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100 caps: Pierre Spies
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Teams
- Bulls
- Highlanders
Also see
- Minute-by-minute from Loftus
- Injury concerns for the Wallabies
Tries from JJ Englebrecht, Akona Ndungane, Pierre Spies and Jano Vermaak saw the Bulls triumph 35-18 over the Highlanders at Loftus.
The win was the perfect way to mark Spies reaching 100 caps in Super Rugby in front of a vocal crowd at Loftus.
The Bulls came into Saturday's clash on the back four consecutive victories, including a 34-0 whitewash over the Kings.
The tale of the Highlanders season was less successful - just one victory in their first ten matches ahead of a stern test taking on the three-time champions.
Loose ball at the ruck saw the Highlanders punished early on, Chiliboy Ralepelle recovering possession and beginning a passage of play that resulted eventually in a try for Englebrecht within the first two minutes of the match.
Colin Slade responded for the visitors with a penalty after fine work by Andrew Hore at the breakdown, before Steyn left a shot at goal hanging out to the left to keep the score at 7-3 after the opening ten minutes.
The experience of the Highlanders front-row told against their younger opponents, Jamie Mackintosh getting the better of Frik Kirsten to create three more points for Slade who cut the deficit to one.
Steyn responded with a penalty of his own to appease the earlier miss and keep the Bulls out in front.
Someway off the highest level of execution, both sides struggled with their handling and decision-making as the first half progressed.
Steyn broke the deadlock with a superb long-range penalty, his second of the night as the Bulls sought to create a healthy gap on the scoreboard. His third strike two minutes later put the them ahead 16-6.
A breakaway try for Ndungane appeared as though it should have been ruled out by the TMO due to a knock-on, yet despite conclusive footage that Jan Serfontein's pass was forward the score was still given to the dismay of the Highlanders players.
Their fortunes took a further turn for the worse after the interval, early pressure in the Bulls half cancelled out by a celebratory try for Spies down the other end that stretched the score to 30-6 after Steyn's conversion bounced in off the post.
A fourth try for the Bulls was then ruled out, Serfontein pinged for double movement diving for the line after Tino Nemani was sin-binned for a high tackle on Lionel Mapoe - a sign that the floodgates might be about to open.
Last-ditch defence from Jason Emery denied Mapoe a try of his own in the left-hand corner but the Highlanders discipline continued to let them down, prop Chris King sent to the bin to briefly reduce their numbers to 13.
Heading into the final quarter without the try bonus point, the Bulls squandered a pair of five-metre lineouts through poor execution and handling errors, although they could be afforded a level of discretion given the gulf on the scoreboard.
The better rugby came from the Highlanders, spurred on by the energy of replacements Liam Coltman, TJ Ioane and finally Japanese scrum-half Fumiaki Tanaka - the latter diving over for a consolation score with eight minutes remaining.
Still set on clinching the bonus point score, the Bulls finally delivered. A driving maul was halted on the edge of the Highlanders 22, before replacement scrum-half Vermaak burst off the base to score in the corner and seal the five-pointer.
Tamati Ellison's score after the hooter added some more respectability to the scoreline, but this was the Bulls day, extending their lead at the top of the South African Conference.
The scorers:
Bulls:
Tries: Englebrecht, Ndungane, Spies, Vermaak
Cons: Steyn 3
Pens: Steyn 3
Highlanders:
Tries: Tanaka, Ellison
Con: Slade
Pens: Slade 2
Yellow Cards: Nimani, King
Bulls: 15 Jürgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Lionel Mapoe, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Pierre Spies (c), 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Juandré Kruger, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Frik Kirsten, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Morné Mellet.
Replacements: 16 Callie Visagie, 17 Werner Kruger, 18 Grant Hattingh, 19 Arno Botha, 20 Jano Vermaak, 21 Louis Fouchè, 22 Bjorn Basson.
Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Tino Nemani, 13 Tamati Ellison, 12 Shaun Treeby, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Colin Slade, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Mose Tuiali'i, 7 John Hardie, 6 Joe Wheeler, 5 Jarrad Hoeata, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Chris King, 2 Andrew Hore (c), 1 Jamie Mackintosh.
Replacements: 16 Liam Coltman, 17 Tony Woodcock, 18 Elliot Dixon, 19 TJ Ioane, 20 Fumiaki Tanaka, 21 Hayden Parker, 22 Jason Emery.
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Ben Crouse (South Africa), Stefan Breytenbach (South Africa)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
Comments
7ton says...
