Sanjay's Rugby World

The fifth week of the Super 14, and the Bulls and Stormers have a chance to solidify their positions as title contenders.

With a full bag of points, the Bulls should be able to remain top of the log, and set themselves up nicely in first position before they go away on tour. The Stormers face potentially their most crucial game of the season, a win here and they will firmly be ensconced in the top 4.

One of the Chiefs and Crusaders will drop further back into the pack, whilst the Waratahs and Brumbies both have important games against weak South African opposition where they will expect to grab bonus points. I’m actually expecting a strong showing from the Lions, and the  strong possibility of an upset.

Chiefs v Crusaders – Rugby Stadium, Hamilton

A crunch game for both sides as they want to remain near the top of the log. The best scenario for the Bulls and Stormers is a Crusaders win as they still have to travel to South Africa and may lost log points there. It could also deflate this Chiefs side who have a habit of losing numerous games on the trot (other than last season).

Both sides are evenly matched. Interestingly the Chiefs have opted to rest thug Sione Lauaki after his latest misdemeanour. I’m expecting the Crusaders to have the edge in the forwards, which could lay the foundation for their victory.

Even though the Chiefs backs are more dangerous, if they can;t get quality ball they can be nullified.

The battle of the flyhalves should go to Dan Carter and the Crusaders. Stephen Donald showed last week how unreliable his goal-kicking can be, and Carter will be worth a few more points than Donald.

Crusaders by 11.

Waratahs v Lions – Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney

The Waratahs struggled after having to come back from South Africa last week. That’s 2 games they’ve won without playing well, although they have sharpened their attacking game in recent weeks.

I still don’t think they ask enough questions of the opposition defence, and if the Lions maintain their defensive efforts from Canberra, they have the attacking skills and are improving enough to win this game. The numerous changes from Canberra don’t help however, and I’d have rather seen Burton Francis remain at flyhalf.

Whilst I truly think the Lions might upset here, I’m going with the stats and suggesting Waratahs by 9.

Brumbies v Sharks – Bruce Stadium, Canberra

Neither of these 2 sides have really impressed me this year. The fact that the Brumbies have only ever lost 2 out of their 35 games to South African opposition here holds them in good stead. Even though the first South African side to achieve that was the Sharks, I can’t see that being repeated here.

The major reasons being that other than the end of the Waratahs game when the Sharks actually produced something constructive on attack, they’ve look highly innocuous all season. The major reason being lack of go-forward from their loose forwards, and then lack of straight hard running 2-3 out from the ruck. Too much lateral running has rendered their back three ineffective, and Stefan Terblanche has looked to use his boot rather than run anything back.

It requires something strong like being reduced to 13 men to spark this Sharks side, and I still believe they are playing not to lose, as opposed to seeking the win.

Brumbies by 15.

Bulls v Highlanders – Loftus, Pretoria

Teams often struggle with the bye, but the Bulls appear fresh and ready to go. The Highlanders coming off a demoralising loss to the Stormers are also without inspirational captain Jimmy Cowan and that will blunt an already weak attack.

The Bulls use greater width than the Stormers do, and that will stretch the Highlanders even further than last week, although it may create some space for their outisde backs. Whilst they’ll find it easier to score, they’ll be defending more and the Bulls will threaten much more in attack.

We also owe the Highlanders for a shock upset in Palmerston North last year.This one could get ugly…show no mercy boys!

Bulls by 36.

Stormers v Hurricanes – Newlands, Cape Town

A must win game for the Stormers. Imperative. They showed massive intensity and focus last week, and their defence has been outstanding. It just requires a bit more precision in attack and they have the ability to win this one.

The Hurricanes looked fairly lethargic on the highveld last week, and with Conrad Smith back in the midfield, the Stormers defence will have to be on their game.

It’s in the middle of the forward pack however that I see as the greatest weakness for the Hurricanes, and Andries Bekker in particular should be able to exploit this. If the Stormers can use their driving maul more often, they should be able to gain easy metres and lay the platform for an important victory.

Stormers by 10.

Reds v Force – Brisbane

The Reds struggle to put together 2 decent performances. However this time they’ll be back home, and against a weak, struggling Force side this should be an easy win.

Played during the day on a Sunday, dry conditions will make bonus points the order of the day and hopefully we’ll see an open, attacking game.

Reds by 17.

Bye Cheetahs, Blues

The fourth week of the Super 14 saw the Bulls remain top of the log with a game in hand!

Both the Lions and Sharks produced important results in denying their Australian opposition bonus points which will have a telling effect at the end of the season.

Meanwhile in South Africa the Stormers showed they are still a semi-final prospect, whilst the Cheetahs helped them out by beating the Hurricanes.

The Reds produced the upset of the round, although the Chiefs will be highly disappointed with their efforts. The Chiefs negated their good work on the road by dropping a home game, showing that once again the Crusaders may be the Kiwi side to lead the way. They certainly look a different side with All Black captain Richie McCaw back.

Overall a good weekend for the Bulls, who keep their top log position and now have a game in hand. The next few rounds will be crucial to ensure the Bulls get enough log points to ensure the overseas trip doesn’t require a full house of points, and bonus points are not vital.

Picks 5/6
(Season tally 21/27 – 77.7%)

Chiefs (18) v Reds (23)

The Chiefs started strongly, scoring 3 tries within the first 20 minutes. They played with great width, creating massive holes in the Reds defence, and both wingers finished off superbly. Perhaps the critical mistake was that Stephen Donald missed all 3 conversions. None were easy, but he should’ve done better. Another easy penalty attempt went wide too, and when the Reds hit back with a try against the run of play, the gap was only 8 points.

It shows how opportunities must be taken. The Reds were then able to work their way back into the game with strong defence and slotting their own penalties.

The Chiefs may have been feeling the effects of returning from a 3 week road trip. They looked increasingly lethargic as the match wore on, and the errors increased. The Reds attitude held them in good stead, but their accuracy was not that much better. Pity they couldn’t score one more try to deny the Chiefs a bonus point. However it was still a great result for the Bulls!

Brumbies (24) v Lions (13)

The Lions improved their defence immensely and had to battle with a one-sided referee too.

Rain and wet conditions were never going to allow this match to be free-flowing, and initially both sides made plenty of errors as they adjusted from the summer conditions they’ve been enjoying.

The Lions led through an early penalty, but the Brumbies gradually started to gain dominance. They were helped immensely by ref Steve Walsh.

In the scrums, he was especially harsh. In the second half he got even worse. I’m not sure why he missed little knock-ons, and allowed the Brumbies to constantly be offside and collapse the mauls. Whenever the Lions made an error, or didn’t make an error in some cases, he pulled them up.

It was his demeanour and tone of voice more than anything that suggested he was being one-sided and clearly had it in for the Lions. I am not saying he changed the result of the game, but when a side get unfairly penalised so heavily, they can’t get any momentum. Instead of a lineout or scrum in opposition territory, you find yourself defending near you own goal-line. It makes a massive difference.

Walsh penalised the Lions plenty of times at the scrum, yet when the Brumbies went down he said he’d give him the benefit of the doubt! Where is the consistency?

The Lions didn’t help themselves however, and their kicking was poor. Matt Giteau returned his kicks with interest and the Lions had very little territory, often resorting to running out from their own 22m in the latter stages of the match.

Crucially they denied the Brumbies a bonus point. I was not very impressed with the Brumbies, and think they’ll struggle to make the semis. The Lions did impress with their attitude and commitment and hopefully they will get better and better this year.

I thought Francis was good at flyhalf. He made mistakes, but he’ll get better. Wandile Mjekevu looked stronger on defence and made a brilliant try-saving tackle in the second half.

Cobus Grobbelaar gets through a mountain of work, and Doppies La Grange plays close the ruck and makes great ball carries. On a dry field, he needs runners close to him and I think he needs a more dynamic centre outside him. I still think Carlos Spencer at inside centre and Doppies outside him may be the way to go.

Crusaders (33) v Blues (20)

The master taught his apprentice a lesson as Daniel Carter won the flyhalf battle over Stephen Brett. It has a massive influence on the game, and dictated proceedings.

The Crusaders were more clinical bar their lineouts than they have been. It showed that as they start to hit their straps they will still be dangerous although perhaps not as complete a  side as their were in their heyday.

The Blues scored a late try, but like some other sides, when you consistently fail to construct try-scoring opportunities you will fail to win games, and never be a semi-final contender. The Crusaders also missed a bonus point, ensuring the Bulls stay top of the log…for now!

Waratahs (25) v Sharks (21)

This game came down to both sides trying not to lose rather than aiming to win.

It was a scrappy game, with neither side really creating anything constructive, and both sides trying to kick deep into opposition territory. The Sharks showed late in the game, as desperation set in, you get rewarded for keeping ball, in hand, running hard and straight, and showing a bit of desperation!

Neither of these sides are semi-final material, they lack positive imagination and courage. The Sharks now have to surely come to grips with the fact this season is a write-off. Start building for the future!

Once again the ref was terrible. I’ve come to the conclusion, the Aussies are simply below standard, and possibly more incompetent rather than biased. (Well I am at least going to give them the benefit of the doubt…again).

Stormers (33) v Highlanders (0)

The Stormers are a side on the up, and showed how average the Highlanders are. However you still have to put sides like that away, and the Stormers did a great job thanks to their intensity.

The team spirit the Stormers are developing was evident by Deon Fourie’s performance in replacing Tiaan Liebenberg. When you can bring guys in that add such value, you’ll always be strong.

The Stormers have been fantastic this year in defence. To come away with a clean sheet and only 2 tries in 4 games is awesome. Slowly but surely their attacking prowess is starting to build and match the defensive levels.

Dewald Duvenhage had a great game around the rucks, running well and protecting the ball when it was scrappy. Couple with good tactical kicking, the Stormers played sensible rugby. They still struggle building the phases at times, but are getting ever more accurate and penetrative.

Jaque Fourie and Juan de Jongh are dangerous each time they touch the ball, without ever busting the line fully yet. I thought Sireli Naqelevuki was strong and had his best Super 14 game yet. Habana we know is awlays good and he was rewarded for his effort to seal the 4th try bonus point with a try only Habana can score.

