Bulls try-scorer: Wynand Olivier
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The Bulls held off a late Crusaders fightback to sneak home 32-30 in a thrilling Super Rugby clash at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday.
The hosts led 32-16 with eight minutes left to play and seemed to have the game in the bag, but the never-say-die Crusaders refused to relent and in the end were denied by a knock on as they went in search of the decisive score.
The visitors outscored the Bulls by three tries to two and led by four points (9-13) at half-time.
But their discipline let them down in the second half and punished by Morne Steyn who ended the match with six penalties which ultimately proved to be the difference in the end.
The Crusaders started the match with a roar and a hiss after skipper Kieran Read galloped over to add to Dan Carter's drop-goal, while Steyn kept his team in the hunt with three penalties.
Loosehead prop Dean Greyling eased home fans' fears when he collected a pass from flanker CJ Stander to force his way over in some style for the Bulls early in the second period.
The boot of Steyn then once again came to the fore as he kept the scoreboard ticking and the hosts took a seemingly unassailable 32-16 lead when an error from New Zealand full-back Israel Dagg saw Wynand Olivier touch down.
But converted tries from Zac Guildford and replacement Tom Marshall suddenly made a game of it, and it took brave Bulls defence to hang on to victory at the death.
The scorers:
For Bulls:
Tries: Greyling, Olivier
Cons: Steyn 2
Pens: Steyn 6
For Crusaders:
Tries: Read, Guildford, Marshall
Cons: Carter 3
Pens: Carter, Taylor
Drop: Carter
Bulls: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Pierre Spies (c), 7 Jacques Potgieter, 6 CJ Stander, 5 Juandré Kruger, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Dean Greyling.
Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Frik Kirsten, 18 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 19 Arno Botha, 20 Jano Vermaak, 21 Louis Fouché, 22 JJ Engelbrecht.
Crusaders: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Robbie Fruean, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Zac Guildford, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Kieran Read (c), 7 Matt Todd, 6 George Whitelock, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Wyatt Crockett.
Replacements: 16 Quentin MacDonald, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Tom Donnelly, 19 Luke Whitelock, 20 Willi Heinz, 21 Tom Taylor, 22 Tom Marshall.
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Comments
Ramage says...
@ sandal Charles Manson lol.
Posted 07:43 11th April 2012
rugby_rockstar says...
Bulls putting 32 points on the Crusaders... The Stormers comfortaly overpowering the Highlanders in Dunedin... There's a definate fear factor developing over the England Tour to SA. I'll be yelling for the guys, but the signs are ominous. It's a massive challenge and The mighty Boks are nailed on favourites.
Posted 14:59 10th April 2012
safehands says...
@letsgoboks.......dominating again....LOL?? Dominating what exactly?
Keep counting those chickens mate....
Posted 10:14 10th April 2012
sandal says...
@ leebok
You say: ""It was nice to see a linesman catch the kiwi's [sic] at their dirty tricks game. Carter blocking Basson. Should have been carded.""
Buy yourself a rulebook, leebok. In essence, Carter was under no obligation to get out of the way of any defender. He would have committed the offence of obstruction only if he had changed his line to interfere with a defender. He did no such thing. (OK, so I did go back and read earlier postings.)
@everyone else
Should leebok buy a rulebook for the linesman? No, of course not, for surely the linesman knows the rules of the game.
The question arises, therefore: why did the linesman suggest Carter had committed obstruction? Was it because the linesman was wanting the tackle to be made, and frustrated that it could not be? It is the only explanation I can think of, because the alternative (that the official doesn't know the rules) is unthinkable.
It is at moments such as this that a match official reveals himself. Either he is able to suppress his allegiance and remain impartial in the heat of the moment, or he is not. I suggest that this official erred because of his allegiance.
Posted 05:04 10th April 2012
sandal says...
Forgive me, all, if I cover old ground. But having read the last page of posts I cannot bring myself to read all those preceding it. The very thought is depressing.
What I want to know is this: why did Peyper back his assistant ref when the latter suggested (erroneously) that Carter had obstructed a would-be tackler. Surely, if Peyper was looking at the ball carrier then Carter was not only in his field of vision, but in focus. Therefore he did not have to accept the assistant's intervention. He could have said to the man: "I saw the incident. There was no offence."
Oh how I wish referees would do this! Think, everyone, of the number of times a referee might have said so to good effect. I am so tired of idiotic interventions from assistant refs, and referees not facing them down.
