The Vodacom Bulls jumped from third to first in the South African Vodacom Super Rugby Conference after their bonus-point victory over the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
Their fourth try was scored in injury time, but it was enough for the Vodacom Bulls to return to Pretoria with five points which saw them go to 28 log points halfway through the league phase of the competition. They won 34-0.
sarugby
It was only the fourth time ever a South African franchise failed to score a point in Vodacom Super Rugby. It’s happened to the Vodacom Bulls twice before – in 1999 they were beaten 29-0 by The Sharks in Durban and in 2011 they lost 27-0 to the Crusaders in Timaru. The DHL Stormers lost 22-0 to the Crusaders in Cape Town in 2008.
The Sharks lost their second successive match and dropped from first to third on the SA log when they were beaten by 12-6 by the Toyota Cheetahs in difficult conditions in Durban. The side from Bloem remained second on the South African log and sixth overall.
Sharks fans probably like to forget this one, as it was the fifth time this season – and third successive time – that their team failed to score a try. It’s their longest “dry spell” ever and the first time since the inception of the competition that a South African franchise has gone without a try for three straight matches.
Two Springbok flyhalves moved past 100 season points on Saturday. Pat Lambie of The Sharks became the first South African to get to a century of points in 2013, closely followed by Morné Steyn of the Vodacom Bulls.
Lambie’s six points against the Toyota Cheetahs pushed him to 103 points for the season, while Steyn’s 10 points against the Southern Kings saw him move to a total of 107 points for the year.
The Sharks (3) 6 / 12 (7) Toyota Cheetahs:
The Toyota Cheetahs reversed a five-match losing streak to The Sharks at a soaking wet Kings Park in Durban on Saturday when they won 12-6, outscoring their hosts by two tries to nil.
It was the Toyota Cheetahs’ first victory over their KwaZulu-Natalian counterparts since 2010 and their fourth overall from 11 encounters between these two sides.
The atrocious conditions in Durban meant this match was never going to be a spectacle, with the wet ball making handling very difficult and both sides committing way too many unforced errors.
And like they did a few weeks ago against the DHL Stormers, the Toyota Cheetahs pounced on mistakes by their opponents to score – first in the 28th minute when Raymond Rhule rounded off after a Sharks knock-on deep in the visitors’ half, and in the 77th minute Willie le Roux intercepted to score his team’s second try.
Both teams struggled tactically to use the conditions to their advantage, which meant this match would not be remembered for too long.
Scorers:
The Sharks – Penalty goals: Pat Lambie (2).
Toyota Cheetahs – Tries: Raymond Rhule, Willie le Roux. Conversion: Burton Francis.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uz508iEFYHU[/youtube]
Southern Kings (0) 0 / 34 (20) Vodacom Bulls:
Two tries in the last five minutes helped the Vodacom Bulls to a bonus-point 34-0 victory over the Southern Kings in front of a capacity crowd at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday evening.
The visitors played superb rugby in the first half, with Jan Serfontein and Jano Vermaak crossing the try-line as they kept up the pressure, but they struggled to build on that performance in the second half.
The Kings also played much better in this period, but towards the end their travels of the last few weeks probably caught up with the men from the South and Eastern Cape as they conceded two more tries, to former EP stalwart Jacques Potgieter and Akona Ndungane.
The Vodacom Bulls have been described as boring in the past, but when they get going, they can score sublime tries, like the one by Vermaak midway through the first half. It started deep in their own half, with Serfontein making good ground before offloading in the tackle to Lionel Mapoe, who put Vermaak away for a 40 metre sprint after a strong surge upfield.
Potgieter crashed over following a period of physical dominance inside the Kings’ 22, and Ndungane’s injury-time try came after a great break by Bjorn Basson, who put his wing-partner away with a good inside pass.
Scorers:
Southern Kings – 0
Vodacom Bulls – Tries: Jan Serfontein, Jano Vermaak, Jacques Potgieter, Akona Ndungane. Conversions: Morné Steyn (2), Louis Fouché (2). Penalty goal: Steyn. Drop goal: Steyn.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_poBZ7yQMPY[/youtube]
Other results – Round 10:
Hurricanes 22 / 16 Force (Wellington)
Waratahs 25 / 20 Chiefs (Sydney)
Crusaders 24 / 8 Highlanders (Christchurch)
Reds 19 / 19 Brumbies (Brisbane)
Hello GBS thanks for putting this up just quickly watched the Bulls tries was really good to see them some well worked ones, just concerned to see Chilliboy limping after the last try and then also see he was lying on the ground getting treatment after the game, hope it was just a bit of cramp do you know if he is ok? cheers vir eers
1 @ Bullscot:
Hello Bully,
The Bulls are usually very circumspect not to announce their injury news after each game and the standard response is usually that Doc Org Strauss will assess the players on the Monday morning, before a statement is made.