The key for the Stormers is to now maintain consistency and become more polished in attack so that pressure turns into points.

Cheetahs (28) v Hurricanes (12)

Finally the Cheetahs have beaten overseas opposition!

It looked ominous as the Cheetahs conceeded a soft early try, but they came back superbly.

It shows the value of maintaining focus and intensity. Whilst not always accurate, pressure will always cause the opposition to make mistakes and the Cheetahs forwards were superb in being patient, making tackles and then capitalising on Hurricanes’ mistakes.

It helps having kickers who can boot the ball miles, and they were able to pin the Hurricanes back with field position to relieve the pressure. Whilst the Cheetahs didn’t ask a lot of questions on attack, they grew more confident as the game wore on and started to run from deeper in their own territory. I especially liked the tactic of 2 forwards running together, at pace in midfield. It paid handsome dividends and Juan Smith led by example superbly here.

It was an important win for both the Cheetahs, but more importantly the Bulls and Stormers super 14 hopes. It’s what South Africa has been lacking, making life difficult for touring sides to deny them easy log points. At the end of the season, these games will have the most telling effect on the log.

Super 14 log

The fourth week of the Super 14 and hopefully the only time the Bulls will not win!

Both the Bulls and the Force have the bye. I’m not sure why the Bulls always get a bye so early in the competition. It’s be much more useful after 6 or 7 weeks. At least the Bulls have a good draw other than the early bye.

However it will allow another side(s) to creep past the Bulls on the log, even if it is with a game over us!

Chiefs v Reds – Rugby Stadium, Hamilton

The Reds season looks to be on the downward spiral we are so familiar with. Injuries have tested their depth, and the reality of having to play away from home, and perform week in and week out should be too big an ask for this rubble side.

The Chiefs will be boosted massively with their best ever start to a super rugby season, log points away from home and the return of key game-breaking individuals. If the Chiefs are on song, this game could get ugly.

Chiefs by 20.

Brumbies v Lions – Bruce Stadium, Canberra

The Lions have made 8 changes and have to contend with the fact that South African sides have only won 2 of the last 32 games here!

However the Brumbies have not looked that impressive and find themselves having to travel back from Cape Town this week. If the Lions start well, anything is possible.

The introduction of Burton Francis at flyhalf could be the key change for the Lions. I really rate this youngster, and this could be his chance to shine. Whilst I’m being practical and expecting the Brumbies to win, I will be shouting hard for the Lions!

Brumbies by 11.

Crusaders v Blues – AMI Stadium, Christchurch

There is still an intense rivalry between these two sides even if it is not as strong as it use to be. The move of Stephen Brett to the Blues will be a good match up with Dan Carter as it is the master v the apprentice.

Neither side has been consistent,  but at home in Christchurch, with the return of Richie McCaw, I’m picking the Crusaders. They play a more consistent style of rugby, whereas the Blues have been hot and cold, and for me too inconsistent in their midfeld and forward pack, an area the Crusaders can exploit.

Crusaders by 11.

Waratahs v Sharks – Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney

Can the Sharks turn it around? There has been a lot of huffing and puffing this week, but words don’t produce results. I still maintain this Sharks side is going to sink further. They haven’t beaten the Waratahs in Sydney since 2000!

The Waratahs have to make the long trip from Pretoria, but showed they have a more galvanised unit and that should be enough to beat a side who has to throw caution to the wind and hope their gamble pays off.

Waratahs by 12.

Stormers v Highlanders – Newlands, Cape Town

The Stormers will welcome back inspirational captain Schalk Burger which should give them the composure they missed in the final quarter last week.

This Highlanders side shouldn’t pose any real problems if the Stormers are on top of their game. Jaque Fourie and Bryan Habana need to atone for poor efforts last week, and set the benchmark for a more clinical display on attack. Half-chances need to be converted into points.

This is the defining moment for the Stormers season. Lose and it is all over. Home games need to be won.

Stormers by 16.

Cheetahs v Hurricanes – Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein

Whilst most are picking the Hurricanes, I am not so sure. The Cheetahs have a poor, poor record against the Kiwis and Aussies, but at home against a depleted Hurricanes side, surely they have to win sometime?

The Hurricanes not only have personnel changes, but have to overcome travel up to the highveld. There’s never a better chance to knock them off.

If the Cheetahs simply played to their potential, rather than lacking energy and enthusiasm, they’d be very competitive. The introduction of Sarel Pretorius at scrumhalf may provide the spark. He is a fantastic player. The other guy is Robert Ebersohn at centre. If those two can get the backline to match the efforts of Juan Smith and Heinrich Brussow they stand a chance.

I hope I don’t regret this, Cheetahs by 9.

The third week of the Super 14 saw every New Zealand side win, and only 1 each for the Aussies and South Africans!

Let’s hope it is not a sign of things to come, but not much has changed from what we usually see.

The Kiwis dominated their overseas competition, and all picked up bonus points, whilst the Aussies and South Africans were bad at home and away from home.

The Bulls showed they are worthy defending champions and won’t give up their crown easily, whilst the Stormers for all their promise failed once again at home in front of a large crowd. Every year they lose when they are expected to win, and this result will have a massive impact on their campaign.

The Cheetahs were disappointing, the Reds inconsistent, the Lions simply not quite good enough, the Sharks a disgrace and the Force incompetent. Whoever thought 15 sides would be better than 14 was dreaming!

Picks 4/7
(Total this year 16/21)

Crusaders (35) v Sharks (6)

What an inept display from a side full of Springboks. The Crusaders were made to look way better than they deserved by a side who barely resemble a rugby side. The basics of the game shouldn’t be that hard to perform, especially in good conditions.

The Sharks will never win when their scrum constantly cannot hold steady and gets shunted backwards. It doesn’t present front foot ball, but the problem when the Sharks do have the ball is they don’t know what to do with it. Pienaar for all his talent still makes too many basic errors, the Sharks backline runs across field, and the backrow doesn’t get enough forward momentum happening.

It places far too much demand on individuals trying to produce something spectacular. JP Pietersen has become one of the great defensive wingers, primarily because he never gets any ball to attack with!

The Crusaders tried hard, but were also guilty of too many errors, however they gained in confidence as their lead mounted, and launched the attack on the bonus point in the nick of time! This tour is going to be hell for the Sharks now, and this season will have shades of the year 2000 about it.

Stormers (17) v Brumbies (19)

Has anything changed at Newlands? The Stormers always lose games they are expected to win, often when they are coming off a good win and have managed to get a great crowd!

The Stormers dominated the match, and blew 3 or 4 great try scoring opportunities. I thought they were unfortunate to be denied by the TMO early on for what I thought should have been a fair try. Had it been given the whole complexion of the match could have changed.

Instead the Stormers learnt what it means when you don’t take the opportunities presented and you allow a side to remain in the contest.

The Brumbies were like a boxer backed onto the ropes, taking every blow and counter-punching when possible. The second half was much the same, but the Stormers simply could not make the breakthough.

In the end I think their attitude of going for the win was commendable, but their execution and tactics lacking. Running the ball from deep in their own half was foolish in such a tight game, and eventually a Stormers error gave the Brumbies the win. This was a match the Stormers lost, as opposed to the Brumbies winning.

Jaque Fourie made 2-3 errors that were costly, and Bryan Habana constantly got pinged by ref Craig Joubert. Whilst I sympathise with him, you have to be smarter and not give the ref any reason to penalise you as it is too costly.

A possible turning point in the match was the substitution of Ricky Januarie for Dewald Duvenhage. Whilst Duvenhage is a great talent and kicks and tackles well, Januarie controlled possession better and marshaled his side well. The Stormers lost structure and moved away from their game plan in the final quarter.

Mind you the leadership in the Stormers forwards, and even Peter Grant and Jaque Fourie need to acknowledge they didn’t make the right calls under pressure. Hopefully the lessons will be learnt, but it’s an all too familiar position the Stormers find themselves in after 3 weeks, and the loss of valuable home log points may be too much to make up at the business end of the season!

The Brumbies will be mightily pleased to have gotten another win on the road. I’m surprised how ineffective they look with ball in hand. I thought the Aussies wanted to run everything, why did Ashley-Cooper kick so much possession back. In the end they were the right tactics however, and something the Stormers can learn from.

Hurricanes (33) v Lions (18)

A well deserved 5 points to the Hurricanes, but the Lions made it far too easy for them.

The Lions defence was better than the previous week, showing greater commitment and sting, but they allowed themselves to be put under pressure far too often with poor option taking, bad handling and the wrong tactics.

On attack the Lions did not look quite as dangerous as on the highveld, although they’ll be pleased with their ability to string together greater phases and ask more questions of the defence. Perhaps their loose forwards just need to get them over the advantage line more often.

The Hurricanes have looked dangerous again this season and after 3 rounds, are very handily placed towards the top of the log.

Reds (18) v Blues (27)

After a win last week, the Reds lacked the spark needed to produce a second victory. The Blues were able too dominate and control the game. The loss of James Horwill may have been the missing element for the Reds forwards.

The Reds did pose a lot of danger through their halves Will Genia and Quade Cooper, but their side could not capitalize on their breaks and running ability.

The Blues will be pleased to get a win on the road, including a vital bonus point late in the game.

Force (19) v Chiefs (37)

The Chiefs completed a great away trip with another bonus point victory.

Initially the loose approach by sides produced plenty of errors and handling mistakes. Early penalties were exchanged before the Chiefs opened a lead resulting from two sloppy Force lineouts.

The game remained close until the last quarter where the Chiefs were able to pull away and nab the bonus point try in the 77th minute!

The Chiefs gained 14 out of 15 log points on the road and now return in great position to their base in Hamilton. For the Force, that was their second home loss already in what will be a long season.

Cheetahs (24) v Highlanders (31)

The Cheetahs were very disappointing after having beaten the Sharks. Ill-discipline and poor defence led to penalties and the Highlanders were able to get on the front foot.

