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, 09:52 am
Just kidding. Well played, Bulls.
10 Mar 2013, 09:53 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl-343: I thought the Stormers did well in the scrums too (apart from the pick and drive). You can’t afford to play a lose game against the Chiefs – they’ll make you pay with their lightning quick backs
10 Mar 2013, 09:54 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl-343:
you sound like a real negative d@@s brigadier
10 Mar 2013, 09:54 am
extra extra keo gets it all wrong again well done beno keep up the good work.
10 Mar 2013, 09:56 am
@grant10-347: Hi Grant, have you changed your views about the Stormers ?
10 Mar 2013, 09:57 am
@@whistle@blower@-344: Lol not sure about that, but hell Lambie i reckon is bein over coached, between HM and Spencer etc. The kids had natural flair for running rugby, he took the ball near the advantage line, now thats all changed??
10 Mar 2013, 09:58 am
@shooter-346:
Ha ha
Maybe in the next book all the smss between Meyer, Koen and Lambie will surface
10 Mar 2013, 10:00 am
@katman-350:
Katman! Where u been??
This place is dull without you around. Was afraid we’d only see you again once the Lions are back in Superrugby.
10 Mar 2013, 10:00 am
@CharlesM-354: Far happier Charles….they spread it around and had a go…..That is what I want to see, I will be back at Newlands again…..seems my boycott will be a short one.
10 Mar 2013, 10:01 am
Well done Bulls !! awesome result
10 Mar 2013, 10:01 am
@Sharks_are_gonna_get_you-355:
I’m afraid. We all liked his natural flair and cool head.
Its like playing golf for the first time. All goes well. Until everyone starts telling you how to hold your head, hips, club, swing ……. too confusing
10 Mar 2013, 10:02 am
Have not been on in ages, rl been hectic so…………………….WELL BLOODY DONE TO THE JOLLY CREW OF BLOOM PIRATES!!! good to see the energizer bunny back on the park, welcome back Heinrich Brussouw!!! so sweet Cheetahs, well played Bulls and Stormers, Bulls looked very impressive but lord almighty that nanai williams and Ranger are going to give us problems!!!
10 Mar 2013, 10:07 am
@Dawn-320: Hey Dawn if you love sad songs try “my father” Nina Simone.
10 Mar 2013, 10:10 am
@shooter-308: Well said Shooter some think HM is sitting somewhere with his cat, ruling and ruining the SA rugby landscape. If Plum allows HM to ruin his career like that I’ll be flabbergasted.
10 Mar 2013, 10:11 am
@grant10-359: To be honest Grant, IMO we’ve been too hard on the guys. At Loftus they surely had the altitude in the back of their minds and in Durban we forgot about the effect of the humidity. Some Sharks’ supporters pointed to that as well.
Nevertheless I am so glad that we’ve got the first win under the belt ! There was definite some intent to spread the ball.
10 Mar 2013, 10:11 am
Fantastic! 3-0 SA v NZ this weekend. Wow, did I get my SuperBru picks wrong:) http://t.co/CsxazebG4a
10 Mar 2013, 10:13 am
rene ranger is one scary guy once he gets the jet-shoes ignited.
it must suck to have to be in the last line of defence against him. you are almost certainly on a hiding to nothing.
however, Ludeke should hold a tackling party this week and tell Zane to invite his arms.
10 Mar 2013, 10:15 am
@CharlesM-365: BTW I wanted to mention this as well: I’ve been very critical about De Kock Steenkamp in the past. He still isn’t my favourite player but he made some valuable steels at lineout time. It was clear that the Chiefs didn’t want to go to the middle of the lineout because of Bekker’s presence and Steenkamp was alert to that. During the second half the Chiefs tried to speed it up at lineout time. There were one or 2 balls thrown to the front, right in front of us, that were so “not straight” – the crowd could see it but the assistant referee, Stuart Berry, couldn’t !
10 Mar 2013, 10:17 am
Ag nee man jungle
I don’t live on sad songs but I like that one
10 Mar 2013, 10:18 am
@roobarb2-366:
Zane Kirchner was merely a speedbump when Ranger was going in at the corner.
