Southern Kings (6) 23 / Vodacom Bulls (0) 7 (Final Score)
The Southern Kings hosted the Vodacom Bulls in Port Elizabeth in a warm-up match for the Bulls to prepare them for the upcoming Super Rugby Competition. Similarly this game was the first measure for the Southern Kings to see how they might progress in a Super Rugby Competition from 2013.
This is the match thread for discussion of the game. The match was broadcast live on SuperSport 1 and CSN.
This was the 1st live coverage of South African rugby for 2011, this year is going to be busy, so strap yourselves in, kiss the wife a last few times, get the cold ones and snacks ready…. rugby is upon us!
Summary:
Handling mistakes cost the second stringers of the Bulls and with a fired up Kings side, they were up against it in the end, the Kings winning by 23 / 7. There were far too many 50/50 passes, forced passes and butter fingers and a lack of patience showed by the Bulls.
The Kings absorbed the Bulls forward pressure well, earned a few good penalties from a strong scrumming platform and unlike the Bulls, took their chances at goal. The Kings looked composed and knew what to do with turn-over possession.
The speedsters of the Kings also converted 2 chances well to score tries when it mattered.
The Kings seem to be on the way up, and that is good in the South African context. The new acquisitions in their squad has suddenly brought out a hard edge, a core of players, who can take them forward with style. I say this knowing full well that it’s early season and one should be careful not to make hasty assumptions.
We must however remember that this was not the Bulls best side, for instance they were playing with effectively their 6th and 7th choices at lock (after Bakkies, Victor, Danie, Flip and Juandre) and with their 3rd and 4th choice scrumhalves (after Fourie du Preez and Francois Hougaard).
1 Player in the Bulls squad for the match, Werner Kruger, would be in the Bulls starting 15, with maybe 3 or so players who might make the bench for the Bulls starting 15… so it’s not all doom and gloom, but rather indicates a worry in depth at key positions.
Last season the Bulls also had a very mediocre run in their warm-ups, yet they came out firing in the actual Super 14 Competitian and as history will tell, won the competition in fine style.
There is still a lot to fix in the Bulls but we should not take anything away from a very game and motivated Kings side.
The Bulls might have learned from this game that Louis Fouché should be ahead in the pecking order over Francois Brummer at flyhalf, after Morné Steyn.
Scorers:
Kings: 3 Penalties & 2 Conversions Monty Dumond, 1 Try Mathew Tayler-Smith, 1 Try Siyanda Grey
Bulla: 1 Conversion Louis Fouché, 1 Try Courtnall Skosan
Teams:
Vodacom Bulls:
15 Jaco van der Westhuyzen, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Stephan Dippenaar, 12 Stefan Watermeyer, 11 Sampie Mastriet, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Ruan Snyman, 8 Gerrit-Jan van Velze, 7 CJ Stander, 6 Derick Kuün (c), 5 Cornell Hess, 4 Fudge Mabeta, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Henry Bantjes, 1 Dean Greyling.
Replacements: Hans van Dyk, Frik Kirsten, Tendayi Chikukwa, Okkie Kruger, Dustin Jinka, Louis Fouché, Bradley Moolman, Courtnall Skosan.
Southern Kings:
15 Tiger Mangweni, 14 Norman Nelson, 13 Siyanda Grey, 12 Matthew Tayler-Smith, 11 Paul Perez, 10 Monty Dumond, 9 Jacques Coetzee, 8 Darron Nell, 7 Mpho Mbiyozo, 6 Devin Oosthuizen, 5 Barend Pieterse, 4 Rory Duncan (captain), 3 André Schlechter, 2 Hannes Franklin, 1 Jaco Engels.
Replacements: Jaco Fourie, Ronnie Uys, Riaan Vermeulen, Ross Kennedy, Lungelo Payi, Marlon Lewis, Shane Gates, SP Marais, Frank Herne.
Gooooooooooooo Bulls!
Damn, I’m rugby starved!
Back in a jiffy…. just attending to something at the pool…
Mmmm… quiet as can be…
Kommaan, wat sê julle flokkers??
Now where did I put my blue face paint and horned hat? 🙁
4@ Blue Bird:
What, a horny hat?
@ grootblousmile:
My safety helmet with Hereford Bull horns attached!! lol
Actually I would be lying if said I had one of those…however I did go running in my Bulls jersey this morning!!
Of course no one in England has any idea what it is, they probably think it is some obscure village fotball team!
I expect a stop-start game… and the Bulls are usually very luke-warm in their warm-up games.
Last year the Bulls lost 2 of the 3 warm-ups if I remember correctly yet came out firing well in the 1st real Super Rugby game of the season.
What does this year hold for us?
OK, pull up the chairs….. Bulls running out onto the field.
Craig Joubert the referee
OK, game ONNNNNNNNNNNNN !
Good evening Gbs, will be interesting to hear how this reserve team of ours gets on, if any of the guys puts their hand up for the 1st team. Should be able to pop in and out of here during the game.
Breakdowns already a bit troubled.
One turnover to the Kings… now one to the Bulls
11@ Bullscot:
Hello Bully.
Penalty to the Kings… kickable
On the Bulls 10m line
Bulle !
Goeie opwarmingswedstryd vir die VC span.
Monty Dumond misses the kick, just wide to the right
The Kings backline playing right in the Bulls backline’s faces…. applying a lot of pressure
Fast paced game so far, specially from the Kings
Good lineout steal by the Bulls, now hot on attack in the kings 22
Wat is dit met Juandre Kruger en vingers ? Laasjaar duim en nou pinkie. Plaas laat hy almal op eenslag breek, dan is dit verby.
22m drop-out by the Kings
Vinnige wedstryd so in die begin van die seisoen.
Not a bad game so far.
Penalty for the Kings from a scrum, Jaco Engels showing his experience
21@ bdb:
Hantering lol so bietjie beide kante, maar dis te verwagte in die begin
Brummer is decidedly average… would like to see how Louis Fouche goes.
2 Penalties in quick succession for the Kings, they tapped the 1st one… now they have an easy one to posts.
23: sal nog regkom deur die seisoen. Bantjes is onervare, hy moet pasop.
19@ bdb:
Hello bdb, wat het daar gebeur met Kruger, het hy sy klein vinger gebreek en wys hulle hoe?
Kings 3 / 0
Attempted droppie from Dumond after a kak kick upfield by Brummer… misses
Fark, now Brummer totally farks up die 22m drop in, out on the full.
Scrum Kings on the 22… and they get a penalty right in front
Kings 6 / 0
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