Poor handling led to a runaway try, and once the Highlanders had built a handy lead, the Cheetahs found it tough to play catch up. With 15 minutes left there was only a 2 point gap, but the Highlanders benefited from playing the game at the right end of the field and capitalising on Cheetahs mistakes.

A late try from Juan Smith made a draw possible, but it was the Cheetahs under pressure who found themselves on defence and thankfully ensuring the Highlanders didn’t get the bonus point try.

Bulls (48) v Waratahs (38)

The Bulls had to work hard to maintain their 13 match unbeaten record at Loftus.

Full match report and player ratings.

Down 17-0 early in the game and 16 points midway through the first half, the Bulls exhibited great courage and confidence to produce a stirring comeback. Whilst their attacking prowess was brilliant, it was also the defence just before and after half-time that won this game, coupled with a flawless kicking display from Morne Steyn!

The Bulls now have a week off, and probably only need another 6 wins from 10 league games.

PR: wait… I: wait… L: wait… LD: wait… I: wait… wait… Rank: wait… Traffic: wait… Price: wait… C: wait…

The Bulls were brilliant and showed why they are championship material once again.

They got ambushed by the Waratahs early on, a slight concern given we haven’t started well in our 3 games to date.
However after conceding 17 points after only 10 minutes, the Bulls once again showed that there is no need to panic,  and focused on implementing their game plan.

The Waratahs had shown they can be dangerous with ball in hand and using their pace out wide. However gradually the Bulls forwards started to gain momentum, and whether it was pressure or a change in tactics from the Waratahs, as they kicked more ball back to the Bulls, they started to run the ball back at the Waratahs and exert their own pressure with ball in hand.

The Waratahs started to feel the difficulty of making tackles at Loftus, and it blunted their attack. Constant pressure resulted in a good try to Francois Hougaard, and unfortunately when Fourie du Preez took a quick tap, young Gerhard van den Heever couldn’t dot the ball down as he was held up.

Not too long afterwards, Stephen Dipenaar was put through a gap beautifully and the Bulls went into the half-time break only 9 points behind, but more importantly had gained the momentum in the match.

After half-time the match continued in much the same vain, as the Bulls machine was in full throttle. The Waratahs did score 2 further tries, but they were limited to breakout opportunities.

I thought ref Marius Jonker did a good job, but he was fairly lenient on the Waratahs for repeated infringements. I’d have binned one of them and set the example.

Interestingly the Bulls turned down multiple opportunities to go for poles from penalties, opting instead to kick for the corner and set up a lineout. One such penalty occurred with only 3 minutes on the clock and the Bulls holding a 3 point lead.

At the post match interview captain colossus, Victor Matfield said they felt that there were multiple try scoring opportunities and rather than defending a 6 point lead and risking a possible loss, it was better to go for the try and seal the match.

It represents such a positive attitude and willingness to back one’s ability. The last time a South African side was this confident on a regular basis was the Sharks and Springboks in 1998 under Gary Teichmann.

The way the Bulls are travelling, the personnel at their disposal and the attitude they’ve exhibited make me proud to be a Bulls supporter and gives me confidence for the challenges that still lie ahead!



Bulls 48
Tries: Francois Hougaard (2), Stephan Dippenaar, Gerhard van den Heever, Wynand Olivier, Jacques-Louis Potgieter
Conversions: Morne Steyn (6)
Penalties: Steyn (2)

Waratahs 38
Tries: Tatafu Polota-Nau, Ben Mowen, Lachlan Turner, Drew Mitchell
Conversions: Berrick Barnes (2), Kurtley Beale
Penalties: Barnes (3)
Drop Goal: Barnes

Bulls player rating:

1. Gurtho Steenkamp – 8

Showed great pace at times with his chasing and his work-rate has been exceptional. Clearly reaping the rewards of a strong off-season and one of the unsung heroes of this Bulls pack.

2. Gary Botha – 7

Once again did his job well. Lineouts were very solid, and possibly not quite as dynamic with ball in hand as we’ve seen in the past, but he’s regaining the form of old.

3. Werner Kruger – 8

Improving in leaps and bounds. Struggled to provide the steady right shoulder at times, but was exceptional around the breakdowns and carrying the ball up close to the line.

4. Flip van der Merwe – 7

A good performance from the big lock, but didn’t quite reach the heights he did against the Brumbies. A willing ball carrier and made his presence felt in the tight.

5. Victor Matfield (c) – 8

Brilliant. Was all over the park, tidying up and controlling the Bulls side especially around the breakdowns. Was responsible for losing 1 lineout, just to prove he is human. However when the pressure was on, Matfield took responsibility and had the ball thrown to himself.

His confidence and faith in his side and summing up of the situation was perfect. Turned down multiple kicks at goal, which turned out to be great decisions. In my mind the most influential player in South African rugby over the last 10 years.

6. Derick Kuun – 6

A fairly quiet game in what will probably be a rare starting role. Not quite quick enough to the breakdown to make his presence notable, but the strength of the Bulls is their work as a unit.

7. Pedrie Wannenburg – 7

Always a willing ball carrier. Hasn’t really broken the line but always threatening and has been a trojan on defence. Made one bad error spilling the ball in the second half.

8. Danie Rousouw – 6

Generally coped well at number 8, but found it difficult picking the ball up from the base of an unsteady scrum. More suited to the lock position as evidenced when he made a great lineout steal that led to Francois Hougaard’s second try.

9. Fourie du Preez -7

Great service to his backline, and on the odd occasion he kicked, he did it well. Perhaps could run more and snipe around the fringes, but still the world’s best scrumhalf on any sort of form!

10. Morne Steyn – 9

Made a couple of kicking errors including the poor decision taking the 22m restart that put the Bulls under pressure. However he didn’t miss a place kick, including two crucial and difficult attempts converting tries into 7 pointers. That could have made all the difference as the Bulls gained a valuable lead.

His tactical kicking/up and unders were good, and he showed the Stormers that if you have to err at all, go for too much distance rather than too little and ensure youhave the opportunity to defend the runners.

11. Francois Hougaard – 8

Has fancy fast feet and looks threatening whenever he gets the ball. Made a couple of handling errrors, including one in space with the overlap but will become a great player.

12. Wynand Olivier – 7

Strong midfield presence and posing a lot of questions on attack. Did his job well.

13. Stephan Dippenaar – 7

Took his try scoring opportunity well and solid in midfield defence. Moved the ball along the backline really well.

14. Gerhard van den Heever – 8

Took good options and finished off well. A couple of Waratah breaks down his flank in the second half, but he’ll learn when to come in and make the spot tackle. Having a good start to the year so far.

15. Zane Kirchner – 8

Kicked well and contests the ball brilliantly on the counter. Makes great covering tackles and is an important player coming into the line and asking questions of the opposition defence.

16. Bandise Maku – 8

Ensured the scrums lost nothing when he came on and his set-piece play is very good.

17. Bees Roux – 7

Did what was expected.

18. Deon Stegmann – 9

Brilliant. So quick, but more importantly intelligent at the breakdowns. Prior to getting injured midway through last season I thought he was the best openside flank and this year he has reconfirmed his talent. Deserves a Springbok callup.

19. Dewald Potgieter – 7

Still feeling his way back.

20. Heini Adams -

Not used

21. Jacques-Louis Potgieter – 8

Carried the ball up well and offers the extra tactical kicking option. Took his try superbly.

22. Jaco van der Westhuyzen – 7

Didn’t have much to do, but showed his confidence running with the ball and putting a long kick in when needed.

Live updates from Loftus as the Bulls take on the Waratahs

Out come the Bulls to a great reception from their home crowd. C’mon Bulls we gotta win, and become the first South African side to win in round 3!

1st Min – Great start to the Waratahs. The Bulls have not been convincing from the restarts this year. Early opportunity to the Waratahs.

3rd Min – Damn! Poor start from the Bulls and Tatafu Polota-Nau charges over the line from the ruck.
Berrick Barnes converts to give the Waratahs a 7-0 lead.

5th Min – Waratahs run it out from their own 22m. They look dangerous so far and eventually earn a penalty.
Barnes has a penalty attempt and strikes it perfectly. 10-0.

9th Min – Kane Douglas goes over for the try. This is fantastic play through shoddy Bulls defence. We are in trouble tonight. The midfield defence is struggling.
Barnes kicks the conversion to make it 17-0 after 11 mins.

14th Min – Bulls drive close to the line. Just can’t get over.
Waratahs collapsing the maul and coming in from the side.

15th Min – Hougaard! Try. Beautiful sustained buildup and the Bulls are on the board!
Morne Steyn adds the conversion. 17-7. C’mon boys another couple of tries!

18th Min – Bulls made the overlap, but Hougaard couldn’t hold the pass in space. Bulls are starting to find their rhythm.

20th Min – Berrick Barnes with the snap drop goal. Waratahs extend their lead to 20-7.

21st Min – Penalty Bulls. Morne Steyn kicks 3 points and narrows the deficit once more to 10. It’s 20-10.

24th Min – Penalty to the Waratahs. Olivier pinged for not rolling away.
Waratahs 23-10.

26th Min – Another penalty to the Waratahs. The Bulls had a very poor scrum and allow the Waratahs to break out from their half.
Barnes lines up another penalty attempt.
He makes no mistake. Waratahs extend the lead to 26-10.

29th Min – Bulls penalty and they go for the corner.
Eventually a scrum will have to be set near the poles. Gotta score and get back in this one.

32nd Min – du Preez taps the penalty and runs, but van den Heever can’t put the ball down over the line. Damn!

34th Min – Dippenaar! Try. Great buildup and pressure. Waratahs need to be warned for repeated infringing.
Morne Steyn adds the conversion to narrow the gap to 26-17.

39th Min – Magnificent Bulls defence. Over 10+ phases on their tryline. Morne Steyn clears.
Critical defence to remain in the game.

Half-Time Bulls 17 Waratahs 26

The Waratahs started really well, but the Bulls are starting to wear them down, but we’ll have to overcome a 9 point deficit. C’mon guys!

