Sanjay's Rugby World

Saturday was a historic occasion as Orlando Stadium in Soweto hosted an all South African Super 14 final.

It was awesome to be at the ground and witness first hand the atmosphere in Soweto.

The Bulls won 25-17, but the result was secondary in my mind. What mattered most was that it was an unforgettable day for all, a final held in a black township, the resumption of the north-south rivalry that signifies South African rugby is healthy, and confirmation that the Bulls are a champion side, with the Stormers trying to emulate them, and in my view they’ll ensure there are many memorable battles in future years.

The Bulls sealed their 3rd Super 14 title in 4 years, and exhibited what a complete side they have become. It was a game built on forward dominance, strong defence and converting opportunities.

The Stormers game has been based on a strong defence, and utilising their strong loose forwards to gain momentum wide of the ruck to give their backs space to operate in. However they ran into a blue wall at Orlando stadium, the Bulls defence was oustanding in fanning out as the breakdown was set, and then making double tackles which allowed the side to gain momentum and turn ball over as they made offensive tackles.

The Stormers had no counter and were unable to dictate play. Unlike any other side this season, the Bulls showed they are smart enough to find a weakness and peppered the Stormers back 3 with high kicks, and were the better side in contesting the aerial ball as the Stormers lacked height and physicality. This meant the Stormers loose forwards had to hand further back, and the Bulls exploited space up the middle too.

Fourie du Preez once again showed his experience and vision, spotting the gaps as they opened up and got the Bulls going forward before delivering the most delicate pass to put Francois Hougaard into space, who showcased his sublime running skills to clinically score an important first half try. Once the Bulls opened up a decent lead, they were always going to be hard to reign in.

It took a wayward pass and Bryan Habana’s vision to claim the intercept that gave the Stormers a sniff of a comeback in the second half, but this only spurred the Bulls on once more, and they opened a 15 point lead which effectively sealed the game, before the Stormers claimed some respectability to the score.

After the game the Stormers claimed that the referee, Craig Joubert was one sided and had “coached” the Bulls at the breakdown whilst penalising their side. This was interesting given the fact that the only losses the Bulls had incurred this season came when they were nailed by Joubert at the breakdown. Had the Bulls simply learnt their lesson?

Whatever the case, the Stormers did not adapt on the night, and the Bulls were clearly the better side.

The Bulls have also shown this year how complete a side they have become. Initially this season they showed a more attacking game and adapted to the new law interpretations better than any side. As the officiating changed, so did the game plan and Bulls tightened their defence and attacking structures.

The Bulls have shown they are adaptable enough to play any game plan, and more importantly think on their feet to spot an opposition weakness and exploit it on the field during a game. However they have the confidence to play to their strengths no matter how predictable it is to the opposition, they simply say to their opponents, ‘stop us if you can.’

After a poor 2008, a result of being too rigid in their thinking, resting on their laurels and missing Victor Matfield, the Bulls have openly spoken of their desire to succeed as a union and build a legacy. What is more impressive than just claiming the Super 14 title in 2009, is the addition of the 2009 Currie Cup, topping the Super 14 log for the second successive season and impressively laying the foundation to consistently being the best provincial side in the world…the legacy is definitely being built!

The Super 14 final pits the 2 best sides in the competition together!

Most critics believe the Stormers will win as they have the greater momentum, and the most outstanding defence in the competition.

However it is foolish to write off the Bulls. I believe they’ll win for 2 reasons:

1. They are very experienced. To win a final you usually have to have been in a final recently.
The Bulls possess Currie Cup winners, Super 14 winners and World Cup winners. The Stormers by comparison have just 1 Currie Cup and Super 14 winner in Bryan Habana, an ex-Bull.

It’ll ensure the Bulls are not overawed by the occasion, and make better decisions under pressure. The Bulls also have the experience of having played a game at Orlando stadium, with its most unique atmosphere.

2. The Bulls will test the Stormers defence with their kicking game.

We all know the Stormers defence is outstanding. So far this season very few sides have been able to breach it, but then again few sides have had the nous to vary their tactics and create a way through this Stormers wall.

The Bulls have the best kicking game on the planet. In Fourie du Preez, Morne Steyn and Zane Kirchner, they’ll use the tactics that have served them well, the high bombs. The Stormers back three of Gio Aplon, Bryan Habana and Joe Pietersen are not big men, and neither are they the most secure under the high ball. Few sides have tested them this season, but on Saturday I believe they’ll come off second best against an outstanding kick and chase side.

The kick-chase should also open the Stormers defence up the middle as they’ll drop men back and be kept guessing by the Bulls tactics.

The Stormers meanwhile can be oustanding on attack, but they’re more one-dimensional on attack and as long as the Bulls defence can man up, they can be kept at bay if they are unable to gain any forward momentum.

It promises to be a mouth watering all South African clash, played with immense intensity. Whatever the result it’ll be a win for South African rugby and a momentous occassion, but i’m picking the Bulls by 10.

Go Bulle Go!

Vodacom Bulls:

1. Gurtho Steenkamp
2. Gary Botha
3. Werner Kruger
4. Danie Rossouw
5. Victor Matfield (c)
6. Deon Stegmann
7. Dewald Potgieter
8. Pierre Spies
9. Fourie du Preez
10. Morne Steyn
11. Francois Hougaard
12. Wynand Olivier
13. Jaco Pretorious
14. Gerhard van den Heever
15. Zane Kirchner

16. Bandise Maku
17. Bees Roux
18. Flip van der Merwe
19. Derick Kuun
20. Heini Adams
21. Jacques-Louis Potgieter
22. Pedrie Wannenburg

Stormers:

1. Wicus Blaauw
2. Tiaan Liebenberg
3. Brok Harris
4. Adriaan Fondse
5. Andries Bekker
6. Schalk Burger (c)
7. Francois Louw
8. Duane Vermeulen
9. Dewaldt Duvenhage
10. Peter Grant
11. Bryan Habana
12. Juan de Jongh
13. Jaque Fourie
14. Gio Aplon
15. Joe Pietersen

16. Deon Fourie
17. Eusebio Guinazu
18. Anton van Zyl
19. Pieter Louw
20. Ricky Januarie
21. Willem de Waal
22. Tim Whitehead

Previous Super 14 results:

2006: Bulls 43, Stormers 10 (Cape Town)
2007: Bulls 49, Stormers 12 (Pretoria)
2008: Bulls 16, Stormers 9 (Cape Town)
2009: Bulls 14, Stormers 10 (Pretoria)
2010: Bulls 10, Stormers 38 (Cape Town)

The Bulls and Stormers set up a dream South African Super 14 final to take place at Orlando Stadium in Soweto on Saturday

Both the Bulls and Stormers based their semi-final victories with their defence. The Bulls exhibited a more balanced approach between attack and defence during their 39-24 victory over the Crusaders, whilst the Stormers defended like Trojans for 80 minutes in suffocating the Waratahs during their 25-6 victory at Newlands.

The Bulls finally started strongly in a match, and their intensity and execution were brilliant in the opening stanza. Once a handy lead was built they possibly became a bit more conservative, and the Crusaders had the majority of the ball and field position.

Unlike their encounter 2 weeks prior, the Crusaders could find no way through the Bulls defence. The Bulls defence was much better in midfield, with Jaco Pretorius and Wynand Olivier ensuring their channels were well covered. This ensured the Crusaders could not gain any momentum, and wave after wave of red and black attack was met by a blue wall.

Referee Stu Dickinson was prehaps the only method by which the Crusaders were rewarded for their efforts.

The Stormers had a similar strategy in their match against the Waratahs. Their defence strangled the Waratahs and meant the Australian side could never gain any momentum and mount any serious pressure. This resulted in the Waratahs constantly transgressing, especially at the breakdown which resulted in possession and kickable opportunities that the Stormers could use to keep their scoreboard ticking over.

Both South African sides produced performances similar to the successful pattern that the Boks have employed over the last 2-3 years of strong defence, and clinical counterattacking. Even with the new law interpretations, it has been interesting to see the pattern employed by both sides, but especially the Bulls, change as the season has progressed to a more defensive one as the referees change the way they blow the game too.

It makes for a mouth watering clash, and as this weekend showed, both sides like to build a lead and then rely on defence and penalties to keep the scoreboard ticking over. Whilst the Stormers have shown at times how brilliant they can be with ball in hand, and they have scored some great tries, generally it has come when playing New Zealand opposition who present more opportunities on the counterattack.

For this reason I feel the Bulls have the edge. They have a greater ability to score tries (the Stormers only finished 9th in terms of tries scored, whilst the Bulls were joint equal) which will allow them to score points. The Stormers are great defensively, but may struggle to really test the Bulls defence.

The Bulls are also the more adaptable side and if either side finds itself falling behind on the scoreboard, the greater composure and ability to change tactics surely must rest with the Bulls. They’ve got players who have consistently won games with their brilliance such as Pierre Spies, Victor Matfield, Fourie du Preez and Morne Steyn.

Whilst the Stormers have some great players, if they fall behind they may struggle to come back and change their tactics if they need to score multiple times to get back into the game.

There are 2 other factors that should swing it in the Bulls favour too.
1. The home ground advantage and altitude
2. The Bulls are probably fresher after their rest a week ago. The Stormers had their bye quite some time ago, and have had some harder games (mentally as well as physically) which take their toll at this stage of the season.

I am sure there will be massive buildup and hype this week leading up to what is shaping up as the biggest game in South Africa for 2010!

The Stormers demolished the Waratahs 25-6 at home in Cape Town to set up an all South African final in Soweto.

The Stormers showed how far they have come as a team as the weight of public expectation was no hindrance as the clinically outplayed the Waratahs to move into their first super rugby final.

The match was very similar to their round robin encounter in week 2, with strong defences dominating the match. The Stormers only concede an average of 1 try, and 10 points per match at home this season, and the Waratahs could find no way to penetrate it. All they had to show for their efforts were a lone penalty and a drop goal.

For the Waratahs to have won this game, they needed to play a high risk game, and chance their arm. To lose by 19 points without even firing a shot shows they suffer from the same disease many of the South African sides have, and that is trying no to lose.

The Stormers (and Bulls) have shown that to win, requires enormous self-belief and the confidence to go for the win. Whereas that inhibited Stormers sides in the past, this side was able to enjoy the occasion in front of their home fans because they believed they would win.

A large part of their success comes in knowing how they want to play. They have absolute faith in each other on defence, and that is why they’ve conceded so few points. It also requires the commitment of each individual to make their tackles and boy do they make them count.

Stormers coach Allister Coetzee had this to say “Our defence against the Waratahs was splendid. It just goes to show how systems can win matches. We pitched up physically and the work rate was good, and when you have those two attributes working for you, it will be very hard for the opposition to cut your defence.”

Juan de Jongh provided the “x” factor and moment of brilliance to swing the match, and from there it was back to the game plan and strangling the Waratahs.

Other than de Jongh’s superb solo effort, the Stormers victory was built on teamwork. As individuals each player did his just and that made the collective effort effective.

“It was typical semi-final stuff and it’s fantastic to get through it. They contested the ball pretty well at the breakdown but at the end of the day we won it and that’s all that matters” said Stormers captain Schalk Burger after the match.

They now face the Bulls in their first final. Whilst their defence is strong, it remains to be seen if they can score enough points in a pressure environment against a quality side.

“The Bulls have been the form side this season. They’ve led the way and we’ve been trying to follow in their footsteps. We’ve made it to the final and anything can happen in a final” said Burger.

Stormers 25

Try: Juan de Jongh
Conversion: Grant
Penalties: Grant (6)

Waratahs 6

Penalty: Barnes
Drop goal: Barnes

Stormers player ratings:

1. Wicus Blaauw – 7

Solid around the field although didn’t get the scrum dominance his side would’ve wanted.

2. Tiaan Liebenberg – 8

Strong with ball in hand and always a danger. Consistent at the set pieces.

3. Brok Harris – 8

Gets through a mountain of work around the field and always making tackles.

4. Adriaan Fondse – 7

Revels in the tight exchanges and muscled up well.

5. Andries Bekker – 7

Gave away 1 penalty but always a danger on attack.

6. Schalk Burger – 9

I’m not quite sure where Schalk plays as he is everywhere! He leads by example and makes tackle after tackle after tackle. He’s also everywhere on attack and has regained the form that made him so feared.