Luckily some players are due back this week…. Hougie amongst them.
Flip van der Merwe’s injury did not look too serious, but Jano and Chiliboy I’m not sure about.
Bjorn Basson looked super sharp when he came on as a sub, so I recon our backline should be fine…. bit worried about our frontrow depth, although Kallie Visagie is bloody lively at hooker and busy all around the pitch.
The whole Bulls side played well, even Louis Fouche and Rudy Page at scrummy is sharp and quick too.
The Waratahs are an improving side and will be a tough nut to crack, but I think the Bulls should be able to do it.
I liked the pattern the Bulls played, with a reduced number of up-and-unders, playing possession rugby and spreading the ball wide very effectively… hope they continue with the attacking possession rugby they exhibited this past weekend, very few teams will be able to match that type of dominant intensity…. that’s how I would like to see the Bulls do it!
Pietman was right and accurate in his summary of the match on the Bulls / Kings game article… Bulls played very well.
With the Stormers and Sharks now going on tour, the Bulls and Cheetahs could pull away from them on the SA Log… and hopefully it happens like that.
The Bulls may have a little crisis at lock
Flip vd Merwe uncertain
Paul Willemse did not look good
Wilhelm Steenkamp available
Cornell Hess injured
The Tukkie locks, also in the wider training group of the Bulls
Marvin Orrie injured
Mike Williams injured
Schalk van Heerden available
Jacques du Plessis U-20, available.
The Bulls really need a fit Flip.
Well done Bulls on an efficient display.
I really enjoyed your first 40 minutes and the last 10.
The second try was one of the best I’ve seen in a while.
Luke Watson should never have been included in the Kings team. He was their weakest link up front IMO.
As for the “Rugby” dished up in Durbs….. well just well done to the Cheetahs. I don’t know how Plumbtree can moan that the Cheetahs didn’t play any Rugby. THEY WON.
I thought they played the conditions FAR BETTER than the home team.
On a final note, I see that the Sharks have made a request for JC Janse van Rensburg to joint them on tour, despite the fact that he is currently in France for a medical at Bayonne.
Funny how the Lions players are all k@k except when they play for the other franchises.
And I don’t mean it in a derogatory way.
They all seem to be better players away from Joburg (except in Cape Town of course where they manage to fukc up most inland players careers) than at Ellis Park.
It makes me question (once again) the make up and abilities of the Lions / GLRU management and staff.
Oh and ABF, well done to the Lions in the Vodacom Cup victory over the Pumas in Nelspruit on Friday night, even if it was a quasi Currie Cup team that you fielded, it still had to be done.
Just received a Media release from the Bulls…
Zane Kirchner has signed with Irish side Leinster on a 2-year deal.
His contract with the Blue Bulls Company expires on 31 October 2013 and it is not yet known whether the Bulls will release Zane earlier than that.
I see JP Pietersen of the Sharks is also heading for Japan later this year too…
Sharks country is not happy country at the moment!
News from the Stormers camp on tour is that they are currently in Auckland and 2 players did not train with the squad, Eben Etzebeth and Elton Jantjies.
Eben is only expected back for the 2nd game on tour, whereas it looks likely that Elton Jantjies will make the matchday squad for this weekend.
Dewaldt Duvenage, who is France bound, might also be released from his WP / Stormers contract earlier than ecpected.
How poor / shit / utterly kak was Luke Watson on Saturday evening… wow! He was absolutely nowhere, made bad decisions, showed no captaincy backbone… looked clueless!
When Vleis Engelbrecht replaced Luke he did more in the first 4 minutes than Luke did in 46 minutes on the field. As far as i’m concerned there’s no contest on who’s the better of the 2 players. Suddenly with Luke gone there was more direction from stand-in captain Andries Strauss.
For some time in the second half, with Vleis Engelbrecht on, the Southern Kings actually looked good and held their own, all over the pitch.
5 @ grootblousmile:
Excellent news for South African Rugby!
7 @ grootblousmile:
Have to agree with you.
Unlike many blogers in cyberspace I don’t particularly have an axe to grind with LW. What he thinks and says are no concern of mine, and I’ve always rated him highly as a loose forward, if not quite (SH) internaional quality.
Having said that, he was utter shyte on Saturday and should not have been in the starting XV.
I’m damn sure that a guy like Matt Sexton would have seen as much, and can’t believe that Alan Solomons would be oblivious to it as well, so one can only infer that there was interference from a higher authority.
Such management is not going to get the Kings he much needed wins they need to climb the log IMO.
8 @ Loosehead:
Not a Kirchner fan?
ROFLOL:
8 @ Loosehead:
With Zane going, who does Heyneke pick for the Springboks at fullback?
Joe Pietersen?
Hennie Daniller?
Riaan Viljoen?