41st Min – Early penalty to the Bulls.
Morne Steyn pulls back another 3.
Waratahs lead 26-20.
Just one score away now.

45th Min – Bulls starting get into stride. Kirchner down the left hand flank, just didn’t get the right bounce from his chip ahead. So close.

The Bulls have the altitude factor and 2 keys, Deon Stegmann and Dewald Potgieter still to come.

49th Min – Francois Hougaard in the left hand corner! Fantastic. Through the phases after the Waratahs lost a lineout. That was brilliant!
Morne Steyn to convert from the left hand touchline.
Was there ever any doubt? Bulls lead 27-26.
For the first time in the match we are in front!

Deon Stegmann comes on for Danie Rousouw.

53rd Min – Lachie Turner scores in the right hand corner for the Waratahs. Burgess making a couple of breaks from scrumhalf. Have to watch him.
Berrick Barnes had a kick from the right hand touch and can’t match Steyn’s effort.
Waratahs lead again, 31-27.

55th Min – Bulls penalty. Again they turn down the kick and go for the corner.
Another penalty on the Waratahs line. Only a warning, I’d have put someone in the bin!
Bulls opt to tap from in front of the poles.

57th Min – Try! Right hand touchline, the Bulls battered away and went wide to Gerhard van den Heever. Superb.
Bonus point try! Now we just need to make sure of the win.
Morne Steyn from the right hand touchline shows Barnes how to kick!
Bulls ahead 34-31.

Dewald Potgieter on the field for Derick Kuun.

60th Min – Accidental offside to the Waratahs. Now they have to play catch up. It’s a different mindset, and one that is so hard at Loftus!
Kurtley Beale replaces Lachie Turner.

Danie Rousouw comes back on for Flip van der Merwe. I think that’s a blood replacement.

61st Min – Damn, poor clearing from the scrum. And now we are under pressure again.

64th Min – Good midfield defence from the Bulls. We just need to play a bit deeper in the Waratahs half. I’d like a bigger lead!
Bees Roux on for Werner Kruger.

66th Min – Deon Stegmann earns the penalty at the breakdown. He is just awesome!

67th Min – Penalty to the Bulls. Waratahs tackler not rolling away.
Again the Bulls don’t kick at goal. Go for the lineout.

68th Min – A bit scrappy, but we earn a scrum 5m out. Have to score and make them pay!
I notice Bandise Maku is on for Gary Botha.
Olivier under the poles!!! YEAH! van den Heever was the dummy runner and Olivier ran into the gap.
Morne Steyn converts from right in front.
Bulls lead 41-31.

71st Min – The Waratahs score under the posts. Long range try, and Drew Mitchell finished well.
Now the Bulls only lead 41-38.

73rd Min – Waratahs running strongly, but get a penalty for obstruction.
Welcome chance to clear and set up a lineout.
Jaco van der Westhuyzen returns to super rugby in place of Francois Hougaard.

75th Min – Penalty to the Waratahs as the Bulls hold on at the ruck.
I don’t like the fact it could end in a draw too. That doesn’t help us at all.

77th Min – Phil waugh penalised at the breakdown. What do we do here?
Well Morne Steyn drills it deep into Waratahs territory. Going to grind down time now. We could have kicked that.

79th Min – There it is!!! We had the penalty, but Morne Steyn beautifully chips it over the top and Jacques-Louis Potgieter regathers for the winning try!
Of course Steyn converts to give the Bulls a 48-38 lead.

Full-time Bulls 48 Waratahs 38

What a great win for the Bulls. So much courage shown in coming back from 17 points down. We didn’t panic, and slowly imposed ourselves on the game.

Slightly concerning to concede so many points, and 4 tries, but hey we are outscoring the opposition and that’s all that counts.

We now have a week off, and it’ll be great to allow some of our players a chance to get back to full fitness and over the niggling injuries.

And thankfully we are at the top of the table!

PR: wait… I: wait… L: wait… LD: wait… I: wait… wait… Rank: wait… Traffic: wait… Price: wait… C: wait…

The Bulls are going to show their depth in 2010!

Coach Frans Ludeke has shown how confident he is in his extended squad.

Pierre Spies has a niggling injury to he calf, and had this been towards the end of the season I’m sure he would’v played. Instead Ludeke has decided to give him a break which I think is a great move. It brings in a World Cup winning Springbok in Danie Rousouw to eighthman!

Ludeke has also placed faith in Flip van der Merwe at lock, with Danie Rousouw the cover for the lock position. This allows both Deon Stegmann and Dewald Potgieter to cover the loose forwards on the bench. That’s an awesome replacement bench, and shows great faith in Derick Kuun to take the starting role given Stegmann’s recent form.

It has been impressive how professional this Bulls side has become. Not content to rest on their laurels, they are continually seeking to build their depth, and in my mind have the attitude required of a champion side. I’m sure they’ll reap the benefits at the end of the season.

The Waratahs are a side on the decline. They play a defensive, territory oriented game. For a side like the Bulls who place a great emphasis on dominating the set-pieces, we’ll more than match their lineout, and should hold them at scrum-time. We’ve got a better kicking game, especially on the highveld. This should allow us to dominate territory.

The Waratahs don’t ask enough questions on attack, so we should be able to win fairly comfortably by limiting the penalties (I can’t see them threatening our try line too much) and working patiently to bust their defence which is their strength. I think we’ll have too much firepower all around the field for them to withstand a concerted attack.

3 Wins out of 3 will leave us in a great position with our remaining home games before hitting the road where we may only have to win 2 out of 4.

Go Bulle Go!

Vodacom Bulls:

1. Gurtho Steenkamp
2. Gary Botha
3. Werner Kruger
4. Flip van der Merwe
5. Victor Matfield (c)
6. Derick Kuun
7. Pedrie Wannenburg
8. Danie Rousouw
9. Fourie du Preez
10. Morne Steyn
11. Francois Hougaard
12. Wynand Olivier
13. Stephan Dippenaar
14. Gerhard van den Heever
15. Zane Kirchner

16. Bandise Maku
17. Bees Roux
18. Deon Stegmann
19. Dewald Potgieter
20. Heini Adams
21. Jacques-Louis Potgieter
22. John Mametsa/Jaco van der Westhuyzen

Waratahs:

1. Benn Robinson
2. Tatafu Polota-Nau
3. Al Baxter
4. Dave Dennis
5. Kane Douglas
6. Ben Mowen
7. Phil Waugh (c)
8. Wycliff Palu
9. Luke Burgess
10. Daniel Halangahu
11. Drew Mitchell
12. Berrick Barnes
13. Tom Carter
14. Lachie Turner
15. Sosene Anesi

16. Damien Fitzpatrick
17. Sekope Kepu
18. Will Caldwell
19. Locky McKaffrey
20. Josh Holmes
21. Kurtley Beale
22. Rob Horne

Previous Super 14 results:

2006: Bulls 26, Waratahs 17 (Pretoria)
2007: Bulls 32, Waratahs 19 (Sydney)
2008:Bulls 16, Waratahs 13 (Pretoria)
2009: Bulls 20, Waratahs 6 (Sydney)

The third week of the Super 14 sees 2 South African sides touring which could derail their seasons!

The Sharks and Lions face strong tests away from home, especially considering neither has been able to win as yet on their home grounds!

The Brumbies and Waratahs both enter their second games in South Africa, and it’s critical to pick up at least 1 away win if they have semi-final aspirations.

Crusaders v Sharks – AMI Stadium, Christchurch

As I keep harping on, the Sharks season is only going to get worse! Although they’ve historically been the best South African side at touring, rarely have they had a good result in Christchurch. Against a Crusaders side that is showing some desperation by recalling Richie McCaw early from his break, it’s not going to get any better.

On paper these sides are fairly even. Both have good packs, and outside of Dan Carter, the Sharks edge the Crusaders backs. However this Sharks side is poorly coached, tactically niave and lack the ability to construct tries. That’s a recipe for disaster and won’t be enough to stop the losing streak.

Crusaders by 12.

Stormers v Brumbies – Newlands, Cape Town

Despite the absence of Schalk Burger, this side will be hungry and well led by Andries Bekker. Home wins are not negotiable, and last week was a step in the right direction for the Stormers.

The Brumbies have a solid pack, and a good backline. The Stormers will need to show the same discipline and desire on defence they showed last week against the Waratahs. The Burmbies will keep ball in hand more often, and try to construct multiple phases. As long as the Stormers defend like last week, the Brumbies won’t get very far.

There may need to be a bit more creativity in attack, but that’s an area I feel the Stormers will continue to improve in as the season progresses.

I’m expecting a full house at Newlands, and a stirring victory to the home side!

Stormers by 10.

Hurricanes v Lions – Westpac Stadium, Wellington

The Lions will continue to play the expansive game. They just need to ensure they defend properly and not concede too many points. The best way to do that is to maintain possession and score themselves.

Away to the Hurricanes represents a much greater challenge than playing at altitude in Johannesburg, and whilst I would love to see the Lions win, the smart money has to be with the Hurricanes. Conditions have been good in Wellington, meaning bonus points are probably the order of the day for both sides.

I hope not, but the Hurrcanes by 15.

Reds v Blues – Ballymore, Brisbane

A tough game to call. The Blues are particularly great, but the Reds are without captain James Horwill.

The Blues seem to struggle to put together an 80 minute effort, and Stephen Brett hasn’t controlled this side particularly well. The Reds will be bouyed by last season’s effort, and home advantage in a hot, humid Brisbane swings it for me.

Reds by 10.

Force v Chiefs – Perth

The Chiefs have come off 2 tough games in South Africa and have a few injury concerns as well as the suspension to Sione Lauaki.

However the Force offer very little other than a training run, and even the recruitment of David Hill can’t help them.

Chiefs by 22.

Cheetahs v Highlanders – Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein

The Cheetahs will have gained massive confidence from their victory over the Sharks and can now put valuable points on the board before they struggle with travel.

The Highlanders often play well in South Africa, but at altitude it will be much tougher. This Cheetahs pack will be tested by the Highlanders, but it is in the back row and out wide where the Cheetahs will run them ragged and score the valuable tries that will ensure victory.