Of course, if Peyper couldn't see for himself that Carter hadn't interfered with a would-be tackler, then why not? Just where the hell else could he have been looking?
@Ramage
Whatever you write, with your long, unbroken submissions you come across as something between Charles Manson and a near-autistic. I am sure you have little in common with either. So here is a special plea, mate. Could you please join the rest of us in breaking your contributions into paragraphs? They will be far more readable.
Posted 04:46 10th April 2012
Ramage says...
philipjfry can I thank you for your post. Yes knowing Im not a xenophobe makes me upset to be called one. I believe you misunderstood from where I was coming from and what I said is not directed at all Saffas but those who believe our players and referees are cheats etc. Please feel free to contradict me and argue against anything I write as I am not the b all knowledgeable person on rugby it is a game I love and which I have given much to as a player coach referee and administrator. I enjoy a good argument and am the able to take on board a different point of view. So please don't feel you need to stop disagreeing with me or pointing out my faults but a xenophobe I am not. I enjoy your posts and I would have liked to sit with you over a beer to explain where I am coming from and you enlightening me as to why you felt the way you do. Once again thanks for your hand of reconciliation. Ka kie ano.
Posted 15:46 09th April 2012
Dylbull says...
Firstly, well done to the bulls and crusaders for a cracking game of rugby...
secondly, I'm all for a good debate about the game, the ref and even some banter between opposing fans.... but the beauty of this sport is how players beat the sh*t out of each other on the field and then leave it on the field and have a few pints together after the game, the ethos of rugby is what I love the most. Fans being able to sit together in stands etc. Lets not ruin this with our petulant comments and insults here.
Lastly, from one bok fan to another, @leebok... grow up!
Posted 10:39 09th April 2012
letsgoboks says...
Good win again for the bulls! For a developing team to hold out like that show real character
SA rugby is looking good - with Meyer involved I think we're gonna start dominating again!
Nice
Posted 09:33 09th April 2012
philipjfry says...
@Ramage: We find each other again. We have both made points the other may or may not agree with, but a theme has developed in your posts that has lead me to believe that your probably an OK guy and that me calling you a xenophobe left you feeling uncomfortable; I won't do it again, or attack you in future.
Posted 08:44 09th April 2012
meneer says...
Score flatters Crusaders, new brand of rugby in the making by the South African teams - like we perfected kick & chase. Starting to play with more ball in hand and a defensive structure aimed at the mid field attack. Nothing new from the Kiwi/Aussie teams in their league type play. Crusaders set pieces under pressure. Bulls well done to this young developing team, next time finish the game in style as we may rue the point given to the Saders at the other end of the season.
Posted 22:07 08th April 2012
FISH says...
The editor says.... @EVERYONE: Okay, Leebok made a stupid comment or two...let's move on and talk about rugby, shall we?
Posted 17:14 08th April 2012
7ton says...
leebok
Your comments about how the ref put you out really sums up your bias and that is just one example out of hundreds
Posted 11:21 08th April 2012
kahui says...
Leebok - all i can say is NZ are the current world champssssssssssssssssssss!!!!! haha its funny how someone like urself who comes from a renowned corrupt country accuses little old NZ of that crap!! haha
Posted 10:43 08th April 2012
Ramage says...
I ask all people to read the comments some people are making on the refereeing of this game. I have written many things about the diatribe hurled at Glen Jackson the referee and Richard Kelly the TMO in the Sharks Hurricanes game so wont go over those. I am sick and tried of people calling referees cheats and that games are fixed. Lagoat I believe got his call wrong and is wrong in law. Interesting that Peyper did not have any problem with it until Lagoat intervened. This is where I could go off on a tangent and talk about cheats and trying to give home teams advantage. I will only say I believe Lagoat got the call wrong. I am amazed at what I heard Peyper say to Read I did not see it . If he didnt see what was happening when he was running with the players it is not very encouraging. I believe too many referees don't back their own judgement and rely too heavily on assistant referees who often are much junior or in this case a failed Super Rugby referee. However watch this time as all the NZers who feel agrieved at Peyper's refereeing start to moan and before you take them on re read the letters about the Hurricanes games and some that have already appeared in this article. My hope is that the comments are not about cheating and over the top accusations about the nationality of the referee and assistants but more in terms of law and why they think the officials were wrong, if in fact they are. It goes to show that the comments on here are flavoured by the nationality of the writer apart from those who see the name NZ and write cheats, cheats, cheats. Such bias, that they complain so much about, is evident and their hatred of all things NZ are written for all to read. A note it is Sanza not the IRB who has overall control of this competition and to say the IRB will interfere in refereeing decisions is ludicrous. However I don't suffer from those conspiracy theories.