7. Francois Louw – 7

Works hard at the breakdown and even if he can’t make steals he puts the opposition under enormous pressure. Was unlucky a couple of times as he was standing over the player but they wouldn’t release and he didn’t earn a penalty.

8. Duane Vermeulen – 7

Has such safe hands and always willing to do the hard yards. Another solid performance.

9. Dewaldt Duvenhage – 8

Kicked really well, getting the Stormers out of their half and deep into Waratahs territory. Had been inaccurate in the last few weeks, but showed his class when it really mattered.

10. Peter Grant – 7

Missed a couple of kicks but no chances were particularly easy. Took the ball to the line well when his options were limited.

11. Bryan Habana – 7

Minimal opportunities on attack, solid on defence.

12. Juan de Jongh – 10

Produced one of the tries of the season to give the Stormers a handy lead. Stepped beautifully 3 times and it was a great solo effort. Was also strong on defence including one awesome cover tackle when the Waratahs were looking dangerous. Has improved with every outing this season.

13. Jaque Fourie – 7

Solid in the midfield defence but had few opportunities with ball in hand. One chance in the second half produced an expertly positioned kick that gave the Stormers great field position.

14. Gio Aplon – 8

Dangerous with ball in hand but limited chances. For a small guy he is committed on defence and wrapped up the danger of Drew Mitchell well.

15. Joe Pietersen – 7

Good positional play and kicking.

16. Deon Fourie – 7

Mobile around the field and made his presence felt almost as an extra loose forward.

17. Eusebio Guinazu – 7

Did his job well.

18. Anton van Zyl -

Not on long enough to make a decent rating.

19. Pieter Louw -

Came on for Schalk Burger but the game was won by then. Not on long enough to make a decent rating.

20. Ricky Januarie – 7

Strong around the base of the ruck when he came on.

21. Willem de Waal -

Not on long enough to make a decent rating.

22. Tim Whitehead -

Not on long enough to make a decent rating.

The Bulls qualified for their second successive home final at their new venue in Soweto.

Moving to Orlando Stadium in Soweto turned out to be a momentous occasion for the Bulls! The home crowd support was excellent and had the Soweto flavour as the vuvuzelas were out in full force! It was great to see the stadium full of blue, mixed races in the crowd and plenty of dignitaries on hand for the match.

Many in Australia and New Zealand had predicted a Crusaders victory as they believed the Bulls would have lost momentum from resting players in the previous match. However it was the Bulls who started stronger.

I believed that for the Crusaders to win, they had to start well as they were always going to fade due to the travelling and altitude.
“I’m not going to use that (the travel) as an excuse. This is a really good Bulls side that deserved their victory. We were ready to go but we came up short and that’s entirely our fault. You can’t play catch-up against the Bulls” said Crusaders captain Riche McCaw.

The Bulls were well rested, and prepared for this and their defence was strong, a Deon Stegmann special led to a turnover and the Bulls were clinical in taking the ball through the phases before the pace and power of Pierre Spies finished the job.

Danie Rossouw scored a legitimate try soon after but the TMO ruled he had lost the ball.

Richie McCaw scored for the Crusaders soon after, but the Bulls weren’t perturbed. They spotted the weakness of the Crusaders under the high ball and Zane Kirchner followed his kick perfectly to score the Bulls second and open a handy lead that was never reigned in to put the Bulls under any real pressure.

2 Weeks ago the Crusaders believed they had the blueprint to beat the Bulls, but they were one dimensional. Their tactic to go wide was met with resolute defence, and when they failed to cross the advantage line they couldn’t get any momentum. They also lacked the ability to vary their play and produce a plan B.

“We weren’t allowed any space out wide and we didn’t adapt. When we did find some space we didn’t capitalise on our opportunities” said McCaw.

The Bulls had to do a lot of defending after the opening stages, helped largely by what I thought was a poor performance from ref Stu Dickinson. He was inconsistent which led to Victor Matfield being frustrated with the continual calls going against his side. However with all their ball and field position the Crusaders couldn’t make it count.

“It helped that we knew what their strategy would be. They didn’t offer any surprises but that didn’t make it any easier, we still had to defend well through 80 minutes and we did that” said Bulls coach Frans Ludeke.

A try in the second half to Zac Guildford was well executed as Zane Kirchner was found flat footed after Dewald Potgieter missed the cover tackle. However the Bulls kept on applying the pressure.

As we’ve so often seen in the past, Fourie du Preez is a game breaker. His vision to see the space down the short side, and the clinical execution for the match sealing try was brilliant.

“I said to Fourie afterwards – The big players come through in the big games and he turned the tide for us. That try put us out of reach. And Morne has taken some criticism for his form this season, but he showed his value tonight” said Bulls captain Victor Matfield.

One aspect of the Bulls game that worked well was the high kicks which were followed up with a committed chase.

“The strategy worked well on the day. The kickers were really accurate and our chasers put them under huge pressure. When we forced turnovers we had numbers and were able to capitalise. It all worked out nicely tonight” said Ludeke.

After du Preez’s try it was just a matter of winding the clock down and getting ready for next week’s final! The Bulls equalled their record winning margin against the Crusaders and have now beaten them in 3 semi-finals!

Bulls 39

Tries: Pierre Spies, Zane Kirchner, Fourie du Preez
Conversions: Steyn (3)
Penalties: Steyn (6)

Crusaders 24

Tries: Richie McCaw, Sean Maitland, Sam Whitelock
Conversions: Carter (3)
Penalty: Carter

Bulls player ratings:

1. Gurtho Steenkamp – 7

Did his job well and made numerous tackles.

2. Gary Botha – 6

Wasn’t his usual self around the breakdown and missed one crucial lineout throw early on. Solid in the set-pieces otherwise.

3. Werner Kruger – 6

Got penalised early on in the scrums but showed his strength later in the game as he started to gain the upper hand.

4. Danie Rossouw – 7

Scored a great try that was overruled by the TMO. A solid effort in the tight exchanges. Provided great go forward when needed. Hopefully the knock he tock late in the second half is not serious, it looked bad initially but the way he recovered suggested it was just a hard knock that may have hit a nerve.

5. Victor Matfield (c) – 8

Another superb performance all round from the skipper. Had one lineout stolen but then stole one back off Crusaders ball. Made numerous tackles and led the side awesomely!

6. Deon Stegmann – 8

Made a crucial steal at the beginning of the game that led to the Bulls first try. The Bulls never looked back, and that piece of play dictated the game. Got penalised a few times, but a good all round showing.

7. Dewald Potgieter – 8

Worked hard all game and a solid showing.

8. Pierre Spies – 8

Brilliant with ball in hand and took his try well. Made numerous tackles and worked tirelessly on defence. also showed great toe to match it with Zac Guildford.

9. Fourie du Preez – 10

A champion performance. Performed his role brilliantly, clearing the ball well and putting the box kick right on the money. Didn’t run much, but when there was a chance he saw it, and executed perfectly. Made the game safe for the Bulls, and showed the value of having a genuine game breaker in a side.

10. Morne Steyn – 9

Stepped up when it mattered. Kicked 9 from 10 and kept the Bulls scoreboard ticking over. Many of the kicks were difficult, but he showed that Orlando Stadium is no obstacle.

11. Francois Hougaard – 8

Minimal opportunities on attack, but stepped well when needed. His defence is under-rated, and he came in to make spot tackles whenever it was needed.

12. Wynand Olivier – 6

Quiet on attack and just couldn’t really break the line. Solid in defence but blotted his performance with a late hit.

13. Jaco Pretorious – 7

Minimal chances on attack. Carried the ball strongly an his defence in midfield meant the Crusaders couldn’t get the momentum they enjoyed in their previous encounter.

14. Jaco van der Westhuyzen – 8

Mopped up loose ball effectively, made his tackles and solid in all aspects.

15. Zane Kirchner – 7

Solid in all the basics and followed his kick well that led to his try. Hitting the backline really well and dangerous on attack, but will be disappointed to have spilt 2 balls on attack.

16. Bandise Maku – 7

Did his job well and ensured the scrum got better when he came on.

17. Bees Roux -

Not on long enough to make a decent rating.

18. Flip van der Merwe – 7

Great ball carries and provided the necessary impact when he came on.

19. Derick Kuun – 7

A handy player to bring on and took over Stegmann’s role to ensure the Bulls lost nothing. Worked hard on defence, making important tackles.

20. Jacques Louis Potgieter -

Not on long enough to make a decent rating.

21. Stephan Dippenaar – 7

Has been good on defence and whilst he doesn’t stand out, he does his job well.

22. Pedrie Wannenburg – 8

Carried the ball strongly, allowing the Bulls to play off him.

The Stormers have the first home semi-final in 11 years. Can they produce under the weight of expectation, in front of their home fans?

3rd min – Early penalty to the Waratahs for holding on.
Berrick Barnes with the early kick and he pushes it wide.

7th Min – All the early pressure from the Waratahs and the Stormers defence has been great.
A turnover and breakout sees the Stormers with a lienout 10m out.

8th Min – A penalty right in front to the Stormers.
Grant makes it 3-0.

10th Min – Great counterattack from Joe Pietersen running it from his 22m.

12th Min – Another penalty to the Stormers and Peter Grant makes it 6-0.

15th Min – Penalty to the Waratahs for a high tackle.
Berrick Barnes has a second attempt and kicks it. The gap is closed to 6-3.

17th Min – A completely different semi-final to the first one.
Duvenhage kicks deep into Waratahs territory and Barnes has to kick out from his in-goal.

25th Min – Waratahs building up phases and Berrick Barnes kicks a drop goal.
The score is 6-6.

25th Min – Juan de Jongh brilliant solo effort. 3 Awesome side steps and he scores the try! His first in super rugby.
Grant converts to make it 13-6.

32nd Min – Waratahs get the scrum penalty just inside their half.
The penalty attempt comes up short.

35th Min – Penalty to the Waratahs and I thought lucky not to be reversed as 2 players threw punches (albeit weak ones) to Schalk Burger.

39th Min – One last chance to the Stormers with a lineout deep in Waratahs territory.

Half Time – Stormers 13 Waratahs 6

It hasn’t been an open game. Tight defence and a moment of brilliance from de Jongh have been the way so far.

The game will open up a bit in the second half, but discipline, defence and goal kicking will be important.

42nd Min – Penalty to the Waratahs, and they go for touch.

44th Min – Polota-Nau found tons of space up the middle and the Waratahs blew a try-scoring chance as they knock on.

46th Min -Penalty to the Stormers straight out in front, 40m back.
Grant pulls the kick left.

50th Min – Penalty to the Stormers. Waratahs getting penalised for not releasing the tackled player.
Grant nails it to make it 16-6.

51st Min – Berrick Barnes with his second drop goal attempt.
Hooks it wide.

55th Min – Another penalty. Phil Waugh penalised. Possibly a bit harsh, but he never really released the player.
Grant kicks another penalty to make it 19-6.

59th Min – Waratahs have had a couple of chances, but the Stormers scrambling defence has been great.

61st Min – Great defence Stormers, good breakout down the left hand flank, and Jaque Fourie kicks ahead well.
Penalty Stormers.
Grant nails it and the score is now 22-6. Game over?

64th Min – Waratahs have now thrown caution to the wind. They need some miracles.

66th Min – Penalty to the Stormers. Grant kicks another penalty to make it 25-6.
Tiaan Liebenberg and Wicus Blaauw go off for a rest.

74th Min – Another penalty to the Stormers who have dominated the battle at the breakdown.
Now Schalk Burger is pulled off, resting up ahead of the final.
Habana comes off too.

Full time Stormers 25 Waratahs 6

It will be an all South African final next week.

The Stormers played a tight game and won the battle of attrition by dominating the tight exchanges. Can they do that to the Bulls?

Vodacom man of the match: Juan de Jongh

A historic occasion at Orlando Stadium, Soweto as the Bulls bring rugby to the colourful township!

There are many variables that could influence this game.
Have the Bulls lost momentum?
Will the travel affect the Crusaders?
What effect will Orlando stadium have?
Are the Crusaders peaking at the right time?
In 80 minutes we’ll have the answers.

Victor Matfield plays his 100th super rugby game for the Bulls! What a champion!

