Bulls: Halt Blues' winning run
The Bulls got their overseas tour off to the perfect start after beating the Blues 28-21 in Auckland on Sunday.
It was the first ever victory for the South African side at Eden Park, where the visitors outscored their previously unbeaten hosts three tries to two.
Tries from flanker Arno Botha as well as wingers Lionel Mapoe and Akona Ndungane combined with 13 points from Morne Steyn's boot moved the Bulls to the top of the South African conference.
Blues coach John Kirwan named a much-changed side, including six new caps, for the match after his team had unexpectedly won its first two matches. The tactic failed and the Blues were outplayed by the Bulls who played a fast-paced style in warm, dry conditions.
The Blues briefly snatched the lead in the second half, before Botha's try put his team back in front.
Rene Ranger gave the Blues a glimmer of hope when he powered over to close the gap to one point with four minutes remaining. But the Bulls rallied to win with a Steyn penalty on full-time sealing the deal.
"It was a great team effort, it's not easy to come here and win," said Bulls skipper Pierre Spies.
"In the second half we felt we just had to be clinical and that's what it was, a clinical performance."
The Blues took the early lead with a penalty by fly-half Baden Kerr, but Steyn soon levelled matters with a penalty of his own.
Kerr then hooked a penalty attempt before slotting another soon after to give his side the lead for the second time, but the next quarter belonged to the Bulls.
First Mapoe rounded off a great movement by his inside backs and when the Blues dropped another tactical bomb soon after, Ndungane stepped inside his man to round off a very convincing half for the Bulls - playing in their alternate pink strip.
The Blues came out firing in the second half and raced back into the lead following a penalty by Kerr and a converted try by Charles Piutua.
The Bulls responded magnificently and after some impressive play by their pack, Botha exploited some space to score his first of the year.
Steyn, who fluffed his lines twice in the first half, kicked the conversion and another penalty to ease the Bulls back into a defendable lead.
Ranger's late try had the Blues within four with as many minutes to play, but Steyn kicked another penalty on the buzzer to have his team's hands in the air and that of the Blues on their knees.
The scorers:
For Blues:
Tries: Piutau, Ranger
Con: Kerr
Pens: Kerr 3
For Bulls:
Tries: Mapoe, Ndungane, Botha
Cons: Steyn 2
Pens: Steyn 3
Blues: 15 Charles Piutau, 14 Frank Halai, 13 Rene Ranger, 12 Francis Saili, 11 Waisake Naholo, 10 Baden Kerr, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Steven Luatua, 7 Luke Braid, 6 Kane Barrett, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Liaki Moli, 3 Charlie Faumuina, 2 Quentin MacDonald, 1 Tim Perry.
Replacements: 16 James Parsons, 17 Angus Ta'avao, 18 Ronald Raaymakers, 19 Brendon O'Connor, 20 Jamison Gibson-Park, 21 Marty McKenzie, 22 Albert Nikoro.
Bulls: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Lionel Mapoe, 10 Mornè Steyn, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Pierre Spies (c), 7 Arno Botha, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Juandrè Kruger, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Frik Kirsten, 2 Willie Wepener, 1 Mornè Mellett.
Replacements: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Werner Kruger, 18 Grant Hattingh, 19 Jacques Potgieter, 20 Francois Hougaard, 21 Louis Fouché, 22 Jürgen Visser.
Referee: Garratt Williamson (New Zealand)
Comments
tha_mai says...
Trinads2 -softball, yes it's even played by Australia who were world champions in 2009, not that you would know! NZ knocked them out in the 2013 semis.
Crowd numbers - I prefer facts to your ongoing spew of bs.
Here they are, after last weekend's round:
Crowd Attendances Super Rugby 2013
South Africa 232,971, 7 matches, average 33,281
Australia 152,260, 8 matches, average 19,032
New Zealand 115,494, 7 matches, average 16,499
Note: Force and Crusaders yet to play a home game
Posted 03:06 13th March 2013
7ton says...
trinats2
Judging by your long history of making plenty of silly snidy and usually inaccurate little comments on this site one has to wonder at what you have to do where you live. Have you nothing better to do then try to make out you are some sort of clever dick?
Posted 09:31 12th March 2013
Trinats2 says...
ferdie:
Apologies, so you have rugby and softball (if it 's a sport)
I'm not sure what people could be doing in Wellington ??? It's the more boring city in the SH.
Posted 13:18 11th March 2013
ferdie says...
trinads - yes Eden Park was less than half full, but the 25,112 in attendance was better than some other matches this weekend, and almost double the Hurricanes v Crusaders 12,902. People have other things to do, rather deflates your ongoing whine that rugby's the only sport in NZ (won the World Softball Champs yesterday, breaking the USA's record of 5 - NZ's 6th world title)
Posted 11:43 11th March 2013
dylbull says...
Good to see the bulls giving their backline a run.
Forwards were outstanding, Spies seems to be getting some form back.
We have some exciting young talent coming through.
Steyn had a great game and not just with the boot.
The sooner Wynand Olivier goes to Japan, the better.... he was our weak link.
Posted 09:56 11th March 2013
kiwilad says...
Kirwin has a time machine, he brought back last years Blues, so we could all marvell at the improvement again next week?????
Posted 08:50 11th March 2013
bokbevok says...
