Blue Bulls sweep past Cheetahs
The Blue Bulls took a step closer to a home semi-final in the Currie Cup with a convincing 23-5 win over the Free State Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
The Blue Bulls took a step closer to a home semi-final in the Currie Cup with a convincing 23-5 win over the Free State Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
It was a game of wasted opportunities for the Cheetahs who slumped to their third consecutive defeat and as a result dropped to fifth in Currie Cup standings with only two games left to play.
To make matter worse, Cheetahs captain Juan Smith was taken from the field on a stretcher with a neck injury ten minutes from full-time.
The Blue Bulls outscored their hosts two tries to none and never looked like losing the game after leading 23-0 at half time.
Western Province fans would have been cheering as the result now sees the Cape side move ahead of the defending champions in the race for the semi-finals.
Once again the improvement in the Blue Bulls back-line play this year was clear for all to see and they looked dangerous whenever they were allowed a bit of space in the first half.
The Cheetahs had the better of the possession in general but struggled in the line-outs as Victor Matfield made a real nuisance of himself on the Cheetahs throw. The visitors also made loads of their characteristic bone-crunching tackles – forcing the Free Staters into numerous errors.
Blue Bulls fly-half Morne Steyn had the visitors 6-0 up after twelve minutes with two well taken long-range penalties, but it was the try-scoring instincts of Bryan Habana that saw the Springbok wing score the first try.
Kudos must go to the Bulls pack for showing great patience and taking the ball up through thirteen phases before Habana slipped through a half-gap in midfield a little after a quarter-of-an-hour. Steyn added to his tally and the team from Pretoria led by 13.
Chris Rossouw was having a nightmare first half. After missing an absolute sitter of a penalty, a pass out wide from the Cheetahs fly-half was intercepted by Bulls centre Marius Delport who sprinted 80 metres unopposed to further extend the visitors' lead.
Although they were competing well in the tight phases, the Cheetah's execution on attack was letting them down.
Steyn heaved another penalty over from 40 metres out just before the break to send the hosts back to coach Naka Drotské 23 points worse off than when they ran out.
The Cheetahs were however in business soon after the restart when hooker Adriaan Strauss made a full-back-style break, complete with a chip ahead to put the Cheetahs in the strike zone.
Chris Rossouw's cross-field kicked was clumsily touched down by centre Robert Ebersohn for the Cheetahs' only points of the game. Rossouw's missed conversion was his last contribution as Jacques Louis Potgieter came on to take over at fly-half.
With the Bulls happy to play low-risk rugby and hack the ball up field whenever they got their hands on it and the Cheetahs unable to get over their handling ailments, the second half turned into a much slower affair than the high-paced opening period.
The Cheetahs were handed a chance to get back into the game when Blue Bulls lock Danie Rossouw was sent for a ten-minute rest for a late shoulder charge. The Springbok utility forward had already been warned by ref Craig Joubert for a similar offence, so the yellow card was no surprise.
The Cheetahs spurned a number a opportunities in the last quarter and were unable to add to their score in an anticlimactic finish.
Worryingly for the Blue Bulls, Bryan Habana left the field early holding the shoulder that he has injured a couple of times this year.
The scorers:
For the Cheetahs:
Try: Ebersohn
Cons:
Pens:
Drops:
For the Blue Bulls:
Tries: Habana, Delport
Cons: Steyn 2
Pens: Steyn 3
Drops:
Yellow cards: Danie Rossouw (Blue Bulls – 66th minute – shoulder charge)
Cheetahs: 15 Bevin Fortuin, 14 JW Jonker, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Jongi Nokwe, 10 Chris Rossouw, 9 Tewis de Bruyn, 8 Duanne Vermeulen, 7 Juan Smith (c), 6 Heinrich Brussow, 5 Barend Pieterse, 4 David de Villiers, 3 Kobus Calldo, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Wian du Preez.
Replacements: 16 Richardt Strauss, 17 Coenie Oosthuizen, 18 Nico Breedt, 19 Hendro Scholtz, 20 Jandre Blom, 21 Jacques Louis Potgieter, 22 Kabamba Floors.
Blue Bulls: 15 Tiger Mangweni, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Marius Delport, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Wikus van Heerden, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Victor Matfield (c), 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 Rayno Gerber, 2 Derick Kuun, 1 Jaco Engels.
Replacements: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Werner Kruger, 18 Juandre Kruger, 19 Dewald Potgieter, 20 Heini Adams, 21 Burton Francis, 22 Zane Kirchner.
Referee: Craig Joubert
Touch judges: Marius Jonker, Gareth Lloyd-Jones
Television match official: Johann Meuwesen