The Bulls, last year’s champions, could significantly re-announce themselves in Super Rugby if they upset the Crusaders at the small port town of Timaru on Saturday.
There is also the incentive of completing their first ever “sweep” on New Zealand soil, because they come off a 26-14 victory over the Hurricanes and then move on to Australian dates with the Reds and Force before their return to South Africa.
The team they beat in last year’s Super 14 final, the Stormers, beat off all New Zealand comers for the first time in finishing second, including a maiden 100 percent record there by winning against both the Blues and Chiefs.
Now the title-holders can follow suit on the road against the most formidable outfit in the NZ conference, even if the Bulls cannot complete the fullest “slam” of New Zealand conquests because they have already lost to the Highlanders at Loftus.
But if Victor Matfield’s men are to upset the Crusaders at the unfashionable Alpine Stadium – the 12 000-capacity venue is expected to be a sellout – they will also get a long-time monkey off their backs.
That is because you have to go back 15 years to 1996 for the last time the Bulls beat these opponents away.
It was a pretty convincing 34-18 at Jade Stadium in Christchurch then, at a time when neither team boasted a powerhouse reputation: the Crusaders finished rock-bottom of the Super 12 that year whilst the Bulls had not won the domestic Currie Cup since 1991 and would not do so again until 1998.
Since then it has been only heartache for the Bulls against the Crusaders abroad in seven subsequent meetings (including a 2006 semi-final), even if they have also knocked over the Cantabrians seven times on South African soil (once at Orlando Stadium, in the 2010 semi-final).
The Crusaders, it must be said, have found it easier to win occasionally in Pretoria, doing so four times.
The closest the Bulls have come in scoreboard terms to beating them overseas was in 2009, when the final score was 16-13.
It was an unusual outcome, at AMI Stadium, because the Bulls scored two tries (both Akona Ndungane) to one (by Isaac Ross) but played second fiddle in place-kicking terms, with Morne Steyn unusually landing just a solitary penalty on the day.
Especially after his highly influential showing in the game against the Hurricanes, the Bulls will surely be hoping for a better haul than three points by the Springbok pivot on Saturday …
Written by Rob Houwing of News24
@ Cheetah4eva:
I can’t believe that a VRYSTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT supporter knows nothing about good bakkies. Sies man!
My 280dt had 342 000 km’s on the clock and has never given me any major problems. She is a workhorse.
@ Loskoppie Ha Ha, you are a funny man!! Ditto, even the die hard VRYSTAAT manne knows that Toyota is the way to go!! I tops you by faaaar.. my Hilux 2.7 has 347 526 and she is going strong, mechanically nothing wrong at all!! That said the 280Dt, is a good bakkie, I drove one to PE from Nelspruit once!!
We will agree to disagree on this “netelige kwessie” !!
Working in the industry guys. Toyota will slowly but surely start to slip. People are still to an extent buying Toyota nostalgicly(sp). Cannot carry on for long. Toyota starting to get a bit long in the tooth but it still has an awesome 3L diesel motor.
superBul waarvoor wil jy hom gebruik?
Anyways back to rugby. If the bulls hit their stride quickly and the confidence levels are up we might be in for a lekker tooit one…….not sure if the guys have still got that drive in them though judging from the first couple of f*kkopies
Loskop…sorry bro Cheetah is 500% Correct, I am a Production Manager at a Major Transportation Company, and we are stocked to the brim with Toyota’s and we abuse the hell out of vehicles. Now we have had Ford, Isuzu, Mazda and even Tata… Ford & Mazda makes it to 160,000km’s before running out of Gearboxes, Isuzu bodywork lasts for about 90,000km’s and the Engines starts seizing around 150,000km’s further, while Tata’s last for around, well we have had an old timer stuttering past 32,000km’s.
Toyota in a class of its own though…we have 6 Bakkies all past 650,000km’s the rest are still running strong between 60,000 and 390,000. Isuzu hasn’t a shot in hell.
So Toyota it is, now the models i can afford, so by the way it will be 50/50 work / leisure. I can not really go higher than R180 000, but i also need height, not 4×4 but raised body a must. That leaves me with nothing in the Toyota camp. But buying it cash how much can one expect to wring off the price. Can you bully them? Any advice
But lets talk a bit of rugby
I had a chuckle with the Lions site, they knew there will be a announcement today of a “new member on board”, it turned out to be Discovery Health , , big disappointment, they thought it would be n International player.
super @ 36
😆 😆 😆
super @ 36
poor lions supporters … its not enough to go through one disappointment after the other on weekends
now
they have to take it through the week too!! 😀
@ Ashley:
jy moet hare op jou tanne he om lojaal te bly. At least het die WP die hoofkwartier van SA so daar is sekerso paar ou vergete bekers daar wat julle naarstiglik blinkvryf. :LOL:
Daar is darem deesdae beweging daar met jul juniors se bekers ne.
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“The Bulls kicked the Hurricanes to death, not literally, but first five-eighth Morne Steyn highlighted yet again a missing link in New Zealand rugby – the drop kick.”
Toby Robson
Without Carter the Bulls have a better chance of beating Saders.
Saders are still a brilliant side, but without Carter they miss something huge. Thought Carter together with SBW was superb.
Good luck Bulls. Hope they can. Will be tough to beat Saders in NZ. But without Carter and Whitelock, Bulls could.
Good luck Bulls.
@ superBul:
Super you forgot 1 – Jorrie Muller
@ The Saint:
i will mail that to the people at Rugby Heaven AU, they might have someone else over there. But i agree most here in SA would give you a Jorrie for such a low scoring performance.
@ Puma:
I disagree on the Carter statement, we know how to beat them with him in the team, any other will be a unknown factor. We also dont want to hear excuses if we do pull of a historic win.
Toyota?
I am speechless.
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