3rd Min – Spies!!! Oh what a start. The Crusaders had all the early ball, knocked the ball on and the Bulls took the ball through the phases beautifully from side to side and made great progress over the advantage line until Spies had too much pace and power for the try.
Morne Steyn converts to give the Bulls a 7-0 lead.

5th Min – The Bulls machine is starting well. An up and under from Steyn is spilt from Colin Slade, the kick through gives the Bulls a 5m scrum.

6th Min – Too big, too strong. Danie Rossouw crashes over after 2 phases from the scrum. The TMO rules it was knocked on. That’s a poor call and I hope it doesn’t influence the game.

9th Min – Penalty to the Bulls. Guildford knocks on and the resulting offside give the Bulls a penalty.
Morne Steyn sets a new record for points in a season with well over 200.
Bulls lead 10-0.

10th Min – Matfield takes the ball from the kickoff but the Bulls can’t get the ball back and the Crusaders have an opportunity near the Bulls line.

11th Min – The Crusaders drive it over the line and McCaw scores the try for the Crusaders.
Carter kicks the conversion to narrow the gap to 10-7.

14th Min – Charge down from Deon Stegmann and the ball rolls out just 1m from the tryline. Crusaders throw into the lineout.

15th Min – Try! Zane Kirchner follows his up and under, it comes off the Crusaders player head and Kirchner’s following up nets him the try.
Morne Steyn converts to extend the lead to 17-7. What a start to the game!

18th Min – A shoulder charge from a Crusaders player. Why wasn’t he sinbinned? Can I cite him!
Morne Steyn from 35m out nails a difficult kick.
Bulls lead 20-7.

20th Min – Crusaders take the ball through the phases, but the Bulls defence is solid.
Crusaders can’t get over the advantage line like they did 2 weeks ago, and they are simply going lateral so far without any punch.

21st Min – Bulls penalised at the scrum. Carter will kick from 39m out.
Boooo!
Carter kicks a tough one and the score is now 20-10.

24th Min – Potgieter penalised at the ruck. Crusaders nailed from the resulting lineout as they go wide, and Olivier makes a good tackle.
Dickinson makes a crucial steal and isn’t penalised at the breakdown. Where is the consistency? Matfield not happy and rightly so.

29th Min – Crusaders have all the ball in good field position. Morne Steyn kicks well deep into Crusaders territory.
Bulls getting penalised heavily. Stu Dickinson what a moron! Boooo. Ellis should have been penalised for holding on.
Carter kicks from halfway but misses it. Justice. The score remains at 20-10.

32nd Min – Crusaders finally penalised for not rolling away. Thank you Stu Dickinson.
Morne Steyn to attempt from 55m out.
He nails it! Unbelievable. Score now 23-10.

37th Min – Bulls lose a lineout. Victor Matfield has the ball poached from the lineout by Whitelock. Bulls penalised 5m out and now they get a warning.
Crusaders take a scrum 5m out.
The clock ticks towarard half time. Hold em out boys!

39th Min – Spies! du Preez initally hacked ahead and then Spies kicked upfield and was in a race with Guildford. 80m upfield and the Bulls get a penalty.
From the right hand touchline Steyn misses. Pity.

Half Time Bulls 23 Crusaders 10

After the initial lead the Crusaders have come back strongly with all the territory and possession. The Bulls have defended well and ref Stu Dickinson has been very harsh.
The Bulls will be happy with the lead and need to start strongly and try to make the Crusaders play catch up rugby.

41st Min – The Bulls have been strong in the second half all season. They will be confident with a good lead and induce the early error but are penalised at the scrum for breaking his bind.

44th Min – Bulls steal the lineout and go wide. They try to reycle in the middle of the field. Dickinson allows the Crusaders to steal with du Preez complaining. Dickinson having too large an influence for me.

45th Min – Steyn kicks too deep and the Crusaders have the ball in great attacking position.
Sean Maitland scores down the right hand side. Potgieter couldn’t make the covering tackle and the Crusaders are now right back in this game.
It should’ve been a penalty to the Bulls 2 minutes ago in a kickable position. Big big influence from Dickinson.
Carter nails the kick to make it 23-17.

48th Min – Finally a penalty to the Bulls. The Crusades were holding on and Stegmann was on his feet.
Steyn nails it to make it 26-17 and gives us a bit more breathing space.

52nd Min – Bulls starting to wear the Crusaders down. Morne Steyn with the snap drop goal but just shaves the right hand pole.
Daniel Bowden got bowled over by Francois Hougaard and Bowden is out for the count.

54th Min – Flip van der Merwe on for Danie Rossouw, and this is where the Bulls may have an edge, in the replacements.

56th Min – Wynand Olivier penalised for a late tackle. Crusaders refusing to lie down here.
Pedrie Wannnenburg on for Dewald Potgieter.
Bulls penalised 42m out.
Carter misses the kick. The score still 26-17.

57th Min – Chris Jack on for Brad Thorn.
Robbie Fruean also leaves and Tim Bateman on.

58th Min – Crusaders get the turnover, and kick ahead. Bulls escape fortuitously!
A try here by the Bulls will break this game open I feel.

63rd Min – Fourie du Preeeeeez! What a try. I had felt the champion scrumhalf was a bit quiet, but he had a great left shoulder from the scrum, and saw the space and scored a brilliant individual try.
Morne Steyn with an important kick from the left hand touchine and kicks it.
Bulls lead 33-17.

67th Min – Derick Kuun on for Deon Stegmann, and Stephan Dippenaar on for Jaco Pretorious.
Bulls have a scrum on the Crusaders 22m line.
Bulls awarded a penalty and step up Morne Steyn.
Steyn makes it 36-17.

70th Min – Bandise Maku on for Gary Botha.
Game effectively over now.

73rd Min – Power scrum from the Bulls. Crusaders look to be tiring, and the Bulls earn the penalty.
Morne Steyn makes it 9 from 10 and the score now 39-17.

78th Min – Crusaders running from everywhere, but it’s all academic now.

79th Min – Sam Whitelock gets a consolation try. Bulls losing intensity on defence. Fair enough.
Carter kicks the sideline conversion and the score is 39-24.

Full Time Bulls 39 Crusaders 24

A well deserved victory on a momentous occasion in Soweto.

What a fantastic stadium, atmosphere and result. The Bulls were more clinical, opened the lead, and the Crusaders couldn’t penetrate the Bulls defence often enough even though they had plenty of territory and possession in the first half.

The travel and altitude sapped their energy and the Bulls could grind down the victory in the second half as they so often do.

The Bulls go into their 3rd final next week and will play either the Stormers or Waratahs.

Vodacom man of the match: Fourie du Preez

It’s time for the Stormers to step up!

After many lean seasons for Western Province and Stormers rugby, it is time for the Stormers to step up and show that cape rugby is a force to be reckoned with once again.

CHOKERS?

The Stormers (and Western Province) have failed to deliver under pressure during recent times. Critics have noted that the Stormers once again faltered under pressure when losing to the Sharks 2 weeks ago.

With a massive home crowd expected, can the Stormers deliver for their fans?

Earlier this week, Stormers coach Allister Coetzee said, “I will be really disappointed if, after we have worked so hard for 13 weeks in week 14 we say ‘Oh no, there is a hell of a lot of pressure on us. I am going to urge them to live the moment, to embrace the pressure of playing in a semi-final, to enjoy it. This is what we have worked so hard towards. It’s an exciting week. We are at Newlands playing in a semi-final in one of the toughest competitions.”

“That is the attitude I know the players will have when they pitch up at training at the start of the build-up week. We spoke throughout the season about getting to enjoy what we are doing and play the best of the team’s and individuals’ performance in front of a passionate home crowd. It (pressure) has been there for a while, and we’ve obviously got it right so we can’t worry about the pressure. We’ve got to go out there and win this game” said Coetzee.

Coetzee believes his side just needs to continue doing what they’ve done all season, as it has been proven to produce the right results. “Our systems have been working for us and they have got us this far, and there is no reason for us to suddenly change it now” said Coetzee.

THE BEST DEFENCE IN THE COMPETITION

The Stormers have been superb on defence this season. In 13 matches they have conceded just 17 tries and points in total, stifling the opposition into errors and frustration.

The intensity of the tackling, the teamwork and making double hits has allowed the Stormers to gain momentum on defence, and they’ve also performed well in the loose trio which has allowed them to place real pressure on the opposition at the breakdown.

‘If you can’t go around or through a team, then I suppose there is only one more alternative, you have to go over,’ he told this website. ‘The Cheetahs tried it when they came to Newlands, and the Brumbies enjoyed some success through the kicking game of Matt Giteau. The Waratahs have some great kickers in Berrick Barnes, Kurtley Beale and even Drew Mitchell, and we are wary of their abilities with the boot.’

TEAM SELECTION

Allister Coetzee has been blessed by the lack of serious injuries this season (other than Joe Pietersen and Wicus Blaauw), and once again he can field an unchanged starting lineup.

The pack remains a strong, settled combination with no glaring weaknesses. It possesses pace, physicality, power and plenty of lineout options. All it requires is a strong performance on the field

In their previous clash with the Waratahs, Coetzee opted for the greater physicality of Ricky Januarie, but with his sublime form, Coetzee has opted to keep Dewaldt Duvenhage at scrumhalf.

Coetzee had this to say about his young scrumhalf, “Dewwies (Duvenhage) has really stood up and the tackle count will verify my statement. I don’t want to make unforced changes at this stage, but I have to say I’m happy with Dewwies’ defence. He’s not only made a lot of tackles, but the kind of positive hits that drive attacking players back. He’ll certainly take that momentum into the semi-final.”

The backline remains the same, and has become a well-drilled cohesive unit.

The ability to retain largely the same side has been a strong contributor towards the success of the Stormers this year. “Obviously when you stick with pretty much the same team you give the players a chance to bond together and to grow together as a team” said Coetzee.

“Having the same side play together over a period of time means that each player in the team knows what he needs to do, where he fits into the strategy. That is obviously a massive plus for us. Continuity is linked to the success of any team” said Coetzee.

THE WRONG TACTICS?

The Waratahs were impressive last week against the Hurricanes and have ended the season strongly, even without two of the influential Wallabies, prop Benn Robinson and number 8 Wycliff Palu.

In an effort to keep the team focused and away from the media hype, the Waratahs have elected to base themselves in Durban instead of Cape Town.

Waratahs coach Chris Hickey said “We reckon it is a good place to prepare in fine conditions, away from the hype of Cape Town, and then do a hit-and-run raid on Newlands.”
It’s a tactic the Aussies (and Kiwis) have used for games on the highveld, and it hasn’t brought much success. You can’t hide on match day, you have to deal with it and it’s a decision I can’t understand. Better to face the atmosphere and conditions and get used to them rather than different conditions some 1600km away.

MAKING THE CORRECT DECISIONS

Both sides have strong defences. The Stormers strength has been their mindset, and they have great firepower out wide with Jaque Fourie, Bryan Habana and Gio Aplon. However for both sides, it’s about being switched on mentally to play for the full 80.

Waratahs coach Chris Hickey said this week, “We have to ensure that our minds are right. We lost heavily at Newlands in round two when we did not have the right mental focus. We did not perform well and this week is about getting mentally switched on.”

“Their defensive record speaks for itself. It is outstanding, and on the back of that, they have been able to frustrate the opposition and force them into taking chances they would not ordinarily take. That said, we are the third best team in the competition, so it will be a huge contest on Saturday to see who can unlock the opposition defence”

Stormers coach Allister Coetzee has said the key is to read the situation and adapt accordingly. He has mentioned that it’s important to kick when warranted but important to keep the ball in hand when the opportunity presents itself.

As he rightly suggests, it is performing the desired actions with purpose that is most important.

“The Stormers enjoy the collisions and keeping the ball on attack, but I want to see the correct decisions being taken,’ he said. ‘When players kick, there must be a reason for that kick, and if they attack, it will be because there’s an opportunity to run. We have to get the balance right” said Coetzee.

Coetzee also mentioned the importance of the squad and that’s another area that I believe the Stormers should be able to gain the advantage with later in the game.

“It’s the positivity from the bench and the guys not in the 22 that’s made a helluva difference. That’s shown the character of a championship side. The starting XV gather before kickoff in a huddle and scream “Stormers, yes!” but it’s not just about their positive attitude. It’s also about the attitude of those guys not on the park, and those not in the 22″ said Coetzee.

