Bulls: Stopped in their tracks
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The Highlanders managed to cling on for a tense 16-11 Super Rugby win over the tournament-leading Bulls in Dunedin on Saturday.
Both sides crossed the whitewash for one try apiece, however the boot of Highlanders pivot Mike Delany proved to be the difference between the two sides in what was a real arm-wrestle at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
In a tight encounter, neither side were able to pull away from the other until the final quarter when lock Jarrad Hoeata powered over whilst the Bulls were reduced to 14 men by the sin-binning of prop Dean Greyling.
Hoeata's converted touchdown followed by another Delany penalty gave the home side some breathing space, however the Bulls hit back with a try of their own through replacement hooker Willie Wepener to set up a nail-biting finish.
The Bulls threw everything but the kitchen sink at their hosts, but were unable to crack the Highlanders' stubborn defence as the southerners held on for a crucial victory that keeps their play-off hopes alive.
The result is the second in a row for the Highlanders against the Bulls after they ended the Bulls' 19-match unbeaten record in Pretoria last year.
The Highlanders went for a high-paced and expansive game plan from the start, running the ball at every opportunity.
But they came up against a stout Bulls defence, while mistakes at key moments and their struggles at lineout time also halted their momentum.
The Bulls were happy to kick for territory or loft up-and-unders and went into the break 6-3 up on the back of two penalties to Morne Steyn in his 100th Super Rugby match.
Delaney's second penalty tied the scores, before the Highlanders pulled ahead with Hoeata's try. And the rest, as they say, is history.
The scorers:
For Highlanders:
Try: Hoeata
Con: Delany
Pens: Delany 3
For Bulls:
Try: Wepener
Pens: Steyn 2
Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Siale Piutau, 13 Tamati Ellison, 12 Phil Burleigh, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Mike Delany, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Nasi Manu, 7 Tim Boys, 6 Adam Thomson, 5 Nick Crosswell, 4 Jarrad Hoeata, 3 Ma'afu Fia, 2 Jason Rutledge, 1 Jamie Mackintosh (c).
Replacements: 16 Andrew Hore, 17 Bronson Murray, 18 Hoani MacDonald/Josh Bekhuis, 19 Scott Fuglistaller, 20 Jimmy Cowan, 21 Chris Noakes, 22 Kenny Lynn.
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 CJ Stander, 6 Dewald Potgieter, 5 Juandré Kruger, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Dean Greyling.
Replacements: 16 Willie Wepener, 17 Rayno Gerber, 18 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 19 Arno Botha, 20 Jano Vermaak, 21 Louis Fouché, 22 JJ Engelbrecht.
Referee: Ian Smith (Australia)
Comments
BokAvenger says...
Funny how everyone's reposte boils down to "get over it; life's not fair; cry me a river." Nobody actually disagreeing that Ian Smith had a howler.
@Jappers1983: all the commentator said was that Spies got isolated - that was his soundbite after the ref awarded an incorrect penalty. If you had watched the replay you would have seen that Spies did nothing wrong. He went to ground placed the ball, the Landers player went for the steal but was rucked off the ball by the bulls - Spies never held on at all - and when the bulls scrummie went to pick it up at the base of the ruck, Ian Smith blows a penalty. COMPLETE RUBBISH FROM HIM.
Posted 12:40 19th May 2012
tweedledee49 says...
welcome back BokAvenger, I think someone hacked your account last week because reasonable comments came from your account last week....oh and ummm....HA!
I guess the Bulls forgot to bring lady luck with them this week...
Posted 12:14 19th May 2012
jappers1983 says...
Plenty of sympathy here for the Bulls, hahaha.
Unfortunately, they do not have the backs to play expansive rugby. I'm sure though once they find some centres who are capable of something other than running straight and hard, they will again win another Super rugby trophy.
Posted 12:12 19th May 2012
NHsaints says...
Good win for the Highlanders, it's a tight year this year with the Bulls, Crusaders, Chiefs, Highlanders, Stormers, Sharks and Brumbies all in with a good chance with outside bets like the 'canes, Cheetahs and Reds all pushing for an outside berth.
Posted 11:01 19th May 2012
tha_mai says...
BokA - SA's main rugby site, SA journalist, makes no mention of the ref at all . . . some quotes re Bulls performance: "didn¿t deserve the win", "tight forwards have for some time been seen as a liability against opposition who play expansively", "their cleaners useless", "kicking game was also poor", "their ambition crumbled when the Highlanders effected a breakdown turnover, their eighth of the evening. "
Obviously, as you say, all the fault of the Australian ref.
