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.
Bulls maul well again, Mbiyoso offside at the maul, penalty again
Kings rob the ball from a kak maul… Dumond kicks out 15m from his own line.
OK Bulletjies, genoeg die dryfbewegings geoefen, nou vir die agterlyn.
Kings get a penalty from a strong scrum of theirs
Try by the Kings…. No 12, Mathew Taylor-Smith
Kings 16 / 0
Ai, Watermeyer het game heeltemal verkeerd gelees, moes binne gee, toe pass hy nog so swak ook.
Louis Fouche finally on for Brummer
68@ grootblousmile:
Was just about to log off but will wait on for a bit now to see if he makes a difference.
Big Ronnie Uys also on for Engels on the side of the Kings
Louis Fouche with a well-judged line kick… pinning the Kings in their own corner…
Good so far….
Try No 2 for the Kings…… jeeeez but they’re fired up.
Bloody good running by their Speedsters.
Siyanda Grey, the scorer
Kings 23 / 0
Weet dit is ‘n oefenwedstryd, maar dit raak nou bietjie van ‘n skande. Maar bekommerd vir die VC en CB.
73@ bdb:
Verlede seisoen se opwarmingswedstryde was ook maar kakkerig vir die Bulls….
Ek worry nog nie
Ou Craig so bietjie blind daar, wat van onkant ?
A few Kings players impressing…. Perez, Grey, Taylor-Smith, SP Marais (Mangweni’s replacement, last year at the Leopards)
74: nee, geen kommer oor die S15 nie, maar hierdie is die ouens wat die VC/CB moet speel en dit lyk regtig nie goed nie.
Dustbin Jinka… the Bulls replacement scrummie has never impressed me.
This is embarrassing.
Een hoogtepunt, Fouche lyk na ‘n beter opsie as Brummer. Goeie off-load daar.
Tryyyyyyyyyyy Bulls, Skosan, the Bulls midfield replacement… after a good offload by Fouche.
Fouche converts.
Kings 23 / 7
Kings turn a ball over with good numbers at the breakdown and Dustbin Jinka asleap behind the breakdown
Dumond goes for posts from a penalty, it hits the upright.
Mistakes at vital times costing the Bulls this game…. possession is OK, territory is OK…. but the Kings have capitalised well from errors and taken chances well.
Wynie is duidelik NIE gelukkig nie, oefenwedstryd of te nie. Jongmanne gaan groot raas kry !
85@ bdb:
Hehehe, janee…. Oom Wynie gaan hulle donner
Louis Fouche doing very well…. big lad for a flyhalf.
Taking the ball up well, distributing well…. much better option than Brummer, it seems
Kings win by 23 / 7
Well…. some lessons learnt….
Louis Fouche better than Brummer, for starters.
Kiiiinnnggsss!!!
Ons weet darem Ruan Snyman is die reserwe nr.3 skrummie. Jinka kan gaan probeer span kry in een van die koshuise se 9de spanne.
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