Cheetahs by 14.

Bulls v Waratahs – Loftus, Pretoria

Who will stop the Bulls? It won’t be the Waratahs. They are too negative, and taking on the Bulls at their strengths (a territory game with plenty of kicking) will burn them.

Led by Matfield, and bolstered by the return of Danie Rousouw and Dewald Potgieter is only going to let this Bulls side up the ante. The Bulls have scored 2 fifty pointers in a row, and whilst the Waratahs have a strong defence, the Bulls should be able to continue their scoring streak.

Bulls by 16.

Assistant coach of the Springboks, Gary Gold has performed an in-depth analysis of the refs in the first round of this year’s super 14.

A copy of the article can be found on Gary’s rugby page.

Interestingly there were 2 local derbies in each country, and the penalty counts varied significantly when compared to the other match also in the same country. Are the refs being consistent? That for me is the biggest problem in rugby. It’s not that one ref is good, or one bad, it is the fact that they can differ so vastly from 1 game to the next, the poor players don’t know how to play.

That is the aim of these new law interpretations, but it’s silly to think players cannot concentrate fully on simply playing the game. They have to worry how the ref is going to handle the game, and that is not good for the game.

A great example was the game between the Sharks and Cheetahs in round 2. I thought Jonathan Kaplan was quite average, and after he was replaced at half-time by Pro Legoete the way the game was handled changed significantly.

Gary also discovered that 73% of the penalties in week 1 were awarded to the attacking side. Whilst this is a change SANZAR wanted, I don’t believe it is healthy for attacking sides to know that they are unlikely to be penalised unless something extreme happens. Both sides should be able to compete for the ball, and I’d probably prefer a 50-60% average for the attacking side.

Thankfully sanity has prevailed and Victor Matfield has been cleared to lead the Bulls on Saturday against the Waratahs.

Matfield had been cited and appeared at a SANZAR judicial hearing on Monday. After viewing the incident from multiple views, advocate Jannie Lubbe concluded that Matfield had struck Elsom in a lawful manner cleaning out at the ruck and the charges were dismissed.

Obviously the Brumbies will be peeved. They should try playing rugby instead of crying about incidents such as these, and calling the Bulls names!

Bulls coach Frans Ludeke was extremely happy to get his inspirational captain back and said “Victor provides so much to the team and it is great to know that he will be available to play. The Waratahs are a quality side and we certainly need to face them with our strongest possible team.”

Injury update

The Bulls have recovered remarkably well after Saturday’s game with the Brumbies. Those that were causing most concern appear on the road to recovery.

Pierre Spies caused the most concern when he went down in severe pain during the match. Scans have shown there is no structural or cruciate damage, he simply injured a muscle behind the knee. Spies will play but won’t train with the side until the captains run on Friday.

Bulls team doctor Org Strauss had this to say, “He (Spies) actually injured a muscle behind the knee, which was good news, as we’d feared some structural damage to the knee. We expect him to be fit.”

Dewald Potgieter is recovering from his knee injury and is available for selection. The question in the loose forwards will be who do you leave out? Spies, Stegmann and Potgieter would be my preferred combination, with Wannenburg on the bench. It would be a tough call for Derick Kuun to miss out however.

Danie Rousouw is also expected to play on Saturday after a neck strain last week.

The only player not considered was Jaco Pretorius who is still recovering from a quad strain, thus Stephan Dippenaar will remain at outside centre.

Match awards v the Brumbies (source: Bulls website)

The weekly Bulls team awards were dominated by the forwards with tighthead prop Werner Kruger leading the way.

Kruger made the most cleans, Deon Stegmann the most tackles with a mammoth 16 tackles. His workrate has been fantastic and other than the tackles, his speed to the breakdowns has been fantastic. While fetcher flanker play has to be redefined due to the new law interpretations, Stegmann has shown he has adapted better than any other player. I wonder if Springbok coach Peter de Villiers is considering rewarding Stegmann if he keeps us this form!

Lock Flip van der Merwe won the award for exceptional performance after a great starting performance. The depth at lock will hopefully allow Matfield a chance to rest at some stage, especially when old mate Bakkies Botha returns.

Morne Steyn won 2 awards, including the best back as he scored 35 points which included 2 tries.

The key to victory for me was the team effort rather than individuals and forwards coach Johan van Graan had this to say “We again reacted and adapted very well to the referee’s interpretation of the rucks and mauls. We had possession 80 times and recycled the ball 80 times.”

“The restarts and line-outs were very competitive, with both teams winning two of the opponent’s balls. We are very happy with the scrums and we again scored two tries from this phase” continued van Graan.

Defence coach John McFarland said “We became stronger defensively as the game went on. The new application have brought about changes to techniques and require a high level of conditioning to defend for 80 minutes. We did that with some success and made 112 tackles with a 90% completion.”

The Lions and Chiefs had an 18 try attack-athon, the Bulls and Stormers showed they will be the form South African sides, whilst the Reds produced the biggest upset in years.

The Bulls and Stormers are both placed in great positions and likely to carry the South African semi-final hopes, while the Sharks showed they are finished for the season and likely to be near the bottom of the table.

The Reds produced a great upset, the question is what can they maintain, especially given the fact captain James Horwill is finished for the season.

The Lions and Chiefs showed what can happen when sides don’t want to tackle, hold the ball and just want to score tries! Is it the way to go? As I have maintained the new law interpretations are too extreme and take the contest out of the game.

Even Waratahs captain Phil Waugh and I are on the same page. “Rugby union is supposed to be a contest, and the breakdown is a contest within that contest. We’ve got to be careful that we don’t get too caught up in watching the defender when the attacking team can be at fault too” said Waugh.

“There’s too many passive ball-carries that are rewarded while dominant tackles are often penalised. I’d like to see those big hits rewarded more often, but unfortunately it’s not happening at the moment. Hopefully this is just a case of referees getting used to the new interpretations and come the halfway stage, things may be more equal” continued Waugh.

Hopefully we’ll get back to some common ground, because 72-65 is not rugby, it’s basketball!

Picks 5/7

Highlanders (15) v Blues (19)

The Blues picked up a valuable 4 log points at what use to be the house of pain. Now it’s just a hold of cold and students, deep in the South Island of New Zealand!

Neither side played particularly well, with both sides guilty of indiscretions at the breakdown when under pressure. It’s taking time for some sides to adapt, and generally those that are failing, are not near the top of the log.

Stephen Brett has not set the world alight since moving to the Blues, and they looked directionless. Considering the pedigree of their forward pack, they are not setting a stable platform for the backs to operate well under either.

The Highlanders are a no frills side that really won’t threaten any of the top sides. They were motivated to perform for their home fans, but came up short as they lack the class needed at this level.

Overall a fairly average game.

Reds (41) v Crusaders (20)

The Reds scored the biggest upset in many years as they comprehensively beat the Crusaders in a 1 sided match in Brisbane.

It was the first time the Reds had beaten the Crusaders since 1999, and the Crusaders heaviest margin of defeat since in 6 years.

The Reds victory was based on dominance from scrumhalf Will Genia and flyhalf Quade Cooper, who created space for the Reds backs which led to multiple try-scoring opportunities.

Their victory may have come at a high cost however with Reds captain James Horwill likely to be sidelined for a long period with knee ligament damage.

The Crusaders missed regular captain Richie McCaw, and captain for the night Kieran Read said “We came over here with high hopes, but we just weren’t there. We just gave away too many penalties and dropped too much ball.”

This was a good result for the SA sides but showed the Reds are not to be underestimated this year!

Sharks (20) v Cheetahs (25)

The Sharks were abysmal in losing at home for the second successive week. It’s going to be a year of pain for the Sharks!

How does a side full of Springboks perform so poorly every week? They seem incapable of producing constructive rugby. The one occasion they did, they scored a simple try to Ryan Kankowski. It requires a greater effort than that however, and the Cheetahs showed that the greater hunger for victory.

The Cheetahs were well led by captain Juan Smith, and although their execution was poor at times, their willingness to have a go was rewarded. This led to a great try from fullback Riaan Viljoen, although he ran through a non-existent Sharks defence.

Compare this to Sharks fullback Stefan Terblanche. Did he run the ball back at all? Other than Adrian Jacobs, the Sharks backs are clueless, and simply move the ball from one side to the other. What does the coach teach them?

Mind you it doesn’t help when your much vaunted back row rarely gets over the advantage line for the backs to get quality ball.

The Sharks now head overseas for a 5 week tour where things are likely to go from bad to worse, while the Cheetahs can celebrate their first victory away from home since 2007. It may turn out to be a prized possession for them in 2010!

Lions (65) v Chiefs (72)

Tries! Lots of them. (Thats what the administrators wanted (Well the Kiwis and Aussies anyway). 18 tries in total were shared 9 apiece.

There were records broken galore in this game. These included the highest total number of points in a match, total number of tries and I’m sure the fewest tackles made too!

The Chiefs had the perfect start scoring in the second minute after running the ball the length of the field and barely having a hand laid on them, and their second try was also scored with barely a hand laid on the try scorer.

The Lions showed they weren’t prepared to give up without a fight and worked their way back with 3 tries, helped by the sinbinings of Sione Lauaki (who is just a thug and deserves to be suspended for constant misdemeanours, but I guess that only happens to South Africans) and de Malmanche (where does that name come from anyway??).

With an 8 point lead, the Lions let the Chiefs go into halftime with a lead thanks to silly mistakes. Poor at the restarts, stupid option taking, trying to run the ball from deep. These hurt the Lions and allowed the momentum to move back to the Chiefs.

After half-time the Lions scored a further 38 unanswered points as the Lions stopped tackling for 20 minutes! It was disgraceful stuff, but to their credit the Lions never gave up and finished the stronger of the 2 sides. The problem seems to be the holes in midfield which creates space out wide.

Earl Rose was tremendous and led the fightback. He is always a danger on attack, and creates so many opportunities for those around him. Burton Francis looks good when given opportunities, and in my view they look so much better when he replaces Carlos Spencer. I’d drop Doppies la Grange and move Spencer to inside centre, with Francis at flyhalf.

