for making mistakes, and they dont always do that. so the bulls did well in that regard.
but for a great defensive effort and about 2cm Vermaak would have given them a bonus point, which would have been incredible.
10 Mar 2013, 09:38 am
@roobarb2-333:
was thinking the same thing. Owen thinks by default he is a genius because he is on the telly. I think he talks as much pish as naas does.
10 Mar 2013, 09:42 am
@Dawn-332: that’s a good one. all in the name of doing it hey. like in ‘i’ve done the argus’/… i’m not watching that. really, rather giveme a horse
cheers
10 Mar 2013, 09:43 am
@roobarb2-340:
…but a side can only play as well as they are allowed too. None of the Blues previous 2 games have they been attacked in contact. Same as with the chiefs yesterday, witness the Stormers pick and go tactic all afternoon long. a schoolboy rugby tactic for fcksake!!!
made the stormers forwards all look like supermen whereas the stormers pack has been put away themselves these past few weekends.
10 Mar 2013, 09:44 am
@Sharks_are_gonna_get_you-305:
Is it my imagination, or does Lambie even look like Steyn when he boots those huge one. The action, body position everything
10 Mar 2013, 09:44 am
* now only if we can klap the Crusaders, Reds and Brumbies too.
10 Mar 2013, 09:45 am
@@whistle@blower@-344:
even his hairstyle is exactly the same
10 Mar 2013, 09:47 am
maak al die bulle bokke!!
10 Mar 2013, 09:48 am
@nortierd-337: Hehe, it may be true. Unexpected as a korn for the blind hen.
Very big win for them and all Saffa supporters. Easily the most important of the comp sofar.
10 Mar 2013, 09:51 am
Didn’t see the game. Blues must have been rubbish.
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