Bulls player ratings: Powerhouse forward let down by uninspiring backline after being a ‘standout in a sea of mediocrity’
Harold Vorster, who threw intercept pass, and Jeandre Rudolph in action for the Bulls.
Following a 21-12 defeat to the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship clash at Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium on Saturday, here are the player ratings for the Bulls.
Backs
15 Willie le Roux: Some really poor errors at times, particularly in the second period, while he failed to weave his magic with ball in hand. 4
14 Sebastian de Klerk: Is one of the Bulls’ in-form players despite his side’s recent struggles, but couldn’t impact the game here. Very little creativity behind the scrum for him to take advantage. 5
13 David Kriel: Some good moments in the first half but he faded after the break as the visitors struggled to gain much territory and possession. 6
12 Harold Vorster: Threw a shocker of a pass which led to Sharks’ first try and that was about his only notable contribution. Was physical on the gain line but a quiet evening. 4
11 Stravino Jacobs: Similar to De Klerk as the Bulls outside backs, like the Sharks, struggled to make an impact in the contest, while he was part of a back three that struggled under the high ball. 5
10 Handre Pollard: Kicked four of his five penalty attempts but Bulls ideally needed a bit more from the double Rugby World Cup winner. They lost control of the game in the second period and he was partly responsible. 5
9 Embrose Papier: A couple of snipes around the fringes but he couldn’t quite put enough pressure on the Sharks with his kicking game, especially after the break. 5
Forwards
8 JJ Theron: A bit unit but not too many surges into the Sharks defence. Part of a back-row that edged the contest early on but they lost the physical battle in the second half. 5
7 Elrigh Louw (c): Still not quite at his best after that awful injury. There was plenty to be positive about but it may take a bit of time before Louw is at full tilt. 6
6 Jeandre Rudolph: Brilliant once again. A standout in a sea of mediocrity in Durban with the flanker making breaks, stealing ball and giving his team a shot of winning this game. Probably the best player on the park. 8
5 JF van Heerden: Solid shift in the engine room with the set-piece going well enough during the 80 minutes. 6
4 Cobus Wiese: Similar to Van Heerden, the locks formed a decent unit behind the front-row to dominate the scrum, but Wiese would have liked to have impacted the game more elsewhere. 6
3 Wilco Louw: Did his job really well, which was winning penalties from the scrum, and is certainly not at fault for this loss. Louw was excellent once again in the set-piece. 8
2 Johan Grobbelaar: Similar to Louw, there was plenty to like with how the set-piece went, but their team-mates let them down. 7
1 Gerhard Steenekamp: Rinse and repeat. Has become one of the premier looseheads in the world and he had the Sharks tighthead going into reverse. 8
Replacements: Unlike the Sharks, who got impact from their bench, the Bulls faltered in the second period and found themselves under increasing pressure. The front-row couldn’t continue the good work of the starters and even more mistakes crept into their game. 3
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