PREDICTION

Both sides are very similar in playing pattern, but in my mind the execution of the Stormers should shade the Waratahs in each area. Their defence, physicality, skills at the breakdown and class out wide should see the Stormers edge the Waratahs in each facet of play and secure a victory.

Their may not be many try scoring opportunities, but the Stormers have top class finishers which should see them able to cross the line, whilst the Waratahs are full of endeavour but lack the finishing ability. As long as Kurtley Beale and Drew Mitchell are watched closely, the Waratahs attack should be fairly predicatable and able to be shut down.


Stormers by 13.

Stormers:

1. Wicus Blaauw
2. Tiaan Liebenberg
3. Brok Harris
4. Adriaan Fondse
5. Andries Bekker
6. Schalk Burger (c)
7. Francois Louw
8. Duane Vermeulen
9. Dewaldt Duvenhage
10. Peter Grant
11. Bryan Habana
12. Juan de Jongh
13. Jaque Fourie
14. Gio Aplon
15. Joe Pietersen

16. Deon Fourie
17. Eusebio Guinazu
18. Anton van Zyl
19. Pieter Louw
20. Ricky Januarie
21. Willem de Waal
22. Tim Whitehead

Waratahs:

1. Dan Palmer
2. Tatafu Polota-Nau
3. Al Baxter
4. Dean Mumm
5. Kane Douglas
6. patrick mcCutcheon
7. Phil Waugh (c)
8. Ben Mowen
9. Luke Burgess
10. Berrick Barnes
11. Drew Mitchell
12. Tom Carter
13. Rob Horne
14. Lachie Turner
15. Kurtley Beale

16. Damien Fitzpatrick
17. Jeremy Tilse
18. Chris Thomson
19. Dave Dennis
20. Josh Holmes
21. Daniel Halangahu
22. Rory Sidey

Previous Super 14 results:

2006: Stormers 26, Waratahs 32 (Cape Town)
2007: Stormers 16, Waratahs 10 (Sydney)
2008: Stormers 13, Waratahs 13 (Cape Town)
2009: Stormers 6, Waratahs 12 (Sydney)
2010: Stormers 27, Waratahs 6 (Cape Town)

A historic occasion at Orlando Stadium, Soweto!

The Bulls host the Crusaders for their 3rd semi-final clash, this time at the unfamiliar venue of Orlando Stadium in Soweto which has never been used for a super rugby fixture!

THE SOWETO STADIUM

The Bulls are excited to be playing in a new stadium, in a new environment and facing a new challenge. Rather than being bitter at having to leave the fortress of Loftus (as many pundits expected), collectively the Bulls are buzzing at embracing the situation they find themselves in.

“It’s a great stadium, and it may be a first time for us, but if you see the players walking around, they are taking pictures and really enjoying the experience” said Bulls captain Victor Matfield.

“The pitch is soft and fast, and this is our home game. We will do whatever we need to, to win the game on Saturday. This game is great for our country, and it is great that rugby comes to Soweto, especially if we want to grow the game in all areas of the country. To see the game sold out is amazing, and we’re expecting a mini-Loftus on Saturday” continued Matfield.

“I hear the stadium is sold out, which is great. People said that our supporters would stay away because of the perceptions they were supposed to have about Orlando, but the Bulls fans have shown their loyalty in packing in. They’ll be important in lifting us and making it as intimidating for the Crusaders as possible.”

GOOD LUCK FROM PROF FRTIZ ELOFF

As reported on the Bulls website, Prof Fritz Eloff, former president of the Blue Bulls and South African Rugby Football Unions turned 90 on Tuesday.

He wished the Bulls luck for the semi-final against the Crusaders, requesting a win to celebrate his 90th birthday.

“It is great to see them doing so well and I am sure they will go all the way again. Tell them I support them wholeheartedly for the weekend. The fact that the match will be played in Soweto is also a massive occasion for all and I am sure it will be a huge success” said Prof Eloff.

MILESTONES

Bulls captain, Victor Matfield plays his 100th Super rugby game for the Bulls (it will be his 108th super rugby game after playing 8 for the Cats early in his career).

“I’m proud to have played 100 Super Rugby games for the Bulls, but the 100th will be sweeter if we can win” said Victor Matfield.

TEAM SELECTION

The Bulls have made 15 changes to the side that lost to the Stormers, restoring their preferred, most experienced lineup. The starting line-up features 14 players who have won the Super 14 previously.

Jaco Pretorius returns from injury to shore up the midfield defence. His presence could ensure the Crusaders don’t find the midfield holes they discovered 2 weeks ago.

The side is well balanced and in Danie Rossouw and Flip van der Merwe there are 2 form locks who can help negate the suspension of Bakkies Botha.

A 5-2 bench gives the Bulls cover later in the game when I expect the altitude to take effect and the Bulls can put the Crusaders away like they did 2 weeks ago, and like they have done in the 2 semi-finals they’ve contested in Pretoria in 2007 and 2009.

DO THE CRUSADERS HAVE THE BLUEPRINT?

After their close loss at Loftus 2 weeks ago, the Crusaders have publicly stated they believe they have the formula to beat the Bulls. On that occasion they moved the ball wide at every opportunity, utilising the wrap-around and playing at a high-tempo to gain momentum and get over the advantage line. Going forward they were able to dominate the breakdown and utilise quick ball to send the Bulls backpedalling at a rate of knots.

Bulls captain Victor Matfield wasn’t so sure the Crusaders would be able to, or even attempt to replicate that attempt. Semi-finals are often tighter, like test matches and as the league match showed, when the pace slows down, the Crusaders struggled to get in behind the Bulls and Deon Stegmann was the one bossing the breakdown.

Speaking to Keo.co.za, Victor Matfield said “The last time we played they were chasing a bonus point to stay in the semi-final mix, so their approach was understandable. This is a semi-final were bonus points are of no consequence, so we’re not paying too much attention to what they are saying in the media.”

“Semi-finals have usually resembled Test matches quite closely, in that teams are reluctant to take risks in their own territory and prefer to play for field position then pressure the opposition into errors. We’re covering all our bases, and our philosophy has always been to focus on what we do well. If we prepare thoroughly and play to our potential we believe we can beat anyone. We have to muscle up in contact, especially on defence. We let them get across the gain line too often at Loftus, and when you allow a side as good as the Crusaders to build up momentum you’re always going to struggle” said Matfield.

Look for the Bulls to impose their game on the Crusaders, make the Crusaders make plenty of tackles and hopefully reverse the tables.

EXPERIENCE, LEADERSHIP AND ADAPTABILITY THE KEY

Bulls coach Frans Ludeke expects the Crusaders to try and add another string to their bow when they meet the Bulls, as top sides have the ability to read the game and alter their tactics.

“They are too experienced to play in one way for the entire game, particularly if we manage to get on top of them defensively. They’ll certainly have a primary game plan, but the best sides, and the Crusaders are one of the best, are able to switch between a couple of different strategies during the course of a game” Bulls coach Frans Ludeke told Keo.co.za.

Ludeke values his brains trust of Victor Matfield and Fourie du Preez to read the situation and control the tactics which will render his side successful.

“That’s where the value of our experienced players and leadership core like Victor Matfield and Fourie du Preez is found. They are so sharp to spot a change of tactics and instruct the team to make the necessary changes. They are also central to our ability to spot a dead end in terms of our tactics and make the subtle changes that help us strike somewhere else. It won’t be the only decisive factor in winning or losing, but it certainly will be one of the most important.”

Ludeke is also happy with his sides mental status and believes his side can will not be distracted by last weeks loss as they are focused on the job they have to do.

“In 2009, I was struck by how focused the squad was in the week leading up to the match, but from what I’ve seen so far, they’ve taken it up a level” said Ludeke.

MY VIEW

The Crusaders have had a tough schedule in the last few weeks. After travelling to Perth, they moved to Cape Town, to Pretoria, to Christchurch and now only arrived in Johannesburg on Tuesday. No Matter how good you are, it’s got to have an effect.

The key for the Bulls is: start well.
Score early, put the Crusaders under pressure and it’ll be a road to far to travel in the second half at altitude and in a hostile environment.

I am sure the Crusaders will come hard at the Bulls initially.
They’ll want to put the Bulls under pressure, and make the Bulls anxious playing in a new stadium. I’m sure the Crusaders will look to use a lot of width, and the guy who I believe has been instrumental for them is Colin Slade at fullback who hits the line intelligently and distributes the ball to his wingers well.

The Bulls however need to dominate the breakdowns and slow the ball to the Crusaders back, although I’m sure the Bulls defence will operate more effectively with Jaco Pretorius back, and the line can come up as a unit and shut down the Crusaders midfield.

Look also for the big time players to step up. du Preez, Matfield, Steyn, Spies etc. If they can get ball, get the Crusaders
making tackles, they can put pressure on the Crusaders defence and with a few points of their own, the Crusaders may have to chase the game early.

No matter who dominates the opening stanza, the Bulls will be well rested and should be able to stamp their authority in the second half to secure a victory. They deserve it for being league leaders, the most consistent side and setting the pace. The other factor many have failed to mention is the quality of the bench. I;m sure it’ll play a part, and it may just help swing the game late in the second half.

I’m picking the Bulls by 16.


Go Bulle Go!

Vodacom Bulls:

1. Gurtho Steenkamp
2. Gary Botha
3. Werner Kruger
4. Danie Rossouw
5. Victor Matfield (c)
6. Deon Stegmann
7. Dewald Potgieter
8. Pierre Spies
9. Fourie du Preez
10. Morne Steyn
11. Francois Hougaard
12. Wynand Olivier
13. Jaco Pretorius
14. Jaco van der Westhuyzen
15. Zane Kirchner

16. Bandise Maku
17. Bees Roux
18. Flip van der Merwe
19. Derick Kuun
20. Jacques-Louis Potgieter
21. Stephan Dippenaar
22. Pedrie Wannenburg

Crusaders:

1. Ben Franks
2. Ti’i Paulo
3. Owen Franks
4. Brad Thorn
5. Sam Whitelock
6. George Whitelock
7. Richie McCaw (c)
8. Kieran Read
9. Andy Ellis
10. Daniel Carter
11. Zac Guildford
12. Dan Bowden
13. Robbie Fruean
14. Sean Maitland
15. Colin Slade

16. Daniel Perrin
17. Wyatt Crockett
18. Chris Jack
19. Thomas Waldrom
20. Kahn Fotuali’i
21. Tim Bateman
22. Jared Payne


Referee: Stu Dickinson

Previous Super 14 results:

2006: Bulls 17, Crusaders 35 (Pretoria)
2006: Bulls 15, Crusaders 35 (SF Christchurch)
2007: Bulls 10, Crusaders 32 (Christchurch)
2007: Bulls 27, Crusaders 12 (SF Pretoria)
2008: Bulls 19, Crusaders 54 (Pretoria)
2009: Bulls 13, Crusaders 16 (Christchurch)
2009: Bulls 36, Crusaders 23 (SF Pretoria)
2010: Bulls 40, Crusaders 35 (Pretoria)

Bakkies Botha has been banned for 4 weeks!

The Big Bulls lock was cited by citing commissioner Freek Burger after Saturday’s clash with the Stormers.

The hearing took place at Loftus Versfeld on Monday morning, and after 4 hours it had to roll over into Tuesday.

The news on Tuesday was not great for the Bulls and even the Springboks, with the big man ruled out for 4 weeks.

It’s harsh, very harsh. Botha plays on the edge, a tremendously physical player who occasionally comes into the side of rucks, hits hard and is reliant on getting his timing and arm placement just right.

In the tackle on Gio Aplon that Botha was cited for, he clearly came in from the side and struck the Stormers winger near the head. It was not malicious or reckless in my view, just unfortunate.

My biggest issue is the consistency. Why can other players continually perform similar actions for no penalty, whereas every year Bakkies gets cited for legal and illegal play and gets suspensions that are at the high end of the limit. His history counts against him, and he is a marked man.

Talk to the man, you’ll find a gentle giant. A man who plays his rugby hard and asks for no quarter to be given. But equally he’ll take anything dished out at him and leave what happens on the field. It’s such a shame that Botha is picked on, but he needs to try and stay away from danger.

For their semi-final against the Crusaders, the Bulls will probably partner Victor Matfield with Danie Rossouw as starting lock, with Flip van der Merwe on the bench. The Bulls still possess a world class lock combination, but the omission of Botha is a huge shame.