10 Mar 2013, 10:18 am
@CharlesM-365: My concern Charles was not so much the 2 losses, it was the fact that we continued to employ those damn conservative sfety first defend at all costs rugby from last year….
I am convinced all the criticism directed at the Stormers game plan has been taken to heart….even if we had lost yesterday I would stiill have been happier than a 12 10 win with 4 penalties….
The intent to embrace a more positive game plan was what I wanted to see….and thankfully we got that yesterday. Long may it last.
10 Mar 2013, 10:19 am
@roobarb2-341: Plus the fact that Kirwin gutted his winning team. I am happy though. First win for Bulls in Aukland. History.
10 Mar 2013, 10:19 am
The bulls gifted those Danville specials four points this morning.Bad day at the office for Kirwan.
10 Mar 2013, 10:19 am
Was Keo not the one who had said the Bulls would be bullied by the Blues? huh?
10 Mar 2013, 10:20 am
@Dawn-368: Love sad songs somehow they make me happy?
10 Mar 2013, 10:20 am
@S_K-372: the blues gifted
10 Mar 2013, 10:22 am
Not a great result for the Stormers in their quest to top the conference table.blues will surely not play as bad against them? Hopefully the crusaders can do the job next week.
10 Mar 2013, 10:23 am
@katman-350:
not as rubbish as the Lions would have been
10 Mar 2013, 10:23 am
@roobarb2-366: yepp Ranger one class player, still feel ill when I think about how Nani Wiliams and Cruden farked us up last week thank god for some well earned and hard fought redemption yesterday. Johan Sadie need to be at the same party as Zane, lol at least Zane has some determination to try and make the stop whereas Sadie is a revolving door on defense, now if we can just keep Mother Goose, Coenie and Heinrich injury free please oh please rugby gods mercy for a team who need it, the Kings could well be looming over our shoulder despite what was said on here thought those kids from P.E. would be up for it!!!
10 Mar 2013, 10:25 am
@Tacitus-358: Self-imposed exile. New year, new job, new katman.
10 Mar 2013, 10:26 am
Nice my bullies.
TBH I thought a 4 zip was on the cards for this tour. Now I feel that one more away win is on the cards.
10 Mar 2013, 10:28 am
@S_K-376: There you go with your topping the conference table again. When you going to learn it means nothing in the bigger scheme of things.
10 Mar 2013, 10:28 am
@CharlesM-352:
well that is exactly my point…..the blues and to a lesser extent the chiefs look as if they have a mediocre pack. I have a feeling that the chiefs props played above themselves last season, coupled with sonny-bill being freekish…won them the comp.
10 Mar 2013, 10:29 am
@katman-379:
new team?
support the bulls I say to you.
they will win it this year.
10 Mar 2013, 10:29 am
@katman-379:
Congrats on the new job.
10 Mar 2013, 10:48 am
the losses by the blues and chiefs has thrown the nz conference wide open.
canes to sneak in?
10 Mar 2013, 10:54 am
just read the points thing on the keo fantasy…
The selected players in your team score points as follows:
Appearance For playing in a full match 4 pts
For playing in a part of a match 2pts
Result Points For a Win 4pts
For an Away Win 8pts
For a Draw 2pts
For an Away Draw 4pts
Tries Try scored by Tight Five 16pts
Try scored by Loose Forward 14pts
Try scored by Back 12pts
Assists For a player directly responsible for setting up a try – usually the player who passes or kicks to the try-scorer 6pts
Kicks Conversion (kicker only) 2pts
Penalty (kicker only) 3pts
Drop Goal (any player) 6pts
Cards Yellow card -6pts
Red card (includes any yellow card points) -10pts
Bonus Points For every bonus point awarded to the team your player is in 2pts
10 Mar 2013, 10:56 am
compare this to the stats/points available on fox’s fantasy rugga:
Action Points
Playing 1 – 60 minutes 1
Props that play more than 60 minutes 4
Hookers, locks and backrowers that play more than 61 minutes 3
All other positions playing more than 61 minutes 2
For each try scored by a prop or hooker 15
For each try scored by a lock or backrower 12
For each try scored by a scrum-half, fly-half, centre or outside back 10
For each try assist 5
For each try save 5
For each conversion 2
For each conversion miss -1
For each penalty goal 3
For each penalty miss -1
For each drop goal 3
For each drop goal miss -1
Yellow card -5
Red card -15
For each run 1
For each tackle bust 2
For each offload 1
For each linebreak 5
For each linebreak creates 3
For each error -3
For each tackle made by a prop or hooker 2
For each tackle made by all other positions 1
For each tackle miss -2
For each lineout take on own throw 1
For each lineout steal on opposition throw 4
For each lineout error, includes not straight, throw error or jump error -3
For each tight head won, awarded to entire front row 7
For each tight head lost, awarded to entire front row -3
For each pilfer 4
For each turn over forced 3
For each penalty – long arm -4
10 Mar 2013, 10:59 am
i mean how can the keo fantasy not give points for something a basic as a tackle made?