Posted 08:55 08th April 2012
Ramage says...
@leebok this is the crap you and some others write on here that give saffas a bad name. Before you start your conspiracy theories just take a look at what you are saying and come back and spell it out in very simple words. Referees are cheats take backhanders influence the games and are so weak that they can not stand up to the the former head of referees Paddy O'Brien. In this you include Craig Joubert and Jonathan Kaplan who have refereed games NZ have won. Seems NZ cant win games without referees bending over to favour them. If this is so say it, all referees are cheats or shut the hell up. We are sick of these accusations from you and pray tell me what advantage do these referees get from doing this?. Sorry but it is all in your twisted mind. If you think NZers are poor sports because they boo, listen to your own crowds and I'm sorry to say to you it is not NZers who run onto the field and assault the referee when they dont like the decision or attack players by throwing bottles at them. As far as the sacked referee La Goat who is now only entitled to be an assistant he like you is totally ignorant of the law. A player who passes the ball is allowed to continue running the line he is running after he has passed the ball. He does not have to get out of the defending players way so long as he does not deviate off the line he is running. But of course to you this is dirty trick what a mug you are La Goat was wrong and made a mistake of course if that was a NZ referee who made the same ruling that assistant would be a cheat and trying to stop the SA team winning because in your mind all NZers are cheats. Plainly speaking Leebok your racism shows I have more respect for the genuine Sa fans who can write posts on here without the bile, anger and racism you show to NZ and its referees. Yyou are a disgrace. Thank God for the sane saffas on here.
Posted 08:29 08th April 2012
isthatrightref says...
Oops, got my saffa refs mixed up... still, it was a shockingly bad call.
Posted 08:28 08th April 2012
carpelone says...
The Bulls are putting thing together, the Stormers are very solid, the Sharks are their usual selves, the Cheetas play some entertaining rugby and will be a handful for many, if only the Lions could regain their Currie Cup form.
It lloks promising for the Boks.
Posted 08:08 08th April 2012
hybrid187 says...
Boks to win leebok ? Thats what you guys were saying all last year too huh? Unfortunately you were on the wrong end of a good ol' pork stuffing at the WC. Even if you were good enough to beat Aus you really think you woulda beat NZ in the semi? Yes SA beat NZ at home in the WC.. 17 years ago.
Had to poison us to do it, too. This is pure fact.
And Carter was not obstructing in that play towards the end there.. Reid was 100% correct, Carter was behind play.
Just outta curiosity (and im being serious now), what do Bulls supporters make of it when youre on the verge of scoring a 7 pointer and the ball gets passed back to Morne and he goes for a drop goal instead ? Does that excite you ? It was really getting boring towards the end there. Its really not the kinda rugby you want your kids watching and growing up on is it ? Or is it ? Curious why this gets so many cheers in SA.
Posted 07:23 08th April 2012
safehands says...
@leebok........this one is just for you
Super 15 Champs 2012 - Stormers (theirs to lose)
Championship Winners 2012 - Boks (forgone conclusion)
Best team ever in the history of the game - Boks (obviously)
Should have won every tournament they play in award but were cheated out of it award goes to - Boks (the whole world knows this but we just deny it)
I hope this makes you happy now that at last an All Black fan has finally admitted what the whole wide world of leebok has known for years......all SA teams are simply awesome and have never been beaten in any match but were rather cheated by referees, their assistants, administrators, opposing fans, the guy down the road from me who works in the chip shop, the dog across the road, the...you get the picture......
PS: I do believe that the Stormers are going to win the S15 though....awesome team....wish my beloved Saders could compete but this year....no chance!!
Posted 05:16 08th April 2012
safehands says...
@leebok........hahaha........you are obviously only about 12-14 years old as your comments are not only pathetically child like, but completely useless in terms of discussing this thread. Please be careful when you get out of your cot dude as you may tread on any number of those teddy bears you have been throwing out of it ;)
As for the game, either side could have won it, but well done to the Bulls, they took the opportunities afforded to them better.
Posted 04:59 08th April 2012