Bakkies Botha was cited by citing commissioner Freek Burger after Saturday’s clash with the Stormers.

The big Springbok enforcer was playing just his third game of the season and building up his match fitness. He has shown no desire to back away from the physical stuff and on Saturday slowly looked to be regaining his best form as he showed with a couple of strong runs with ball in hand.

The incident he is being cited for happened in the early stages of the match when the Stormers had a ruck on their right hand touch line. Botha entered from the side of the ruck and Gio Aplon was flattened. Reports are stating that Botha did not use his arms and it was a dangerous tackle. He made contact near Aplon’s head, but it was neither malicious nor overtly dangerous, it was more simply a case of Botha entering from the side of the ruck.

C’mon Mr Burger…the Aussies and Kiwis get away with more than that! Because it’s Bakkies there’s the strong possibility that he’ll get more than a few weeks and miss the Bulls semi and possible final just when they need him most. (At least the Bulls have plenty of depth in the locking department and Danie Rossouw and flip van der Merwe have been excellent this year).

The hearing is set to take place at Loftus Versfeld on Monday morning. Let’s hope sanity prevails and we see the big man join his locking buddy Victor Matfield at Orlando stadium in Soweto for this weekend’s semi-final clash against the Crusaders.

The last week of the Super 14 confirmed both semi-finals will be hosted in South Africa!

The Bulls finished top of the log, whilst the Stormers deserved their second place finish and first home semi-final in 11 years.

Both the Waratahs and Crusaders showed that experience plays a large part in making the play-offs, and have consistently been involved at the business end of the season over numerous years. Whilst the top 2 sides definitely deserve the home advantage, I still feel that none of the other sides bar the Crusaders (and Reds for half the competition) were really worthy of semi-final spots with inconsistency and poor rugby for much of the duration of the season.

The rest of the sides were sorted into some sort of order but does it really matter. They are all also-rans and the much vaunted more attractive attacking rugby that we were promised with the new law interpretations in my mind didn’t eventuate. It doesn’t matter so much what the laws are, the attitude of the sides is the most important feature. I favour simpler laws which leave room for interpretation and player frustration more than anything else, whilst still ensuring a contest for the ball.

Crusaders (40) v Brumbies (22)

The Crusaders put three consecutive losses behind them and despite a long trip back from Pretoria, looked the more determined and conditioned side in the first virtual quarter-final.

From the opening whistle the Crusaders forwards dominated the contact points and that allowed their backs to get on the front foot and gain momentum. The linking between the Crusaders backs and forwards was impressive, and they attacked through the middle with their forwards and went wide with their wingers to keep the Brumbies defence guessing.

Colin Slade at fullback has been mighty impressive in my mind, hitting the line well and creating space for his wingers. That’s creating numerous opportunities and the Crusaders are running into form at the right time.

The Brumbies as they have for much of the season just haven’t been able to front for the tougher matches and their backline hasn’t been able to breach the advantage line and get their phase play working effectively.

The Crusaders now face another tough trip to Soweto at altitude in South Africa. Whilst they have travelled and won semis away from home before, surely the travel has to take its toll?

Waratahs (32) v Hurricanes (16)

The Hurricanes failed to turn up as they were outplayed by a hungry, determined Waratahs side. Almost everything the Waratahs tried came off, and they confidently put the Hurricanes hope to rest.

The Hurricanes defence managed to hold for long periods, and one can only deduce that the long periods of defending wore the side down as whenever they had the ball, errors handed it straight back to the Waratahs. Mind you losing inspirational skipper Andrew Hore to injury in the first half took much of the experience and leadership from the Hurricanes pack and they looked clueless with his departure.

The question now is can the Waratahs produce a similar performance away from home against the Stormers?

Sharks (27) v Force (22)

The Sharks once again failed to ignite but with a resolute defence kept the Force side out to secure a tight win.

The Sharks have only managed one 4 try bonus point all season which is where their woes begin. It places a lot of pressure on their defence when the side is incapable of scoring more than 30 points, but they’ve defended with plenty of passion and intensity. It has kept the opposition in the hunt, and in this match the Sharks were not able to build a substantial lead which kept both sides in the hunt.

The Sharks will be happy to have won 7 out of their last 8 matches, but have they really progressed much this season?

Blues (30) v Chiefs (22)

Despite travelling back from South Africa the Blues were able to gain greater forward ascendency and the upper hand against a Chiefs side depleted by injury.

The Blues did most of the attacking but both sides were guilty of errors which robbed the match of momentum. The Blues were able to open a lead and it was only a late try to the Chiefs that gave the scoreline some respectability. For last years finalist’s, the Chiefs were a large disappointment as they managed just 1 win in 10 games after their initial 3 matches.

Reds (38) v Highlanders (36)

In front of a large Brisbane audience the Reds gave their fans something to cheer about with their best finish in 8 years.

The Reds started off brilliantly from the opening whistle and were able to post 4 first half tries to go into half time with the lead. After the break the Highlanders showed they are not a side that gives in easily and produced a second half fightback that gained them the lead with seconds remaining.

The Reds produced a late try and conversion to gain a 2 point lead. The Highlanders then had to keep the ball alive and were awarded a penalty inside their own half that they strangely elected to kick. It was too ambitious a kick with Israel Dagg coming up short when I felt working the ball upfield could have opened up the possibility of a try or drop goal if a penalty was not able to be earnt.

Cheetahs (59) v Lions (10)

The Cheetahs thoroughly deserved their fifth win of the season for their best super 14 finish whilst the Lions showed they can plummet to new depths of despair.

The Cheetahs dominated all over the park with almost 70 of possession and 9 tries to show for their effort. The Lions showed little interest in defending, and their skill right across the field was an embarassment. At least replacement loose forward Jonathan Mokuena produced a solid performance but he was a lone figure.

The Lions ended with a points difference of -315. Their 72 tries conceded (19 more than their closest rival) was over 5.5 per game which made them a walking bonus point for their opposition. If I was on the president’s council of SARU I’d boot them out as they are a disgrace to the union and don’t deserve a spot ahead of the Southern Kings.

Stormers (38) v Bulls (10)

The Stormers totally dominated the match against a Bulls ‘B’ side from the opening exchanges until they made massive substitutions later in the game. An inexperienced Bulls side needed to start well, and the Stormers were able to use their greater experience to hold the ball and play a territory based game that put the Bulls side under tremendous pressure.

I felt ref Jonathan Kaplan was a little one sided, and the constant stream of penalties allowed the Stormers plenty of possession and they used it superbly to build phases and pressure. The danger when the game gets so easy is losing your focus, and the Stormers were brilliant in maintaining the intensity they lacked the previous week.

Juan de Jongh has been brilliant all season at tidying up loose ball and getting the Stormers going forward when needed and allowing space for Jaque Fourie and his fellow outside backs to move.

The interplay between the Stormers forwards and backs has been awesome at times this season. They just need to make sure they can produce that sort of performance every week if they want to win the Super 14.

The Bulls performance was largely irrelevant given that so many of their players were rested, but they tried gamely and the players will only be wiser for the experience. Pedrie Wannenburg was awesome carrying the ball up all day, and Gerrit-Jan van Velze showed his enormous promise as a loose forward. Tiger Mangweni was solid as the last line of defence and showed the Bulls can afford to rest Zane Kirchner is needed next season. Chiliboy Ralepelle also showed hi potential when he came on later in the game as a replacement.

If the 2 sides meet later in a final at Soweto, don’t expect this match to have too much relevance although I’m sure the Bulls will not be happy to have given up their 5 year winning record over the Stormers.

A chance to rest our top guys and test our depth!

By wrapping up the top spot on the log, the Bulls have nothing more to gain from this fixture, and this allows he side a chance to test the depth of the players at the Bulls union. Whilst some sides and officials have been very critical of this practice, that is the spoils a victorious side like the Bulls can enjoy.

Other coaches and officials have warned that the Bulls could lose momentum, but I don’t think that will worry the Bulls. What it does allow is for the top guys to start preparing for the semi-finals already, whilst the remaining sides still in contention have to think of a tough final league game. From a mental and physical perspective, the Bulls will be thoroughly prepared for their semi-final!

MILESTONES

The Bulls are looking to extend their winning streak over the Stormers to 6 games having won on their last 5 encounters!

Making their first starts for the Bulls are Tiger Mangweni at fullback (played super rugby for the Stormers and Cheetahs previously), De Wet Barry at inside centre (played super rugby for the Stormers previously), Deon Helberg on the wing (a Springbok sevens representative), Gerrit-Jan van velze at flank (captained Bulls Vodacom cup side to the title last week and former nominee for world junior player of the year)

On the bench Okkie Kruger, Ruan Snyman, Francois Brummer and Stefan Watermeyer will all make their Bulls’ debuts if they take the field.

Backing up from their victorious Vodacom Cup final are Tiger Mangweni, Deon Helberg, Gerrit-Jan van Velze, Jaco Engels, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Deon Greyling, Fudge Mabeta, Okkie Kruger, Ruan Snyman, Francois Brummer and Stefan Watermeyer

BELIEF

Frans Ludeke the Bulls coach says that his side’s belief has increased even further after the victory over the Crusaders. If the most emphatic victory in a Super 14 final didn’t do it, than the character to win games this year when they’ve been trailing and in difficult circumstances can only make the Bulls even harder to beat, and that’s a characteristic of championship sides.

“It wasn’t the prettiest game and we certainly had our share of good fortune, but sometimes you get games like that and you just have to guts it out. The best sides all share that trait and I was pleased that we were able to come through the toughest test of the season the way we did” Ludeke told keo.co.za.

“It humbled me to see the boys show that type of character. The fact that they were able to put errors behind them and just concentrate on the task at hand says everything about the calibre of this squad, particularly the senior players who always gave off positive energy. The youngsters fed off that energy and they never gave up because the leaders in the squad refused to” continued Ludeke.

“Afterwards you could see in their eyes that they had gone to another level of belief. That happens when you pass tests as difficult as that one was. The Crusaders had some of the world’s best players in their line up and never ever give up. We’re keeping our feet on the ground, but I’d be lying if I told you there isn’t massive self belief within the squad. We believe we can beat anyone when we play to potential” said Ludeke.

Ludeke continued “We got some luck with the last try in the sense that Richie McCaw’s charge down of Morne Steyn’s drop goal could have rolled anywhere, but it broke back to us. The composure we showed in launching that last counter-attack tells me we’re growing into the team we see ourselves being, and Francois’s finish was of the highest quality.”

TEAM SELECTION

This has been a bone of contention with the Kiwis and Australians crying about the Bulls decision to rest many of their stars. They can go fish! This is no Bulls ‘B’ side, it is an alternate side, and they deserve their chance.

I’m sure they’ll do the Bulls proud and be better for the experience in a game that has lost most of it’s meaning for the Bulls. All that really matters is the semi and final.

PREDICTION

Well anything could happen. I think it’ll be tight initially as the sides feel each other out, but in the end the Stormers should be able to beat a side lacking experience at the top level. The pace of the game may take it’s toll on the inexperienced Bulls players. I’d love for the Bulls to win but won’t be unhappy to see the Stormers gain a home semi-final and play the Bulls again in a final at Orlando stadium, Soweto. Stormers to win by 15.

Go Bulle Go!

Vodacom Bulls:

1. Jaco Engels
2. Bandise Maku
3. Bees Roux
4. Flip van der Merwe
5. Bakkies Botha (c)
6. Derick Kuun
7. Gerrit-Jan van Velze
8. Pedrie Wannenburg
9. Heini Adams
10. Jacques-Louis Potgieter
11. Deon Helberg
12. De Wet Barry
13. Stephan Dippenaar
14. Jaco van der Westhuyzen
15. Tiger Mangweni

16. Chiliboy Ralepelle
17. Dean Greyling
18. Fudge Mabeta
19. Okkie Kruger
20. Ruan Snyman
21. Francois Brummer
22. Stefan Watermeyer

Stormers:

1. Wicus Blaauw
2. Tiaan Liebenberg
3. Brok Harris
4. Adriaan Fondse
5. Andries Bekker
6. Schalk Burger (c)
7. Francois Louw
8. Duane Vermeulen
9. Dewaldt Duvenhage
10. Peter Grant
11. Bryan Habana
12. Juan de Jongh
13. Jaque Fourie
14. Gio Aplon
15. Joe Pietersen

16. Deon Fourie
17. Eusebio Guinazu
18. Anton van Zyl
19. Pieter Louw
20. Ricky Januarie
21. Willem de Waal
22. Tim Whitehead

Previous Super 14 results:

2006: Bulls 43, Stormers 10 (Cape Town)
2007: Bulls 49, Stormers 12 (Pretoria)
2008: Bulls 16, Stormers 9 (Cape Town)
2009: Bulls 14, Stormers 10 (Pretoria)

The Bulls can take it easy!