this way bloggers here can hide behind saying ignorant things like Potgieter is a must in the starting team for Bulls (dont mean to pick on him)
the fantasy game is supposed to expose ignorance dammit
AGGHHHH
10 Mar 2013, 11:00 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl-382: According to the match programme, Afeaki weighs in at 127 kgs and the replacement prop 137 kgs! Yet even Pat Cilliers had a solid performance against the latter in the scrums.
On a different topic: I was a bit disappointed in Liam Messam’s “attitude” – he was involved in a couple of off the ball incidents which was noticeable from the stands. I guess he was a bit frustrated at times
10 Mar 2013, 11:03 am
@CharlesM-389: thats disappointing, i really rate the guy
10 Mar 2013, 11:11 am
@papaown-390: I rate him too and watched him for a while (yesterday). You don’t always see it on TV though
10 Mar 2013, 11:15 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl-339: so glad this view is JUST in your your opinion “Wynand Olivier remains the finest superrugby 12 SA has produced in my opinion”
10 Mar 2013, 11:17 am
@grant10-348: serioulsy Grant, now u taking the piss
10 Mar 2013, 11:17 am
@CharlesM-389:
I think it has been proven enough times already that the weight of your prop is not directly proportianate to their quality.
the Bulls generally have the “lighter” of the packs these days and yet everyone still goes on about big Bulls forwards…go figure.
The Chiefs also cannot deny the loss of sonny bill. In fact there is no doubt in my mind that had he still been with the chiefs yesterday they in all likelyhood would have won.
withregards to messam…nothing new here. The kiwis are proffessional cheats. commentators speculate on phrases such as “pushing the parcel” but in my opinion, If a player knows the rules and tries to get away with something…it is cheating.
10 Mar 2013, 11:19 am
To me it seems the Sharks are not getting going in the backs for two reasons. This is only my opinion of course. Firstly Lambie just isn’t as adept at getting the backline going as Michalak was. Lastly FS is always hogging the ball and the wings aren’t as involved as when Whitehead, JPP and Jordaan were operating last year. FS wants to bulldoze his way through defenders and with defences as tight as they are today its not effective. Don’t know what the resident Sharkies think.
10 Mar 2013, 11:19 am
@katman-350: Blues were NOT rubbish, they were just outplayed and outhought!
Granted Kirwan making 10 substitutions did not help, but one must remember coach Frans also made alot of changes on his side as well, the master stroke for me was bringing on Vermaak in place of Hougie
10 Mar 2013, 11:20 am
@CharlesM-352: loose or lose? hmmmm “You can’t afford to play a lose game against the Chiefs
10 Mar 2013, 11:21 am
@papaown-392:
well name a SA superrugby 12 that has been better than him in superrugby.
I acknowlege that he never made the mark at international level but in superrugby he is legend.
10 Mar 2013, 11:27 am
@W.P-395: spot on, despite the lack of flash and star prowess i prefer Whitehead at 12, i prefer a distributing 12 who runs into gaps and not into the man.
this shi te of FS bashing it up is soo not convincing of the “world class” centre that he is.
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