Wandile Mjekevu scored 3 good tries and showed his potential. Mjekevu and Tonderai Chavanga are benefiting from the expansive approach, and the Lions look like they have the fitness to play the expansive game. It was tenacious stuff to come back to within 7 points, but you can’t expect to concede 9 tries, 72 points and walk away with victory.

There were plenty of positives for Lions coach Dick Muir, he just needs his players to tackle and stop the opposition scoring! The Chiefs meanwhile have shown there are chinks in their armour and they aren’t invincible, but good sides win even when they aren’t playing well, and they’ll be extremely happy with their early log position.

Hurricanes (47) v Force (22)

The Force have become a walking 5 points for their opposition. Not enough depth, enough class or enough competitiveness across the park.

The Hurricanes produced a solid effort at home, with their wingers Tamati Ellison and David Smith chasing well and being rewarded for their efforts.

Aaron Cruden also adds impact as the replacement flyhalf, and should get a start soon.

The Hurricanes eventually outscored the Force 6 tries to 3, and gained the crucial bonus point.

The Force have been decimated by injury, and will struggle to move off the bottom of the log. Other than James O’Connor, they don’t offer enough on attack.

Bulls (50) v Brumbies (32)

The Bulls showed great composure in putting away the Brumbies at Loftus.

The Bulls player ratings showed it was a great team effort, and the depth, patience and belief of this side in executing their game plan when under real pressure and trailing at half-time showed why they are the defending champions!

They’ll be so hard to beat at Loftus, and have embraced the new law interpretations better than almost any side. Another thing the Bulls are doing fantastically well is maintaining discipline. It used to allow sides back into matches, but the Bulls have shown that mentally they are now clearly the best side in the competition (actually the universe in my opinion!)

The Brumbies talked a great game and for the first half, almost got away with it. However the effects of altitude and the difference in class shone through in the end, although the Brumbies never gave up trying.

Stormers (27) v Waratahs (6)

A match in stark contrast to the Lions-Chiefs just 4 hours earlier. This game was built on defence, both sides playing a more defensive brand of rugby, kicking for territory and seemingly unable to put together multiple phases.

The Stormers lost Schalk Burger early to a slight hamstring strain and Francois Louw and replacement loose forward Pieter Louw took on the extra responsibility superbly. Duane Vermeulen was a standout in the loose and also the lineouts, and the pack was led superbly by Andries Bekker who looks to have beefed up and is making massive hits, getting all around the park and dominating lineouts.

His lock partner De Kock Steenkamp was also well-committed, and Tiaan Liebenberg was just scary running onto the ball at pace!

The Stormers backs were strong on defence also. Ricky Januarie appears to be coming back to his best, although his kicking at times was not quite accurate enough, but Juan de Jongh and Jaque Fourie run straight and hard, and give Peter Grant so much more time and options.

Add in Bryan Habana who sniffs out any sort of try-scoring opportunity and this Stormers side is slowly gaining great momentum. What impressed me most was the 80 minute effort and intensity.

The Waratahs showed they haven’t really adapted from last year. They are still boring, relying on the boot of Berrick Barnes to gain field position, but not able to do much with it. Phil Waugh is a moron and lacked discipline and leadership for his side to follow. He was lucky not to be carded.

The Waratahs incidentally were the only side not to score a try over the weekend, and what was it that Phil Waugh said about the South Africans being the ones who would struggle with the new law interpretations?

PR: wait… I: wait… L: wait… LD: wait… I: wait… wait… Rank: wait… Traffic: wait… Price: wait… C: wait…

Bulls Superman Pierre Spies may have picked up a serious knee injury in the Bulls win over the Brumbies on Saturday.

Midway through the second half, Spies was tackled and looked to have wrenched his knee badly. He lay on the ground in agony, and my initial thoughts were “this is serious.”

However the big man got up and although ginger for a few minutes, he managed to play on. Eventually Spies was substituted once the result of the match was a foregone conclusion.

Knee ligament injuries can often go undetected. Judging by the pain Spies felt initially he must’ve torn something to register that acute pain, I just hope it’s not a cruciate ligament which provides the majority of the knee’s stability and if torn will most likely need surgical repair (and a lengthy rehabilitation period).

The only way to confirm the diagnosis is from scans. Generally a MRI scan. Bulls team doctor Org Strauss confirmed Spies will have the knee scanned on monday and said “I’ve seen injuries like this before that have looked fairly innocuous but have turned out to be serious, so we’ll wait and see.”

I hope Spies is okay, otherwise he may need to don his cape and fly instead of run! I’m sure all Bulls fans will be holding thumbs for him!

The good news for the Bulls is that Dewald Potgieter is making excellent progress after his medial ligament strain to his knee and should be available for selection this week.He will resume training on Monday, and is the unfortunate happens and Spies is ruled out (or even rested if needed), the Bulls have a fantastic replacement.

“We’ll see how he responds in training but his rehabilitation has gone very well and we’re confident he’ll be ready for the Waratahs” said Dr Strauss.

Meanwhile the injuries to lock Danie Rousouw and centre Jaco Pretorius may need another week, but the Bulls have depth in those positions. However the citing to Victor Matfield could potentially throw a spanner in the works.

The Bulls will also gain Springboks Bakkies Botha, Chiliboy Ralepelle and Akona Ndungane over the next 4-5 weeks too as they recover from longer-term injuries.

Bulls captain courageous and inspirational leader Victor Matfield has been cited following the Bulls 50-32 demolition of the Brumbies at Loftus.

Matfield is not a dirty player, he is one of the nicest guys around. In fact he’s so thin he could barely cause anyone damage!

Matfield was cited for foul play and charged with striking Brumbies flanker Rocky Elsom in the 17th minute under law 10.4 (a).

Deon Stegmann was in a ruck (and was left with a bleeding nose), and Elsom struck him with his forearm. Matfield came in to clean out Elsom, and unfortunately his forearm made contact with the bottom portion of Elsom’s face which doesn’t look good for Matfield.

I have no doubt Matfield was coming to his teammates defence and was simply trying to clean out at the ruck.

I’m not sure if it is the same incident or another but Matfield was also cited for charging into a ruck without binding onto another player under law 10.4 (k).

The Bulls have embraced the new law interpretations almost better than any other side and I thought their discipline has been fantastic so far. Why do the Bulls (and Springboks) always seem to get cited, suspended and generally subject to a different law compared to others?

Meanwhile thugs like Sione Lauaki get a 1 match ban for dangerous spear tackles? Where is the consistency? The Bulls just want to play rugby!

The hearing will occur on Monday lunchtime at Loftus. Thankfully it shouldn’t disrupt the Bulls preparations for their match against the Waratahs on Saturday.

I am not sure who actually Matfield. The new citing procedure has Freek Burger as the citing commissioner in South Africa, and as I understand it he has the final say on whether to put forward a citing if either side has put forward a citing request. My gut feel is that knowing the Aussies are yellow as they are, they’ve cited Matfield because they can’t stand losing and don’t know how else to compete with the Bulls.

Let’s hope justice and sanity prevails and Matfield can lead the Bulls on Saturday.

The Bulls produced a superb team effort in front of their home fans in coming back to thrash the Brumbies 50-32 at Loftus on Saturday.

The strength of this side is not the quality of the individuals, but the family bond and ability to play as a team. The game plan is clear, they don’t panic, and the grind the opposition down. Loftus creates massive pain for the opposition and the Brumbies will regret Adam Ashley-Cooper providing ammunition to the Bulls by calling the Bulls parasites!

Bulls 50
Tries: Wynand Olivier, Fourie du Preez, Gerhard van den Heever, Morne Steyn (2)
Conversions: Steyn (5)
Penalties: Steyn (5)

Brumbies 32
Tries: Rocky Elsom, George Smith, Pat McCabe
Conversion: Stirling Mortlock
Penalties: Mortlock (4):

Bulls player rating:

1. Gurtho Steenkamp – 7

A strong showing from the front-ranker who looks supremely fit and getting around the park well. A second half kick through highlighted his range of skills, but the execution wasn’t perfect. Scrumming well so far this year.

2. Gary Botha – 7

A strong showing around the park, and brings solidity to the pack. Accurate lineout throwing also.

3. Werner Kruger – 7

Solid around the field and made numerous carries. A tireless worker who does his job well.

4. Flip van der Merwe – 7

Strong carrying the ball up, and almost always crossed the advantage line. Brings the hard edge similar to Bakkies Botha and going from strength to strength with each outing.

5. Victor Matfield (c) – 8

A strong showing from the captain who led his charges well. Superb at lineout time and controlled his side well around the field and dealt with the referee without getting flustered. Such a cool, calm customer under pressure, and keeps his side focused well.

6. Deon Stegmaan – 8

Brilliant. Massive work rate and regaining the form of last year. So quick to the breakdowns and contested well when able. Has adapted brilliantly to the new law variations and on this form could be a Springbok this year.

7. Pedrie Wannenburg – 7

Not a stand out performance in his 100th game, but extremely workmanlike, carrying the ball strongly when needed, and working hard in defence. A good all round effort.

8. Pierre Spies – 8

Carried the ball well, and dangerous even from a standing start. Caused great anxiety when he went down with a knee injury in the second half and looked in severe pain. It’s full extent will only be known later in the week, but such a pivotal man for the Bulls. Constantly threatened the opposition.

9. Fourie du Preez -8

Another solid showing from the world’s premier scrumhalf. His service has been excellent this year, option taking good, and dangerous with ball in hand. Hasn’t used the box kick much, a sign the Bulls have used ball in hand much more.

10. Morne Steyn – 8

Missed his first kick, an ambitious 58m attempt, but kicked superbly after that. Strong with ball in hand two, and his support play to score two tries is often underestimated. Made a couple of errors with his kicking in general play and won’t be pleased with that.

11. Francois Hougaard – 8

Another to go down in the second half, but looked more like a direct collision injury as opposed to his knee. I was sceptical as to how he’d go on the wing, but Hougaard posed a threat every time he touched the ball. Massively talented, and he’ll have a great season if he keeps up this form.