The Bulls are assured of top position on the log but the final match of the round robin will still have a massive influence on the final standings.

There are 4 other teams vying for semi-final positions and coincidentally they play each other 2. It is interesting how they are New Zealand sides versus Australian sides, fighting to keep their countries hopes alive.

The remaining games are all academic and only of consequence for sides trying to improve their final log position.

The Stormers and Reds are possibly the 2 form sides, and face each other in what should be a mouth watering clash in Brisbane.

Blues v Chiefs – Eden Park, Auckland

The Blues have to return from Johannesburg, and may struggle in the last quarter of the match. Both sides have disappointed this season and will be looking to add some respectability to their log position.

Blues by 6.

Waratahs v Hurricanes – Sydney Fotball Stadium, Sydney

Both sides are running into a rich vein of form at precisely the right time.

The Hurricanes are the more unpredicatable side with gamebreakers that could easily take the game away from the Waratahs, but if the Australian side can play their boring percentages based game and wear the Hurricanes down, they stand a good chance of victory.

It could be a tight game as it is a virtual quarter final.

Hurricanes by 10.

Sharks v Force – ABSA Stadium, Durban

The Sharks have been improving as the season has progressed whilst the Force are probably wanting to get home.

The Sharks still have a problem scoring tries and much depends on their ability to convert opportunities and put a side away. I’m still not sure they can get a 4 try bonus point, but they should win this match.

Sharks by 10.

Crusaders v Brumbies – AMI Stadium, Christchurch

The second virtual quarter final. The Crusaders showed last week why they have won the competition 7 times, and appear confident they have discovered they style they want to play at this critical stage of the season.

The Brumbies have been solid if not specatular and their strength has been through the forwards rather than the backline where they’ve traditonally attacked through.

The Crusaders may also feel the effects of having had to travel back from Pretoria, although they played last Friday and have almost 2 extra travel days compared to what sides normally encounter as they only play on the Saturday.

The effects of playing the Bulls cannot be underestimated also, and that takes a lot out of sides so surprisingly I am picking the Brumbies to win narrowly.

Brumbies by 4.

Reds v Highlanders – Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

The Reds have had injury problems and discovered how hard it is to maintain momentum and intensity for an extended period of time.

The Highlanders are poor away from home, and even with an injury hit Reds side, they’ll struggle to be competitive.

Reds by 10.

Cheetahs v Lions – Witbank

The Lions are awful whilst the Cheetahs have impressed me with their commitment and attitude. Where they falter in skill and precision, they have made up for by being commited to the cause and thus deserve to beat the Lions.

The Lions always save their best for South African derbies, but they’ll lose this one because they deserve to.

Cheetahs by 12.

Stormers v Bulls – Newlands, cape Town

The Stormers have to win, whereas the Bulls have the luxury of playing a second string side.

It still won’t be an easy match for the Stormers as the ‘fringe’ players will want to prove a point and the strength of the Bulls side is they set their own standards. They’ll believe they can win, and most importantly want to win.

Both sides are evenly balanced and much will depend on who can maintain greater intensity, dominance at the breakdown and take their chances.

I have a feeling that home ground advantage and greater cohesion from settled combinations will get the Stormers home.

Go Bulle Go! But the Stormers by 8..

Gerhard van den Heever was cited following his clumsy spear tackle on Crusaders player Tim Bateman. van den Heever is just a young kid who has barely ever conceded a penalty in his career let alone perform a malicious piece of action.

van den Heever’s actions were dealt with by the referee and the consequences of his actions hurt the Bulls at a stage of the game they could ill afford to lose him, and it cost the Bulls a valuable 3 points.

I would have deemed that punishment enough, especially given the precedent we have seen this year with other players being cited and /or punished for similar offences.

This video clip shows why van den Heever is the Bulls leading try scorer this year as he has become a potent attacking weapon.





On Monday, after a 2 hour hearing at Loftus Versfeld, van den Heever was given a 2 match suspension. Whoever decided to give van den Heever a 2 week suspension should be punished themselves. It is grossly unfair.

This means the young Bulls winger will miss the final game against the Stormers (where he may have been rested anyway) and the semi-final to take place at Orlando stadium in Soweto.

Whilst I don’t expect any armbands this time around, I can only say beware of an angry Bull! Someone will feel the wrath!

With 1 week left of the round robin the Bulls have ensured they have sealed top spot!

The top 4 took on a new complexion with only the Bulls assured of a semi-final spot. Two Australian sides move in, whils there are no Kiwi sides currently in the top 4. That could all change with the top 6 sides all playing one of the others in the last weekend of games.

One would expect the Stormers to make the semi-finals, but much depends on the Bulls approach to their game, whilst the other 4 sides take part in virtual quarter finals.

As this weekend showed, almost any side can beat one another on any given day, and attitude and commitment play the greatest role in determining a side’s destiny.

Hurricanes (44) v Reds (21)

The Hurricanes got out to an early 8-0 lead before the Reds hit back with 3 tries. Once again captain Will Genia and Quade Cooper were instrumental in getting the Reds going forward with smart interplay and passing finding spaces in the Hurricanes defence.

The Hurricanes were winning the battle of the breakdown and although they trailed by 21-8 with half-time looming, a spectacular try from Hosea Gear after the half time hooter enabled them to narrow the deficit going into half time.

After half time Reds flank Andrew Shaw was yellow carded and the Hurricanes took full effect, swinging the momentum and scoring 2 further tries. The Reds could never recover and now look to be gone from the title race. Whilst dangerous out wide, they simply haven’t got any forward power left to compete with the top sides on a weekly basis. The Hurricanes ended up scoring 36 unanswered points as the reds ran out of gas.

What I found most interesting was seeing Will Genia losing his cool towards the end of the game as he spat the dummy and punched the ball in frustration. And there is talk he is a future Wallaby captain!

The Hurricanes are running into form at the right time and if they make the semi-finals could be dangerous as they have the experience and are one of the most dangerous sides on their day.

Bulls (40) v Crusaders (35)

The Crusaders showed just why they have won 7 super rugby titles as they produced a great performance with their backs to their wall. They took the game to the Bulls, going wide and utilising their running skills to carve massive holes in the Bulls defence.

But just as the Crusaders have done for many years, the Bulls showed why they are now the most feared side in the competition as they remained in touch with Morne Steyn’s boot, absorbed all the pressure and responded with superb counter attacking.

The Crusaders had scored 3 good first half tries as a result of patient build up and using the wrap around to create overlaps on each flank. But the Bulls showed they weren’t to be outdone as they broke out with 2 long range efforts that were finished with clinical precision, firstly by Francois Hougaard and the second by intricate interplay between Gary Botha, Danie Rossouw and Victor Matfield.

After half time the complexion of the game changed as the Bulls dictated proceedings and were able to play a more forward orientated battle. The Bulls just couldn’t get over for a try that threatened to break the game open, and the Crusaders managed one against the run of play to allow the game to be held on a knife edge as Morne Steyn and Dan Carter engaged in the battle of the boot.

Just when it looked like Carter had done enough to see his side through, and Morne Steyn’s last gasp drop goal attempt was charged just before the hooter sounded, the Bulls showed the patience and nous to hold onto the ball, build phases to drag the Crusaders in before exploiting the space out wide.

It was an important win for the Bulls who remain unbeaten at Loftus this season, securing the home semi-final and probably knocking the Crusaders out of the title race.

Match report and Bulls player ratings

Chiefs (19) v Waratahs (46)

The Waratahs thrashed the Chiefs in Hamilton to move back into third spot on the log, and signal they are still a force to be reckoned with.

After scoring their first try after just 3 minutes, the Waratahs scored a further 6 more as they attacked from all over the park to race to a 27-0 lead before the Chiefs could get on the board as late as the 61st minute by which stage the contest was over.

The Waratahs attack was a lot more cohesive with Berrick Barnes at flyhalf and Tom Carter and Rob Horne the centre pairing. It allowed greater space out wide, and this allowed the greater use of Wallaby Drew Mitchell. Can the Waratahs maintain this sort of form at a time they usually lose their way?

Brumbies (31) v Highlanders (3)

The Brumbies kept their semi-final hopes alive with a comprehensive win in Carberra. The Brumbies played with great pace and intensity, getting their multi phase play going and the Highlanders had no answer.

The Highlanders initially stood up to the task, but a side can only make so many tackles and the Brumbies patience eventually wore the Highlanders down. 2 Tries in the first half gave the Brumbies a solid buffer, and although the dominated most of the match it wasn’t until the last minute before the Brumbies could secure the crucial bonus point.

The match will most probably be remembered for the last game in Canberra for Brumbies stalwart George Smith who has been an outstanding player over the years.

The Brumbies now have to beat the Crusaders in Christchurch to secure a semi-final position and depending on what happens with the Waratahs-Hurricanes may even sneak through with a close loss.

Lions (14) v Blues (56)

Pathetic. The Lions are the worst side in super rugby history.

The Lions have now set new records for the most losses in a season (12 so far) and points conceded (526) with an abysmal points difference of -266!

The Blues only had to pitch up as the Lions have a non-existent defence that allows a side to practice their training moves with semi-contact and walk away with the easiest of 5 log points. The Blues were far from polished but showed great character to play for the full 80 minutes, whilst the Lions looked clueless.

Carlos Spencer often seems unsure what to do and often throws hospital passes to his backs. On one occasion Tonderai Chavange did brilliantly to create a try for the Lions. He thoroughly deserved his yellow card for a foot trip that signified the frustration within this Lions side.

In the first half the Lions turned down a penalty attempt from in front of the poles only to attempt a drop goal from the ensuing lineout. Why would you do that? Is this side coached at all?

Ellis Park these days is empty for home games and the Lions will be taking their final match to Welkom. I’d suggest that unless the locals desperately want to see the Cheetahs, they’d be better off not wasting their money and stay at home!

Cheetahs (29) v Force (14)

The Cheetahs showed that you don’t need a team of star players, but the determination and commitment to play to the best of your ability with what you have on offer.

Both sides showed a willingness to move the ball, but it was the Cheetahs who made greater yardage over the advantage line, allowing more space for their backs to move.

In Bjorn Basson (and Hennie Daniller) the Cheetahs had great aerial exponents, and the kicking of Naas Oliver and Daniller from fullback was used to great effect. The try where Olivier kicked cross field for Basson to run onto was pin point and one of the best of the year.

Unfortunately they could not keep up the intensity for the full 80 once they had opened a lead and both sides made too many errors in the final quarter to get anything going.

The Cheetahs moved up 2 spots on the log and that is just reward for their tenacity and attitude as in previous years they have simply thrown in the towel. The Force also showed a great attitude and have tried gamely all season long.

Sharks (20) v Stormers (14)

Why do South African sides suddenly come alive when they are playing their fellow countrymen who are semi-final contenders?

The Sharks had a mission for this game, and that showed in their attitude and commitment. The Stormers are probably the better side all around the field, but they could not match the hunger the Sharks had and were bossed around at the breakdown and in contact. That resulted in far too many errors for the Stormers who simply could not get anything going, and continually handed possession to the Sharks.

For all their territory, possession and opportunities created, the Sharks could only score 2 tries, and one was a gift at that after Sireli Naqelevuki botched an easy ball to force behind his goal line.

Some critics are saying that Kockott and Pienaar made a big difference and proved themselves as a halfback pairing. Considering we know what they are capable of and they’ve played many times before, I can’t see why it has taken people so long to say this is the pair the Sharks needed.

What made the difference in my mind was the fact the Sharks ran straighter, harder and didn’t kick possession away aimlessly. By going forward and building phases, they created pressure which created chances. It’s a simple formula.

The Stormers were given a tough lesson and now need to regroup for one last league match to secure a home semi-final. Much will depend on what the Bulls do and how seriously they take a game they don’t need to win.