Posted 10:52 19th May 2012
kpe12 says...
I just cried a river for you BokAvenger, I hope you feel better now.
I wonder when the Bulls will learn that up and under is not the only tactic in the game. Passing and running and supporting is also allowed.
Posted 10:45 19th May 2012
Ramage says...
Yawn
Posted 10:30 19th May 2012
jappers1983 says...
"And in the last 2 minutes with the Bulls on the Landers' tryline he conjures a penalty out of thin air to let the Kiwis of the hook."
The commentators nailed it - Spies went off on his own, no support, Highlanders got a man over the ball. Holding on, penalty given. Don't blame the ref for your captain poor decision-making.
Posted 10:22 19th May 2012
startledwombat says...
Offloads: Highlanders 18 Bulls 1
Missed tackles: H'ders 13 Bulls 29
Penalties conceded: H 9 B 15.
Bulls maybe not as constructive and creative as they could possibly be.
Posted 10:15 19th May 2012
zambokke says...
BokAvenger, the Bulls were playing the ref and the HIghlanders were playing the ref, Home advantage!! There are now dozens of refs available in Britain, Ireland and France - why not start using them; is money/flights the only problem. I would have preferred to have seen a NH/impartial ref , especially now that all remaining games are so important.
Posted 10:02 19th May 2012
Wallaroo says...
Well done Highlanders a good effort. The Pink Parade had more opportunities but failed to turn them into points.
@BokAvenger Get over the Antipodean refs stuff. Mate for the last couple of weeks you actually started to sound reasonable - now you back to your old nonsense. If there is any blatancy it is your delusions about conspiracies. I strongly suggest you seek professional help soon. Life is not fair, the sooner you accept that the happier you will be.
I agree that Ian Smith made some crucial mistakes but they were not deliberate nor were they cynical.
Posted 10:00 19th May 2012
tha_mai says...
BokA - feel better now? tell us how you really feel. Your word, pathetic!
No perfect refs, having seen enough blunders from Mark Lawrence and worse still, Marius Jonkers - remember Marius and his "stone-cold mistake" that cost Brumbies the match just three weeks ago?
I don't support either team, didn't think Smith was bad apart from his unwillingness to yellow card Bulls earlier on, some authority may have changed the way the match was played.
All your supposed favouritism has to alsol include the asst referees too, suppose they were in fact Lyndon Bray and Paddy O'Brien in disguise, add to your victim complex.
Posted 09:46 19th May 2012
damo says...
Watching the blues, they are a hopeless bunch of losers who are not worthy of professional contracts, they are an embarassment to New Zealand rugby, Lam has to take some credit for the team selection but the supposed men from 1-15 are a cowardly bunch of people happy to shape up as Rugby players but as a sportsman myself I can identify a coward when I see one and the New Zealand 7s team would beat the Blues, I am sure every man has an excuse for their lack of effort, I would say the pub after the game they all talk about past glory !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! there may be some not in that bracket but they should be smacking the others in the kisser at every opportuniity
Posted 09:26 19th May 2012
Smash40 says...
And BokAvenger is back to being a bleating one-eyed crybaby.
Posted 09:23 19th May 2012
tha_mai says...
commentator said the ref Smith hadn't issued a yellow this season (is this correct?), seemed determined to continue on today, and could well have waved a yellow in first 30min rather than half an hour later after so many penalties and warnings. May have made for a better game, regardless of outcome, if he'd stopped the constant offending by the Bulls, who fair enough were 'playing to the ref', as one does.
Posted 09:06 19th May 2012
BokAvenger says...
If anyone needed any more evidence that Antipodean refs are disgraceful, blatant cheats then it was provided by Ian Smith tonight. Pathetic peformance - he penalises the bulls for the slightest infringement yet ignores high tackles, shoulder charges, side ruck entry, holding the ball on the ground etc by the Highlanders. And in the last 2 minutes with the Bulls on the Landers' tryline he conjures a penalty out of thin air to let the Kiwis of the hook. Then literally 30 seconds later he ignores the blatant skew throw in the lineout by the Landers hooker.
I have no idea why the ARU and NZRU even waste their money employing referees. Why not just save money and by telling the players to play according to the boos and cheers of the crowd because that's how Kiwi and Aussie referees officiate anyway.
Posted 08:41 19th May 2012