@Nefari it's a better excuse than the whole team had food provisioning or the whole team has been struck down with a bug. Funny those always come just before you loose lol lol😜
Posted 07:45 11th March 2013
nefari says...
@safehands, Come on man we never get this feeling, it is probably how the kiwi sides feel 14 out of 18 weeks. so let us just have this week lol
Posted 06:22 11th March 2013
safehands says...
Easy blokes....it's just one weekend of winning rugby. Let me guess...the Springboks will be unstoppable again because the regional sides did well...ok...very well this weekend!?
When they are inevitably stopped though...again...it will be because us Kiwis are cheats and there is a worldwide conspiracy to stop the Boks and let us win because we have a better looking kit and dance.....hahahaha!!!
Enjoy your moment and we'll be seeing you real soon, like er...next weekend....
Posted 00:18 11th March 2013
runnrugby says...
Coaches didnt give the Bulls enough respect with their selections. Too many newbies. The players who had payed so well in the first two rounds werent even on the bench. The usual starters Noakes, Moala, Cullam Retallick or Peter Saili in the match 22. Especially missed Noakes at flyhalf
Posted 23:29 10th March 2013
bloemboy says...
Stocks for the Boks certainly look good. Lambie, Goosen and Steyn looking very good. Catrikilis also looks to be a bright prospect while Sias Ebershon seems to be the leading 10 in Aus. At 9, Pretorius must be leading the pack while Kockott seems to be having a good run abroad. Vermaak also had a solid game, not sure how Ruan Pienaar is getting on. In the loose, Labuschagne put a massive hand up while Brussouw is making his presence felt. Kankowski and Coetzee had a good game as did Kolisi and Vermeulen. Spies seems to be getting his mojo back and Arno Botha is certainly also not far behind. Competition at lock is hotting up with Juandre Kruger being overshadowed by an excellent day for Bekker. Etzbeth will also be looking at de Jager who is a bright prospect, and Bresler also has a decent day, though there is still a fair ammount of daylight between Eben and the rest. Front row seems to be fairly easy with two of Beast, du Plessis, Oosthuisen picking themselves. Arendse and Kitshoff seem to be the next generation while WP Nel would still fit in. Strauss is comfortably ahead of Burden and Fourie until Bizmark returns to challenge him.
The leading centres seem to be Steyn and Ebershon while Strauss and Sadie have done well. Pietersen may also be an option as the wings are in over supply with Rhule, Mvovo, Ndugane, le Roux, Mapoe and Aplon looking the part (lets not forget young Peterson from the Kings who finishes very well) At 15, Ludick and Joe Peterson seem in good form, while Lambie may end up back there again.
Im really looking forward to the trinations, and wont even try to pick a starting 15 at this stage.
Posted 23:20 10th March 2013
Ramage says...
One has to ask why Kirwan put that team on the field. I understand the need to have his players in the game as they need to be able to back up when needed but to play so many changes against a quality opposition is somewhat bewildering. Agreed that the Bulls played better but surely the blues must be rueing some mindless mistakes and errors as the game was there for the taking.
Interesting result in Cape Town and if I were to follow some of the saffa comments made about NZ referees then perhaps I could ask about the performance of Peyper with some home town refereeing. Penalties and yellow cards obviously helped. However I wont do that as it would be petulant to do so.
Posted 22:58 10th March 2013
bokbevok says...
@passtheball
Scoreboard says 3 tries to 2, it's about winning and playing to your strengths. The better team on the day dictates the way the game is played. You sound like an oz who would like uncontested scrums.
There are far to many people trying to change the rules to make it like league . If you like league then go watch it, who cares.
Posted 18:20 10th March 2013
nefari says...
Watching the highlights again the bulls will have it in the back of their minds that they REALLY missed out on 5 points here.
Posted 15:39 10th March 2013
TheMascot says...
Bulls way to strong even better considering they have just traveled. What was with the changes in the Blues line up? Not so good thinking Sherlock! Looked like a team that was playing there first game not a side that has been on fire for the last two weeks.
Posted 12:48 10th March 2013
passtheball says...
Blues coaches took their eye off the ball - underestimating the Bulls and changing a winning combination. All 3 NZ teams had the old problem at lineout time against the tall timber from SA. This week belongs to SA. A desperate Crusaders up against raging Bulls next week!
Realbull - the scoreboard is what history reads for sure but some of us want more than rolling mauls and up and unders. It will send viewers to league or the EPL for entertainment!
Posted 11:39 10th March 2013
noord_transvaal says...
good win bulls. they also played with a number of subs so they hardly had their best team out there. hope they can build on this
Posted 11:36 10th March 2013
Davoust says...
Fantastic week-end for the South African teams and exactly when the New Zealand ones seemed so strong!
Posted 10:58 10th March 2013
powerplay says...
JK..."if it aint broke...
Posted 10:48 10th March 2013
Trinats2 says...
Lucky there were two kiwi teams playing each other this weekend at least one got a win (the one that lost to Aussie side last week!)
As I mentioned earlier in S15 season, Something is not right with kiwi defence. They need to go back to the basics and stop trying to entertain the crowds ???
And on that, considering it's the only sport in NZ the stadiums look empty ?
Good win for the Bulls, but don't get too carried away, it was against the NZ bottom team last year!
Posted 10:37 10th March 2013