The Bulls produced their 18th successive win at home and remained unbeaten for the season at Loftus.

In front of Bafana Bafana who has come to support the Bulls, the home side scored their 18th consecutive victory at Loftus in a match where the Crusaders dominated for long periods but could not deliver the killer blow against a patient Bulls side that delivered its slow poison.

The Crusaders had obviously done their homework and were able to turn around a poor display from the week prior by directing play away from the Bulls strengths at the set-pieces and forward play, and moving the ball wide at every opportunity.

At the set-pieces the Bulls dominated, winning lineout ball off the Crusaders throws, earning numerous penalties at scrum time and using the rolling maul to good effect in the second half.

However when the Crusaders had ball in hand there was an obvious ploy to run the Bulls around the field. Simply moving the ball wide does not necessarily bring results, but the Crusaders used dummy runners and wrap arounds to create the overlaps needed, mind you I felt that they were gifted far too much space in midfield because Wynand Olivier and Jacques-Louis Potgieter failed to shift wide adequately and that allowed the Crusaders to run at full momentum that was hard to stop.

Despite the tries being conceded, the Bulls were able to stay in touch with the long range boot of Morne Steyn, and then Fourie du Preez made one of his most important steals to utilise the talents of Francois Hougaard on the wing as the Bulls scored 2 quick tries that kept them in the game.

With the introduction of Stephan Dippenaar to bolster the defence the Bulls were much better in the second half , and slowly administered their mark on the match and made the Crusaders play the game they wanted. The Crusaders had limited opportunities and it appeared to come down to the goal kickers as the Bulls could not cross the line despite numerous attempts.

In the end it was patience after Morne Steyn’s last attempt drop goal that allowed the Bulls to remain calm and work the space out wide for Francois Hougaard’s match winning try. It allowed the Bulls to remain ubeaten at home for the season and enjoy an enviable record of 18 successive victories at Loftus.

The Crusaders weren’t happy as they felt the ball was knocked on. Despite complaining bitterly to the ref, the try stood as it was knocked back off a Crusaders arm and the right call was made.

The Bulls are now guaranteed of a home semi-final that will be a momentous occasion as we move to Soweto and Orlando stadium for the first time ever in super rugby!

Bulls 40
Tries: Francois Hougaard (2), Victor Matfield
Conversions: Steyn (2)
Penalties: Steyn (5)
Drop Goals: Steyn (2)

Crusaders 35
Tries: Brad Thorn, Andy Ellis, Shaun Maitland, Ti`i Paulo
Conversions: Carter (3)
Penalties: Carter (2)
Drop Goals: Carter

Bulls player rating:

1. Gurtho Steenkamp – 7

A disciplined effort from the strong front ranker. Was working hard and a measure of concentration for the full 80 minutes.

2. Gary Botha – 7

Worked hard in the tight, and solid with his lineout throwing. Missed the odd tackle. Drew in 2 defenders to create space for Matfield’s try.

3. Werner Kruger – 8

Dominated the scrums and also worked extremely hard in the tight exchanges.

4. Danie Rossouw – 6

Not quite the match Danie Rossouw would have wanted for his 100th game. He’ll be remembered for 2 unfortunate high tackles resulting in a yellow card that hurt his side. Redeemed himself with a great offload to set up Victor Matfield for his try.

5. Victor Matfield (c) – 9

Brilliant. Remains calm and captained the side well and was brilliant linking the forwards and backs and providing overall direction around the field. Scored one of the tries of the season, but needs to work on his dive!

Did anyone else notice it was Matfield out wide directing Maku for the crucial matching winning try?

6. Deon Stegmaan – 9

Over shadowed his opponent Richie McCaw making numerous steals, often at crucial times when the Bulls were hard in defence. Discipline was brilliant and had a great all round peformance showing he deserves a Bok call up.

7. Dewald Potgieter – 8

Worked hard around the breakdown but probably needed to hit the ball up over the advantage line more. A tireless defender. Made 2 crucial lineout steals.

8. Pierre Spies – 7

The big Springbok superman has not been his best the last few weeks. His pickup from the base of the scrum and being bundled to touch allowed the Crusaders to cross for a try just when the Bulls were gaining momentum. Worked hard in defence however.

9. Fourie du Preez – 7

Good service from the breakdowns and scrums but didn’t have much quality ball in the first half. Made a crucial steal at the breakdown that led to the Bulls first try. A match defining piece of play?

10. Morne Steyn – 7

Still slightly erratic in his kicking but produced the results when it mattered most. Wasn’t presented with easy opportunities but a flawless record would have given the Bulls greater breathing space. Solid in general play and hs 2 drop goals were great.

11. Francois Hougaard – 10

Man of the match and deservedly so. Took all his opportunities brilliantly and many would have spilled that final ball forward. Not afraid to step inside which most South African wingers are afraid to do and that set up his first try. A great game but I’m still not sure about his haircut!

12. Wynand Olivier – 5

Didn’t control the midfield defence well which was the most porous I’ve seen it in a long time. Also made some crucial runs but lost the ball far too often in contact which killed momentum at crucial times.

13. Jacques-Louis Potgieter – 6

Solid in 1 on 1 defence, but struggled to read the lines needed and shift wider when the Crusaders used decoys to create overlaps out wide. Would have been better at inside centre and Olivier at outside centre.

14. Gerhard van den Heever – 6

Limited opportunities and unfortunately his high tackle cost the Bulls the lead at a crucial stage in the match.

15. Zane Kirchner – 8

Awlays solid in defence and makes his crucial tackles. Also kicked well and contested the ball in the air well as an attacking option.

16. Bandise Maku – 9

Missed a crucial lineout throw that eventually led to the Crusaders earning a penalty at the breakdown and regaining the lead. However he made up for everything with a great run, drawing in 2 defenders to put Francois Hougaard away for the match winning try.

17. Bees Roux – 5

Solid in the set pieces but gave away a crucial penalty as he did not respond to the referees call.

18. Bakkies Botha – 7

Provided a hard edge when he entered the game and got over the gain line well to get the Bulls going forward.

19. Derick Kuun – 7

Had minimal impact in the short run he was given.

20. Jaco van der Westhuysen -

Not on long enough to make a decent rating.

21. Stephan Dippenaar – 8

Shored up the midfield defence and made one critical steal in the tackle which showed great strength.

22. Pedrie Wannenburg – 8

A good ball carrier when needed, just couldn’t quite bust the line when the Bulls were applying pressure.

The Bulls can secure top position on the log with a bonus point victory over the Crusaders

Well done to Danie Rossouw who earns his 100th Super rugby cap. Go Bulle!

1st Min – The Bulls are penalisedaround half way, but it is reversed. An early chance for Morne Steyn albeit quite a long range attempt.
Morne Steyn makes it to give the Bulls a 3-0 lead.

Crusaders looking at attack down their left flank wherever possible.

7th Min – Gary Botha penalised right in front, but tap and go. Maybe the Crusaders think they need the bonus point. They turn down a gift 3 points.

10th Min – The Crusaders score a good try down the left flank after van den Heever lost the ball in contact. Poor tackling but the Crusaders support play was very good and they were all forwards.
Dan Carter kicks from out wide and it is 7-3 to the Crusaders.

12th Min – Great kick off and the Bulls pressure forces the Crusaders over their line and it is a 5m scrum and a chance to hit back immediately.

14th Min – Errors from the Bulls, and the Crusaders are looking to run everything.

15th Min – Morne Steyn to attempt a 53m penalty attempt.
Beauty!! Morne narrows the gap to 7-6.

18th Min – Dan Carter worked the inside channel and it’s a try to Andy Ellis. The Crusaders are dominating the ball and getting over the advantage line.
Crusaders lead 14-6 after the conversion.

20th Min – Danie Rossouw sent to the bin for a second high tackle. There was nothing malicious just carelessness and a shame for the big man in his 100th game.

22nd Min – And a drop for Morne Steyn! They had a penalty advantage and Morne Steyn took a drop instead. Great long range effort.

27th Min – The Crusaders enjoying all the territory and finding plenty of space to run in. They look a different side to last week.

28th Min – Try to the Crusaders. Just draw and pass and they outflank the Bulls in the right hand corner. This is bad. Very bad.
Dan Carter misses the conversion so it is 19-9 to the Crusaders.

31st Min – Against the run of play…Fourie du Preez steals the ball at the breakdown, moves the ball down the left flank and Francois Hougaard finishes brilliantly! Good boy. An 80m effort.
Morne Steyn misses from the left hand touch. The lead is now 19-14.

35th Min – A great Matfield special (lineout steal) and the Bulls go wide, get over the advantage line and earn a penalty.
Steyn with another long range attempt sprays it well wide.

38th Min – One aspect that is dominant is the Bulls scrum. Crusaders pinged for the 4th time this match.
Morne Steyn has a much easier attempt from more in front and nails it to make it 19-17.

40th Min – YEAH!! What a great Bulls try. Francois Hougaard initally down the left flank, the ball is shifted wide down the right side and then Gary Botha slipped a gap and the two locks combine as Rossouw puts Matfield into space who dives too early but momentum takes him over.
Morne Steyn gets the conversion, and the Bulls lead 24-19.

Half Time -Bulls 24 Crusaders 19

It’s been a half dominated by the Crusaders but the Bulls produced a couple of late long range tries and go into half time with the lead.

We’ve seen this season that the Bulls are strong after half time and hopefully the altitude starts to take effect. Bulls are still on track for a bonus point too after the 2 tries.

42nd Min – Penalty to the Crusaders. The Bulls had a penalty advantage and where was the advantage after the ball was booted downfield and not kicked out? Crusaders then end up with a penalty and Carter will attempt a kick at poles.
Thankfully Carter misses. Justice?

44th Min – Bulls shift defence working better as Hougaard takes the Crusaders wing out over the sideline.

46th Min – Crusaders again through and Deon Stegmann with his second steal in the second half. He’s been fantastic in the last 20 minutes of play.

48th Min – Crusaders could be under the sticks. Goes to the TMO and the try is awarded. It all came from a Bulls scrum and Spies got bundled into touch instead of setting up for a deep kick.
That’s the bonus point for the Crusaders 4th try.
Carter converts and the Crusaders now lead 26-24.

49th Min – Stephan Dippenaar comes on for Jacques-Louis Potgieter.

53rd Min – Finally we see the Bulls maul and it’s effective. Earns the scrum 18m out.

55th Min – Sustained pressure and Olivier has the ball stolen in front of the Crusaders poles.
A lineout 20m out.
Enter Bakkies Botha for Danie Rossouw! The big enforcer is on. C’mon Bakkies!

56th Min – McCaw penalised for a high shot in front of poles.
Morne Steyn kicks to make it 27-26 to the Bulls.

57th Min – Pedrie Wannenburg on for Dewald Potgieter.

58th Min – Carter kicks the drop goal from in front after sustained Crusaders pressure.
The Crusaders back in front 29-27.

60th Min – van den Heever gets over the line but held up after we go to the TMO. He did brilliantly to cut inside and beat 2 guys.

62nd Min – Richie McCaw penalised for playing the ball on the deck.
Morne Steyn kicks and the Bulls once again lead, this time 30-29.

64th Min – Stegmann once again dominant at the breakdown and the Bulls earn a defensive penalty.

66th Min – Pressure. Colin Slades drops the ball 7m out from his line. Time for the Bulls machine to grind out the victory as they so often do.

68th Min – Sustained Bulls pressure and once again Wynand Olivier loses the ball in contact.
We need a big scrum here.

71st Min – This game is on a knife edge. On for the Bulls are Maku and Kuun for Gary Botha and Deon Stegmaan.

73rd Min – Bulls shifted wide and Wannenburg just couldn’t get it to a flying Spies. We just need a converted try to win it I feel.

74th Min – van den Heever penalised for a spear tackle and earns a yellow card.
Carter has the penalty attempt from 38m out and kicks a presure kick.
Crusaders lead 32-30.

76th Min – Great pressure from the Bulls and Morne Steyn kicks the drop.
Bulls back in front 33-32.

4 mins to go, Bulls with good field position. Need to wind down the clock, hold onto the ball.
Crusaders earn a penalty.

78th Min -Carter to have a 51m penalty attempt.
Bees Roux penalised for not releasing the player.
Carter kicks it. Crusaders lead 35-33.