12. Wynand Olivier – 7

Solid game from Olivier. Strong in defence and constantly asking questions on attack. Set the ball up well when the Bulls needed it, and took intelligent options.

13. Stephan Dippenaar – 7

Showed the Bulls depth and looked right at home at this level. Ran straight and hard (something the Sharks would do well to learn). Didn’t break the line, but will be more confident next time round.

14. Gerhard van den Heever – 8

Showed his pace when needed. Often appears to be cruising, but deceptively quick. Developing the knack of sniffing out tries, which all good wingers have.

15. Zane Kirchner – 8

So reliable at the back for the Bulls. Kicks well, and hits the line brilliantly. However it is his cover defence and ability to come forward and make the spot tackle, stopping the opposition player dead in his tracks that allows the Bulls time to regroup. Massively under-rated.

16. Bandise Maku – 7

Getting better and better. Ensure the Bulls scrum was solid, and lineout throwing is good.

17. Bees Roux -

Not on long enough to make a decent rating

18. Fudge Mabeta -

Not on long enough to make a decent rating

19. Derick Kuün – 7

Initially took time to adapt to the breakdown rulings, but competed well in this area and strong with ball in hand. Together with Stegmann they are so quick to the breakdowns.

20. Heini Adams – 7

Not much game time, but has the best pass in South Africa and always does his job well.

21. Jacques-Louis Potgieter -

Not on long enough to make a decent rating

22. John Mametsa -

Not on long enough to make a decent rating

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Live updates from Loftus as the Bulls take on the Brumbies

Pedrie Wannenburg leads the Bulls out onto the field in his 100th game. Well done!

The field looks a bit mottled. It’s being resown for the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

2nd Min – Brumbies get an early penalty. Mortlock kicks it, Brumbies lead 3-0.

9th Min – A fairly even beginning with plenty of intensity. Morne Steyn to have a penalty attempt from 58m. Poor strike and it goes under the crossbar. Brumbies still lead 3-0.

11th Min – Bulls not looking as polished this week. I don’t like being behind!

12th Min – Bulls penalty at scrumtime. A kickable penalty. C’mon Morne.
Hits it well. Scored tied at 3-3!

14th Min – Brumbies over the line! I think he lost it but we are going to the TMO. I thought he lost it, but I suspect it will be a try.
Yup, Rocky Elsom awarded the try in the left hand corner. Damn! Brumbies lead 8-3.

Mortlock misses the conversion to the right. It stays 8-3.

17th Min – Great Bulls buildup. Gain a penalty but just couldn’t quite breakthrough. Morne Steyn makes it 8-6.

21st Min – A move by the Bulls goes horribly wrong. Rocky Elsom sets George Smith away and scores under the sticks. With the conversion the Brumbies have a handy 15-6 lead.

23rd Min – Bulls penalty. Steyn kicks into the corner. C’mon guys!

24th Min – Try! Fourie du Preez goes through from the base of the maul, and was aided by ref Mark Lawrence being slightly in the way.

Morne Steyn makes it 15-13.

Surprisingly quite sparse on the far stand. Probably 20-25 000 crowd, but that’s a guess.

29th Min – Penalty to the Brumbies right in front.
Mortlock makes it 18-13.

33rd Min – Morne Steyn! Great buildup and taking the ball through the phases. Try time.
Kicks his own conversion and the Bulls take the lead 20-18. Yeah!

36th Min – Brumbies penalty. Gary Botha deemed offside out wide. The difference in defence between this game and the Lions-Chiefs game is highly evident.
Mortlock 5m in from the left hand sideline.
Good kick and the Brumbies lead again, 21-20.

38th Min – Morne misses the drop. So close.

Half-Time: Bulls 20 Brumbies 21

42nd Min – Matt Giteau gets the drop goal. In off the post but he’ll take it. That one was the result of a kick mistake from Steynn. Brumbies ahead 24-20.

45th Min – Good Bulls buildup. Get he penalty. They kick for the corner.

46th Min – It goes horribly awry, and the Brumbies breakout. Francois Hougaard took a knock to the leg and is limping a bit.

Will the altitude takes it’s effect later in the game? I hope so!

Pedrie Wannenburg leaves the field and Derick Kuun comes on.

50th Min – Brumbies penalty right near the posts.
Mortlock makes it 27-20.
C’mon Bulls!

51st Min – Penalty to the Bulls. Kicks to the corner again. We need a try!
From the maul we get another penalty. The Brumbies were coming in from the side too. Ref should bin them, or at least warn them!
Morne Steyn kicks it. Brumbies ahead now 27-23.

56th Min – Gerhard van den Heever. Good boy! Picks up the loose ball from the lineout. Try!
The Bulls are now in front 30-27 after the conversion.

59th Min – Deon Stegmann does great work getting to the breakdown quickly. Earns the turnover and penalty.

Pierre Spies looks in trouble. The big man looks to have damaged his knee. Hope he is ok. He is continuing, but then he is Superman!

61st Min – Wynand Olivier!!! Try! Just a simple switch move with Morne Steyn from the scrum. The Blue machine starting to get into gear. And that’s the bonus point try.
Morne Steyn makes it 37-27, and a handy 10 point lead now.

67th Min – Bulls starting to dominate and earn the penalty.
Morne Steyn makes it 40-27. One more score should seal it. Go for the drop Morne!

70th Min – Penalty to the Brumbies for a high tackle from Zane Kirchner. C’mon gotta defend well.

The Bulls just need to wind this game down now. 8 and a half to go.

73rd Min – Penalty Bulls. Right in front. Morne Steyn can wrap it up. It’d be nice to deny the Brumbies a bonus point too.
74th Min – Morne Steyn kicks it and Bulls ahead 43-27.

76th Min – Morne Steyn! You beauty. A try next to the posts after fantastic buildup. Another 50 pointer.
Morne Steyn kicks the conversion and now it is 50-27. Morne Steyn has 35 points.

It’s been 30 points to 6 in the second half.

81st Min – A late try at the end to the Brumbies. To no real avail as they can’t get a bonus point.
Mortlock misses the conversion and the score is 50-32.

Full-time: Bulls 50 Brumbies 32

An excellent victory for the Bulls who were under real pressure halfway through the match. Like last week, and last year, there is no panic in this side and they performed the job superbly.

We now sit atop the log, a good place to be!

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Wallaby and Brumbies fullback Adam Ashley-Cooper has labelled the Bulls as parasites ahead of this Saturday’s encounter with the Bulls at Loftus.

In an article published in the Canberra Times, Ashley-Cooper said “They play such a parasitic game of footy, their game plan, they just rely on putting all the pressure on you and wait for you to slip up.”

”They are parasites, as I like to describe the way they play. Morne Steyn and Fourie du Preez are such fantastic kickers so as a result, they get to play such good field position and use their dominant forwards to get over the advantage line and wait for opportunities to pop up. And then they sink their teeth in. We need to give that back to them, to master our kicking game, to play in their half, to pile the pressure on them and play how and where we want to”. continued Ashley-Cooper.

I understand what Ashley-Cooper is trying to say, the Bulls get under your skin, have a  great kicking game and wait for mistakes as a result of applying immense pressure to capitalise on. However it may be a large part of the Bulls game, but they have more attributes than that. Remember the Super 14 final last year? Did Ashley-Cooper see the 6 tries the Bulls scored last week?

Diplomacy has never been an Australian strength. I am sure the Bulls will love the red cape waved in front of them by Ashley-Cooper this week. The crowd will certainly remind him every time he touches the ball and I look forward to seeing him get smashed by the Bulls parasites! They’ll definitely stick to him and suck the life out of him!

His coach, Andy Friend was more diplomatic in assessing the challenge ahead. “The Bulls at Loftus presents a significant challenge for any side in the competition. There’s an appreciation within the side that we need to step up from where we finished last week and we’ve identified where we need to improve against a quality Bulls outfit” said Friend.

“We certainly need to be more physical in the contest and I think Rocky (Elsom) will help us achieve that. In saying that, Mitch (Chapman) was one of our hardest working forwards in the Force game but given Rocky’s returning from an injury, it made sense to put him straight into the game after the warm-up without giving him a chance to cool down on the bench” continued Friend.

I’m looking forward to a great clash and seeing blood. Brumbies blood. The Bulls are going to cause some serious damage to these okes!

The Bulls make their first appearance at fortress Loftus for the first time in 2010.

We haven’t been beaten at Loftus in 11 games, since the Hurricanes beat us in 2008. It’s a tough ask to win at Loftus, and it’ll be hard for the Brumbies on Saturday too.

In a late change, Springbok lock Danie Rousouw has been ruled out with a neck injury suffered at training, and Flip van der Merwe moves to the starting line-up with former SA under-21 lock Fudge Mabeta coming onto the bench.

Bulls coach Frans Ludeke has made two other changes from the side that won last week in Bloemfontein. Stephan Dippenaar (outside centre) gets a rare start with the injury to Jaco Pretorius Francois, whilst super utility Francois Hougaard (left wing) replaces John Mamesta after recent injury woes.

Both are young, products of the Western Cape (former Paul Roos students) and the future of the Bulls. Hougaard has a tough ask filling Bryan Habana’s shoes, whilst Dippenaar takes on Wallaby Stirling Mortlock in his biggest test to date.

“We’ve got confidence in Dippenaar. He’s a very talented player and we have all the confidence in his abilities. When he looks around he will see there are a lot of old heads around him to back him, so there is no reason for him not to make a difference on Saturday” said Bulls coach Ludeke.

“This is it for me. I have been waiting in the wings and now get the chance to stake a claim. The fact that I will be playing against Stirling Mortlock certainly makes it more special. He is one of the best there is and a fantastic way to measure where I am in my career” said an enthused Dippenaar.

Pedrie Wannenburg also has the honour of playing his 100th Super rugby game for the Bulls. Remarkably it will be the 86th consecutive game for the stalwart loose forward.