Fransie Steyn?
Jurgen Visser?
George Whitehead?
The fullback cupboard is very bloody bare….
All of the above lack something, someting tangible…. something special…
Joe Pietersen is frail in the last vestage… kicks well to posts, but frail on defence, man!
Hennie Daniller is solid… but still only a solid donkey!
Riaan Viljoen has been terrible in the last couple of seasons and still not near Bok quality.
Fransie Steyn has been in abysmal form… super shit, to say the least.
Jurgen Visser blows hot and cold, sometimes very good, sometimes way off his rocker.
George Whitehead is not near Test quality… not by many miles.
Jaco Taute was way off form and now sports a bad injury.
Andries Coetzee now sits with a shoulder dislocation.
10 @ Scrumdown:
What makes you think that?
grootblousmile wrote:
@ grootblousmile:
@ grootblousmile:
aplon of willie leroux
11 @ grootblousmile:As bad as the scrummie situation.
Yip Smallies, Willie is the answer.
13 @ smallies:
Seriously?
O flok!
14 @ Loosehead:
There’s some hope on the horizon in the scrummie field… not much at fullback though.
15 @ Loosehead:
Willie “chip-chip”, who can’t defend… come on man!
Hang about, HM will still pick Sideshow Bob for the Boks.
We will be spared Zane’s particular brand of rugby during the S comp and CC.
2 @ grootblousmile:
Hopefully vd Merwe and Chilliboy will be ok then GBS, as you say Bulls seem quite circumspect on the injury front, not seen any news yet on their site about injury situation.
11 @ grootblousmile:
Pity Kirchner is about to leave the Blue Bulls but it opens the door for the youngsters to play more now, not seen him play much but some time back read some guys rated Ulrich Beyers highly for the Bulls at fullback so it was a pity to see him having to play centre at times.
Can’t really argue with your summary of the fullback situation for the Boks from my point as not seen nearly enough this year but seems like the Sharks fans have been rating Viljoen, and also Louis Ludik – not sure how long he will still be injured for though.
I know he has played centre for so long but I still would prefer an onform Steyn at fullback – as not sure he is the best distributor for centre but he is solid on defence and when in good condition think he could join the line from deep and gain lots of ground, plus will be good to have someone with his BIG boot fielding the high balls at the back and return with interest – it could make the opposition think less about kicking downfield a lot and may make them kick out more and we all know the lineouts are an area we should be very competetive at.
11 @ grootblousmile:
Anyway why all the worry about the fullback position there is always the northern hemisphere to look to for repacements…
@ Bullscot:
meant to add that Lambie was also ok at fullback during last World Cup so he could fill in there is needed.
@ grootblousmile:
chip chip le roux druk in een seisoen meer driee as wat zane skop en jaag skop en jaag,jaag skoppe skop in n seisoen
20 @ Bullscot:
Ulrich Beyers might just break through for the Bulls as backup fullback…. I like the way he plays.
I’m not too impressed with Clayton Blommetjies, think he’s lightweight and tries to be too fancy / prancy at times.
Maybe an old dog like Akona Ndungane at fullback for the Bulls is an option too, oupa Akona is still rock-solid though he does not have blinding speed anymore. He is solid under high balls, defends well…
About the Springboks fullback job…. Pity Louis Ludik is injured, he was bloody solid at fullback.
Frans Steyn might be an option, but hell he better get in shape first because going on current form, he is shocking!
3 @ dWeePer:
Thats quite a long list of lock problems dWeePer, so yes also hope vd Merwe is right, then there is also Kruger that you missed out, plus we could also use Potgieter at lock.
Thought Marvin Orie played quite well before his nasty injury in the final but Schalk v Heerden for me was even more impressive when he came on with a really good work rate, however not sure if we can reaaly compare the level of competition and quality of the opposition of that final to Super rugby but we will only find out if he is up to Super level if we give him a chance.
23 @ smallies:
Hy laat meer ouens om en verby hom as in die toue by die Randse Paasskou ook….
25 @ Bullscot:
Bulls are OK at lock… Wilhelm Steenkamp is quite able, Juandré kruger is just fine and in emergeny situations Arno Botha or Jacques potgieter could fill the No 4 position for a week or so.
I trust though that Flip would be OK… here’s hoping!
24 @ grootblousmile:
Thats good you endorse Ulrich GBS lets hope he gets the opportunity in his correct position to show what he can do. Had thought about Odwa Ndungane as well as an interim back up fullback option as he is also a solid player like brother Akona, did he not fill in there very briefly for the Boks last year, I could be mistaken?
@ grootblousmile:
die ding is mens kan verdeging in coach maar sy natuurlike aanvals instink het min ander spelers in sa
28 @ Bullscot:
Of the 2 Ndungane Twins, I think Akona has the edge on brother Odwa at the moment
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