79th Min – A Bulls scrum on the 22m line.
Work for another Steyn drop goal?

80th Min – A Bulls scrum just 7m out. This is it. Come on Morne Steyn. Need a steady scrum with 7 players.

Drop goal attempt charged down!
After the whistle Francois Hougaard scores!!! It came off the Crusaders hand but looked liked a Bulls knock on but the touch judge got the call right.
McCaw is not happy.
It was a great pickup by Francois Hougaard who scores the try!
Morne Steyn kicks the conversion and the score is 40-35.

Our unbeaten run extends to 18.

Full Time Bulls 40 Crusaders 35

Unbelieveable finish. The Bulls get home and I am sure the Crusaders will complain bitterly.

The chance to secure top spot!

The Bulls can make sure they finish in top spot on the log by claiming all 5 log points and hoping the Stormers fail to secure a 4 try bonus point. It would ensure the Bulls wouldn’t need any points in their last league game against the Stormers, and could afford to give some of the top players a rest ahead of the playoff matches.

MILESTONES

The Bulls are looking to extend their 17 run super rugby winning streak at Loftus to 18.

Morne Steyn needs just 6 points to equal (with Dan Carter) the record for the fastest 200 points in super rugby (12 games).

Well done to 46 test Springbok veteran Danie Rossouw who clocks up his 100th super rugby game for the Bulls. Rossouw is the third Bull to achieve this milestone after Pedrie Wannenburg and Victor Matfield achieved the feat earlier this season.

Rossouw has been the silent hero of many Bulls and Boks forward efforts, and whilst I believe his handling can at times let him down, his attitude, commitment and loyalty make him an ideal man to go into any battle with. He epitomises the qualities that all Bulls players strive for and deserves greater recognition.

Rossouw is the ideal team man, having played lock, flank and number 8 when and as required. Unlike some South African prima donnas who sulk when they can’t play where they want, Rossouw puts the team first and you’ll never her him complain. Mind you that shows the Bulls professionalism over some other unions.

Rossouw’s provincial captain and often locking partner described how valuable Rossouw is to his side. “It’s great partnering either Danie (or Bakkies) at lock and I’m sure that if there wasn’t Bakkies, then Danie would have 70 or 80 test matches already behind his name.”

“He is a great player and extremely valuable to a team. That is why he is always with the Springboks and with the Bulls. Many of his games may have been off the bench, but I don’t think people realise how valuable he is to both the Bulls and the Boks” continued Matfield.

“People need to understand the impact he made from the bench. His running lines and his ball carries are crucial to our success and that makes him a very special player to us” concluded Matfield.

CONFIDENT

Pierre Spies Say’s the Bulls confidence is at an all time high.

The Bulls strength is their quest to continually look within themselves and strive to get better. Whilst they are not the finished product, being slightly sluggish starters this year, their conditioning and attitude has seen them wear down their opponents into submission bar just 2 games.

It is this confidence that allows the Bulls to remain calm and overcome any sticky situations they find themselves in during a game. “Every win fuels our confidence, especially winning the tight games against the really good teams” Spies told keo.co.za.

“You can feel the self-belief grow within the squad week after week and I think we’re at a place now, confidence-wise, that we’ve never been at in the last four years. I think that’s because the competition is a lot closer this year and there’s so little to choose between teams that every victory feels like a major accomplishment” said Spies.

“We won’t get ahead of ourselves, but I’d be lying to you if I didn’t tell you there’s a level of optimism in this team that I haven’t experienced before” continued Spies whilst remaining wary and paying the due respect that the Crusaders deserve. “You don’t win seven titles without experiencing some hardship and that refines your character. We’re the last team to talk up our chances of beating the Crusaders because we’re aware of just how dangerous they can be when everything clicks” continued Spies.

THE ENFORCER: BAKKIES BOTHA

We all know the value of Bakkies Botha to the Bulls and the Boks. As Pierre Spies said earlier this week, “Getting Bakkies back at this point in the tournament is like a marathon runner getting a shot of adrenalin in the closing stages of a race. Bakkies is an asset to us and his presence lifts the whole squad” said Spies.

Botha has admitted the pace of the game has increased substantially since last season, and he was just glad to get through his first game last week.

“Yes, on the one hand it was a good thing that the fields were so wet as it placed more pressure on the ankle and that is why I’m very satisfied with how I came through training and matches, even if my body is stiff” said Botha.

“The ball is in play more, but it gives the bigger guys chance to carry the ball more often. You definitely have to be fitter than a year or two ago. The game is then contested on my terms a little more. I’m happy when there are more mauls said Botha.

Botha also gave the Crusaders their due respect, but even though short of match fitness he is unperturbed no matter who he faces. “We will always respect the Crusaders as a team. Their history is testimony to that and I believe they will come to Loftus to prove a point. But that does not mean you can’t get stuck into them. Thorn is a tough opponent, but I’m ready for him” said a confident Botha.

Expect to see a much more polished performance from big Bakkies as he regains his match fitness and is eager to impress as he knows the Bulls locks have performed brilliantly in his absence. “I did not expect to be out of action for so long, but am eager to do my bit again. The other locks in the team played superbly when I was not there, so I have big shoes to fill. I’m working hard to get to the same level as my team-mates” said Botha.

“Coming back into a team with a winning culture and clear goals is great and I realised that I have to make a significant contribution as there are guys like Flip (Van der Merwe) and Danie (Rossouw) who have been playing great rugby in my position” acknowledged Botha.

CRUSADERS HAVE TO FRONT UP

Crusaders and All Black captain Richie McCaw does not believe his side has warranted the numerous penalties they’ve conceded at the breakdown in recent weeks. However he does know his side will have to win the battle up front if they are to take down the defending champs.

“There’s a lot of pressure on us at the breakdowns at the moment and we are leaking far too many penalties” McCaw told keo.co.za.

“We have faith in our pack to do well against the Bulls this weekend. We expect a big improvement. We have to target their key players, like Morné Steyn, Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha. We can’t allow them to dictate the game, especially Steyn with his super boot. Our discipline has to be good” said McCaw.

The 7 times Champions have been based in Cape Town since Wednesday before they made their way to Pretoria.

MY PREDICTION

I believe the Bulls will be too strong up front for the Crusaders provided we start well and don’t concede too many early points. The altitude, and the blue steam roller will then start to take effect with rolling mauls, Morne Steyn’s boot and superstars all over the field piling on too many points for the Crusaders to overcome.

The Crusaders lack the firepower to outscore a Bulls side that should be able to score 3-4 tries fairly comfortably. The odd kick from Steyn and that will be enough. I just hope we can get a bonus point and ensure we wrap up top spot on the log to allow us come breathing space at Newlands for the last game.

Go Bulle Go!

Vodacom Bulls:

1. Gurtho Steenkamp
2. Gary Botha
3. Werner Kruger
4. Danie Rossouw
5. Victor Matfield (c)
6. Deon Stegmann
7. Dewald Potgieter
8. Pierre Spies
9. Fourie du Preez
10. Morne Steyn
11. Francois Hougaard
12. Wynand Olivier
13. Jacques-Louis Potgieter
14. Gerhard van den Heever
15. Zane Kirchner

16. Bandise Maku
17. Bees Roux
18. Bakkies Botha
19. Derick Kuun
20. Pedrie Wannenburg
21. Stephan Dippenaar
22. Jaco van der Westhuyzen

Crusaders:

1. Wyatt Crockett
2. Ti’i Paulo
3. Owen Franks
4. Brad Thorn
5. Chris Jack
6. George Whitelock
7. Richie McCaw (c)
8. Kieran Read
9. Kahn Fotuali’i
10. Daniel Carter
11. Zac Guildford
12. Dan Bowden
13. Robbie Fruean
14. Sean Maitland
15. Colin Slade

16. Dan Perrin
17. Ben Franks
18. Sam Whitelock
19. Thomas Waldrom
20. Andy Ellis
21. Ryan Crotty
22. Jared Payne

Previous Super 14 results:

2006: Bulls 17, Crusaders 35 (Pretoria)
2006: Bulls 15, Crusaders 35 (SF Christchurch)
2007: Bulls 10, Crusaders 32 (Christchurch)
2007: Bulls 27, Crusaders 12 (SF Pretoria)
2008: Bulls 19, Crusaders 54 (Pretoria)
2009: Bulls 13, Crusaders 16 (Christchurch)
2009: Bulls 36, Crusaders 23 (SF Pretoria)

The Bulls can secure top spot, whilst the Stormers can secure a home-semi-final!

The top 2 sides, the Bulls and Stormers can ensure the semi-finals WILL take place in South Africa, whilst there are 5 teams fighting for the other 2 semi-final spots. 2 of those are Kiwi sides, the Crusaders and Hurricanes; whilst 3 are Aussies, the Reds, Waratahs and Brumbies.

None of these sides should worry the Bulls and Stormers too much at home, but the Reds are probably the most dangerous as they are unpredictable, even with their injury crises. The Crusaders have big match experience, but in reality the South African sides probably don’t need to worry too much who goes through.
The remaining sides are playing for pride only.

Hurricanes v Reds – The Stadium, Wellington

The Reds have major injury problems, especially to their second row. They are discovering just how hard it is to maintain the intensity of the top sides week in and week out and their conditioning is not adequate to be able to sustain that.

The Hurricanes are on a nice little run of form, and if they sneak into the semi-finals they could be dangerous as they’d have their tails up. At home they should be too strong as their forward pack will look dominate the Reds and subdue the danger of the Reds backline.

Hurricanes by 15.

Bulls v Crusaders – Loftus, Pretoria

The opportunity exists for the Bulls to seal top spot with a week remaining.

The Stormers showed how to dominate the Crusaders, but after 2 consecutive losses and reaching desperation stage, the Crusaders will give it everything as they are desperate.

Provided the Bulls don’t start too poorly, they have the forward pack and defence to bully the Crusaders. The Bulls backline also has more confidence and match winners, and with decent ball they’ll back themselves to outscore the Crusaders.

Both sides have great kickers, but this is a game I feel will be decided by tries, and the Bulls are likely to score more than the Crusaders.

Go Bulle Go! Bulls by 12.

Chiefs v Waratahs – Rugby Stadium, Hamilton

The Chiefs only have pride left to play for after a very disappointing season, whilst the Waratahs need to bounce back to stay in semi-final contention.

The Chiefs are at their most dangerous when they have no pressure on them, as they demonstrated in the first half last week against the Hurricanes. They have a forward pack to match the Waratahs, and their backline is more dangerous and if on song could provide the winning edge in this contest.

The Waratahs also don’t have the greatest record in New Zealand, especially in the wetter climatic conditions at this time of year.

Chiefs by 9.

Brumbies v Highlanders – Bruce Stadium, Canberra

The Highlanders can still have a major say in determining the semi-finalists for 2010. They’ve been more competitive over the last 2 weeks, but things will get tougher having to travel.

The Brumbies will be more confident after last weeks victory and finally achieved the forward dominance needed to get on the front foot. It should be more even against the Highlanders, and home ground advantage may see the Brumbies home.

Brumbies by 6.

Lions v Blues – Ellis Park, Johannesburg

Not worth watching. Both sides have under delivered, and neither side can play for 80 minutes.

The Blues are the more dangerous side, but have had some recent injury problems. Home ground advantage is also less of a factor as the Lions supporters get fewer and fewer. It’s now becoming a bit of a joke playing in an empty Ellis Park stadium.

Blues by 20.

Cheetahs v Force – Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein

Both sides are coming off wins, and will be looking to advance their position on the log to gain respect.

At home the Cheetahs are a better side and have a strong forward pack that should be able to get the better of the Force forwards.

The Cheetahs also have more pace out wide, but the Force are probably a bit smarter. It makes for contrasting styles, and a tough call.
The Force should have adapted to the altitude after last week minimising any advantage to the Cheetahs.

Cheetahs by 8.

Sharks v Stormers – ABSA Stadium, Durban

The Stormers are playing brilliant rugby, despite a couple of hiccups on their overseas tour. Provided they don’t let their standards slip, they’ll be too strong for the Sharks even in Durban. The reason being the Sharks don’t ask enough questions of the opposition defence, and are never going to threaten the Stormers tryline as the Stormers defence is too strong.

The Stormers attack has been getting better and better, and while the game may be tight initially, the Stormers are likely to find spaces later on and at least score a couple of tries.

Stormers by 13.