“To get to a situation like this you have to be a special player and have good mental capacity to handle the challenges of the game. The nice thing is that he still has other dreams to pursue” Ludeke said.

Wannenburg is a tireless workhorse and re-iterated what it meant to play so many games for such a great side.

“It’s an unbelievable privilege to get there and to pull a Bulls jersey over my head. I’m one of the few who have got there, but it is not something I’m focusing on this weekend. My focus is on doing what I can to help the team achieve its goal” said Wannenburg.

“There are a couple of games that stand out, obviously my first game for the Bulls. Then all the finals we played together as a team. Also the 92-3 over the Reds was excellent. There are a couple of games I can look back at and realise those are special moments in my career. As for the 100th game, it’s very difficult to say how this ranks, but it is definitely a milestone that you get to” continued Wannenburg.

The Bulls are primed and ready for a big showing. They’re rejuvenated after last season’s success, and last week showed they have the ability to be flexible in their approach, and create tries.

The Brumbies only arrived in Pretoria on Wednesday. It’s a tough ask to come to altitude and only have 3 days to prepare. Hopefully they’ll feel the effects in the second half!

The danger will be if the Brumbies retain possession for long periods, take the ball through the phases and wear the Bulls down. However with the best lineout in the competition, and a beefed up scrum, the Bulls victory should start with a dominant forward effort.

Morne Steyn will kick well, as will Stirling Mortlock, but it may be the Bulls back three who can win this game if they get good go forward from a great loose trio.

Go Bulle Go!

Vodacom Bulls:

1. Gurtho Steenkamp
2. Gary Botha
3. Werner Kruger
4. Flip van der Merwe
5. Victor Matfield (c)
6. Deon Stegmaan
7. Pedrie Wannenburg
8. Pierre Spies
9. Fourie du Preez
10. Morne Steyn
11. Francois Hougaard
12. Wynand Olivier
13. Stephan Dippenaar
14. Gerhard van den Heever
15. Zane Kirchner

16. Bandise Maku
17. Bees Roux
18. Fudge Mabeta
19. Derick Kuün
20. Heini Adams
21. Jacques-Louis Potgieter
22. John Mametsa

Brumbies:

1. Ben Alexander
2. Stephen Moore
3. Salesi Ma’afu
4. Justin Harrison
5. Mark Chisholm
6. Rock Elsom
7. George Smith
8. Stephen Hoiles (c)
9. Josh Valentine
10. Matt Giteau
11. Francis Fainifo
12. Christian Lealiifano
13. Stirling Mortlock
14. Pat McCabe
15. Adam Ashley-Cooper

16. Huia Edmonds
17. Guy Shepherdson
18. Ben Hand
19. Mitchell Chapman
20. Patrick Phibbs
21. Matt Toomua
22. Tyrone Smith

Referee: Mark Lawrence (South Africa)

Previous Super 14 results:

2006: Bulls 21, Brumbies 27 (Pretoria)
2007: Bulls 19, Brumbies 7 (Canberra)
2008:Bulls 28, Brumbies  17 (Pretoria)
2009: Bulls 31, Brumbies 32 (Canberra)

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The Sharks have acquired the services of English flyhalf Andy Goode for the remainder of the 2010 Super 14.

Have the Sharks lost the plot?

Goode has been playing for Brive in France and will join the squad ahead of the Sharks 5 match tour to Australasia.

In recent years the Sharks have had numerous foreign flyhalfs. Frederic Michalak, Gregor Townsend and Juan Martin Hernandez. How has it helped the Sharks? Where are the local flyhalves? What are the long term plans to develop a South African player for this position?

Since the retirement of Henry Honniball the Sharks have struggled in this position, but they have not helped tehemselves. The Sharks academy has produced plenty of young talent. Why not flyhalf?

I question the wisdom of acquiring Goode. Even in the northern hemisphere he is widely regarded as a bit of a journeyman, a stop gap measure to fill a hole.

He will join the Sharks with no Southern Hemisphere rugby experience. It’ll take him at least 2-3 weeks to get familiar with the Sharks and super rugby. By that stage the Sharks season will be over anyway. What message does that send to Ruan Pienaar and his flyhalf aspirations (if he has any left).

The Sharks should stop kidding themselves. They can’t win the Super 14, in fact they’ll be lucky to finish in the top half. Develop a flyhalf! Now! You have to start somewhere, otherwise they’ll be back at step 1 come Currie Cup time. I don’t think they seem to get it!

The Bulls meanwhile have shown their professionalism in releasing lock Wilhelm Steenkamp to the Sharks for the remainder of the Super 14.

Injuries to Johan Muller and Gerhard Mostert have left the Sharks seriously short of locks. The Bulls have a never ending supply of brilliant locks with Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha (due to return from injury soon), Danie Rousouw, Flip van der Merwe, and Fudge Mabeta. It’s a wise decision to help out another franchise and allow him some quality playing time and the chance to learn from other players.

I am sure Steenkamp will learn what a losing side is like and will be raring to return to a winning side once he comes back to Pretoria for the Currie Cup!

The second week of the Super 14 sees greater international games, and the opportunity to see if the Australian challenge is real or not!

Each side should now be more familiar with the new law interpretations, and can start to evolve how they want to play.

Both the Waratahs and Brumbies travel to South Africa, and will test the Stormers and Bulls, whilst the Sharks could have their campaign as good as over.

The rest of the games should favour the more experienced sides and leave the table in a fairly fmailiar position.

Highlanders v Blues – Carisbrook, Dunedin

The Blues started off well last week and then faded, whilst the Highlanders finished fairly strongly. They are always tough to beat in Dunedin, but I’m backing the Blues to win.

There may not be much in this game, but ultimately I think the greater pace and class of the Blues’ backs should see them get home.

Blues by 8.

Reds v Crusaders – Suncorp, Brisbane

Will this Reds side continue to improve and build on last week’s effort? I personally don’t think the Aussies are as good as they think they are, and whilst the Crusaders often struggle with the heat and humidity in Brisbane, I can’t see them losing.

Crusaders by 12.

Sharks v Cheetahs – Kings Park, Durban

If the Sharks lose this game before going on tour, they can kiss their 2010 aspirations away. Sure sides like the Chiefs have come back from losing their first 3 games, however the Sharks have never made the semis after losing their first game of the season.

The Cheetahs may be blessed with the injury to Corne Uys as it gives Lionel Mapoe the opportunity to play outside centre. This guy has gas, and he could be a star.

Whilst both packs were poor last week, the Cheetahs have tended to have the measure of the Sharks in recent times. With a strong forward effort, I think the Cheetahs backs can win this game as the Sharks have greater expectation and more to lose.

The man who could turn it all around for the Sharks is Ruan Pienaar, but he is fast becoming the next Gaffie du Toit in my view but if he doesn’t have the kicking duties to contend with he may just go alright.

I’m not sure, but I’m picking the Cheetahs by 8.

Lions v Chiefs – Ellis Park, Johannesburg

The Lions started poorly last week and are still finding their feet and combinations. At least Dick Muir knows he has to persevere rather than go for the band-aid approach, and he has made 3 changes to his starting line-up which were probably warranted.

The Chiefs were scratchy last week but showed that they know how to win, and they possess game-breakers all over the field.

The one factor favouring the Lions is altitude, and it may catch up with the Chiefs in the final quarter.

The Lions lineout is poor, but the Chiefs are not a side that can exploit that. If the forward battle is fairly even, Carlos Spencer and Earl Rose could shine for the Lions.

This is more my heart than my head, but the Lions by 5.

Hurricanes v Force – Westpac Stadium, Wellington

The Hurricanes have lose Hosea Gear to injury and probably Willie Ripia. The back up players are untested, but should still be enough to overcome a Force side that doesn’t travel particularly well.

Hurricanes by 11.

Bulls v Brumbies – Loftus, Pretoria

The Brumbies are the pick of the Australian sides and heavily rated by their supporters. They have no right to come to Loftus and spoil our party!

Don’t worry the Bulls haven’t lost at Loftus since mid 2008, and have a run of 11 wins at their home fortress.

The Bulls look awesome so far this year, they’re fit and fresh, have adapted well to the new law interpretations, and appear mentally strong. The Brumbies pose a significan challenge, but one that we should be able to overcome. The danger could be Matt Giteau if he plays, and a Brumbies side that has few major weaknesses.

However we have Morne Steyn, and I’m sure he’ll keep the scoreboard ticking over with his boot.

Bulls by 8.

Stormers v Waratahs – Newlands, Cape Town

The Stormers faded badly in the second half last week, whilst the Waratahs showed they can never be discounted.

At home with 40 000+ fanatical supporters, this Stormers side will be eager to please their home crowd. I think they’ll be much better for last week’s effort, whilst it’s not easy for the Waratahs to travel so far.

The Stormers should be able to match the Waratahs pack, and in the backs Jaque Fourie and Bryan Habana should be able to stand out and create space out wide. I’m looking for the Stormers to really step up in this game.

Stormers by 9.

Outside centre Jaco Pretorius is suffering from a knock to his quadricep and will be unable to play against the Brumbies on Saturday.

Pretorius was injured during the first round encounter with the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Friday night, and had to leave the field. He suffered a haematoma as a result of a direct blow.

The Bulls team doctor Org Strauss told Supersport.com that there was heavy internal bleeding and the Bulls will not risk Pretorius as he is not 100%.

“There is a lot of bleeding inside the muscle and that will influence the recovery period. He will definitely not be playing this weekend. I’m not sure at this stage how long he will be out but we will monitor the bleeding on his leg on a daily basis” said Dr Strauss

Hooker Gary Botha and scrumhalf Fourie du Preez (bruised hip) were both replaced against the Cheetahs but have been declared fit for this weekend’s clash.

Francois Hougaard who was ruled out of the Cheetahs match on the eve  of kick-off has been pronounced fit and should be considered for selection this week. However flanker Dewald Potgieter is still recovering from his knee injuy and whilse he is back training with the side this week, will not be considered for selection.

“We will monitor his (Potgieter) progress, but I doubt that we will consider him to play this weekend” said Dr Strauss.