Champion Bulls start with dramatic win

The Bulls started the defence of their Super 14 title with a hard-earned 16-9 win over the Stormers in a dramatic and bruising encounter at Newlands on Saturday.

The Bulls started the defence of their Super 14 title with a hard-earned 16-9 win over the Stormers in a dramatic and bruising encounter at Newlands on Saturday.

Trailing 0-9 after 30 minutes, the Bulls scored 16 unanswered points – including the game's only try – to show their intent.

However, they will be sweating over the shoulder injury suffered by International Rugby Board (IRB) Player of the Year Brian Habana, who damaged his shoulder in going over for that try.

Newlands was the first ground in 2008 to welcome and embrace the Super 14. The ground was packed and festive – noisy, raucous in fact, and there is no doubt where their passions lay. They stuck their colours to flag sticks, chests, heads and faces. But above all it was their voices. A ball won was by the Stormers they cheered. When it was lost by the Bulls they cheered. When the Bulls attacked they wailed. When the Stormers attacked their was an ecstasy of expectation. And here there were strangers in light blue.

This passionate enthusiasm was replicated on the field. You would have sworn that they were the bitterest enemies as they flung themselves at one another from the very first whistle. And the Stormers did not stand back for the famously/notoriously more physical men from the north.

When the Bulls were penalised for a swinging arm, Peter Grant was short from two metres inside his own half. But when Danie Rossouw plodded clumsily into the side, Grant made it 3-0 after five minutes.

Two line-outs and a scrum later, the Bulls were battering at the line. Somehow the Stormers got away and were the next to score when Habana was off-side and Grant again goaled.

Tiaan Liebenberg went on a bullocking run at the Bulls' line. Gcobani Bobo surged over. The referee spoke to the television match official who advised that the ball had been held up. It clearly was held up. This became a five-metre scrum to the Stormers but the Bulls held – for a while till the Bulls infringed at a tackle and Grant made it 9-0 after 27 minutes.

The Bulls launched their second big attack. from a five-metre line-out, they battered at the Stormers line. Fourie du Preez was close and so were others. The Stormers seemed to have got the ball but the Bulls bashed it back and then sent Habana sweeping in at the left corner. Derick Hougaard converted from touch. When he scores at Loftus Versfeld the crowd sing Liefling. At Newlands his efforts were accompanied by boos.

So half-time came with the Stormers leading 9-7. It was a half in which the Stormers had enjoyed the better of territory and possession.

The Bulls threatened early in the second half as Hougaard kicked them into a good position and when Fijian Sireli Naqelevuki tackled John Mametsa dangerously, provoking anger in the ranks of the Bulls, Hougaard goaled the angled kick to give the Bulls the lead for the first time. That provoked a sudden outburst of blue flags. They were there!

When Schalk Burger tackled high, Hougaard again took his time through the booing to goal and make the score 13-9, after which the wrestling became even more frantic. Time and again it was the Stormers' handling which kiboshed their best intentions.

When Hougaard goaled yet again, it seemed the Stormers were blown out. But nobody had told Gio Aplon. Suddenly he broke the world apart, skating through acres of open field, chipping over Zane Kirschner and gathering the ball, only to he scythed down with the line just there. The Stormers were given a free kick but never looked like breaching that hard-nosed defence.

Man of the Match: For his deadly calm and deadly aim Derrick Hougaard.

Moment of the Match: The last moment as Gio Aplon raced down and sent fans' hearts racing. It was the liveliest part of a harsh match.

Villain of the Match: There were no angels out there. There were some bad mannered people. But for his tackle on John Mametsa Sireli Naqeveluka may just have been the villain.

The scorers:

For the Stormers:
Pens: Grant 3

For the Bulls:
Try: Habana
Con: Hougaard
Pens: Hougaard 3

Teams:

Stormers: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Tonderai Chavhanga, 13 Gcobani Bobo, 12 Jean de Villiers (captain), 11 Sireli Naqelevuki, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Ricky Januarie, 8 Luke Watson, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Francois van der Merwe, 3 Brian Mujati, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 JD Moller.
Replacements: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Adriaan Fondse, 19 Ross Skeate, 20 Bolla Conradie, 21 Joe Pietersen, 22 Dylan des Fountain.

Bulls: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 John Mametsa, 13 JP Nel, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Derick Hougaard, 9 Fourie du Preez (captain), 8 Pedrie Wannenburg, 7 Wikus van Heerden, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 Rayno Gerber, 2 Derick Kuün, 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 James van der Walt, 17 Jaco Engels, 18 Werner Kruger, 19 Dewald Potgieter, 20 Heini Adams, 21 Morné Steyn, 22 Marius Delport

Referee: Willie Roos (South Africa)
Touch judges: Jaco Peyper (South Africa), Linston Manuels (South Africa)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
Assessor: Dennis Immelman (South Africa)

By Paul Dobson