Humble genius
Now why do you think they keep banning you wouldn't be anything to do with slanderous comments and bordering on racism would it.
But you've changed your name for other reasons as well like trying to make out that someone was actually agreeing with you on a point..
Worse still after you had slandered a match official and then been proven beyond doubt to be incorrect instead of manning up and admitting it and apologizing you simply done the cowardly thing and changed your name
Posted 14:06 24th May 2013
HumbleGenius says...
7ton I am forced to change names because PR keeps banning me
Posted 17:26 21st May 2013
7ton says...
Humblegenius
And exactly who are you trying to pass off as?
Tell us why you keep changing your name!!!!
I certainly wouldn't be surprised if you and manawatu are in fact the same person.
Posted 12:38 21st May 2013
7ton says...
philipjfry
Yeah I saw I think Samoa do it once in an international and the ref did penalise the other team but can't remember who they were. I can also vaguely recall another team trying the same but it didn't work perhaps because the player who caught the ball in the lineout just ran into the players that stood back and then formed a maul.
Under circumstances like that I would imagine not too many teams would care to take the risk of standing back when they are close to their own tryline
Posted 14:01 20th May 2013
philipjfry says...
@7ton : Earlier in the season one or two of the teams (I wish I can recall which teams) countered the maul by standing off completely and not committing any players to stopping it. Does that not automatically turn the maul into truck-and-trailer?
Posted 13:01 20th May 2013
HumbleGenius says...
@Ramage So now you're even trying to pass off the dumb Kiwis like manawatu as Saffas. What's next? You going to blame us for the hole in the ozone layer above your poxy little island as well?
Posted 09:41 20th May 2013
Ramage says...
AD Shark during the commentary the Saffa commentators said it was Greef and that he had also made a bad call that put the Blue bulls out of the semis in I believe the Vodacom cup. The Oz press have been having a field day about Veldsman in the Reds Cheetahs game with some rather colourful turns of phrase from Euan McKenzie about where Veldsman was pulling his reasons for disallowing the tries. Seems if you are relying on Planet Rugby for who the TMOs were they have either cocked it up or the TMOs were changed after appointment.
Interesting to see that there is now controversy over the Saffa calls and after weeks of certain people on here suggesting Kiwi and Oz refs are biased, cheats, corrupt and involved in Sports betting I have yet to see any press reports or people on here suggesting that saffa referees and TMOs are all of the above.
Apart from Manawatu who is really Bok Van, etc etc or humble genius or any other name he changes to. The pattern is so familiar. He is so discredited he needs to adopt a kiwi alter ego so he can discredit us Kiwis lol.
Posted 04:19 20th May 2013
7ton says...
Real Bull
Did not see this game so can not comment on what happened in this game but if the Bulls used the maul to their advantage within the laws as they exist then good for them.
However in regards to the maul in general IMO I think the laws around the maul are too much in favour of the attacking team
As one example and where we would consider it right that the defending team can't enter from the side. However the attacking teams tail can twist to the side and launch a separate attack coming round from a sheltered position.
In order to stop the maul the defending team may have to commit all its forwards to push directly against the attacking team but then they do not have any forwards left to defend against the tail breaking of from the side and if they don't commit all their forwards then the attacking team can just keep marching them backwards.
The defending team is in a catch 22 situation while the attacking team can have the luxury of deciding when to push and when to twist and that gives them an advantage almost as similar as putting the ball into the scrum or lineout.
I do think a competitive maul should remain part of the game but would like to see it made a bit more of an even contest.
Posted 02:11 20th May 2013
harkling says...
@Realbull The maul ceases to be legal when a bunch of players break off, with the ball carrier behind obstructing players, and with no defenders in contact.
Posted 00:03 20th May 2013
darthbok says...
a great result from a bulls side who don't have as many springbok caps/ internationals as you would expect -- compare them to the crusaders whom they`ll possibly meet in the playoffs -- go the bulls !
Posted 19:02 19th May 2013
Ramage says...
Yes cuw3100 I did and I thought he did a very good job especially letting Ali Williams lose his head with ridiculous ranting as his boys were taken to the cleaners by the Crusaders. Jackson just dismissed him and made him an irrelevancy although he, Williams, was close to being the Crusaders 16th player like he was the Rebels 16th player the week before.
What I especially liked about Jackson was the way he dealt with the possible penalty try. He asked for it to be put up on the screen watched it and made the decision himself and did not leave it to the TMO alone. That is excellent refereeing. Sometimes some referees and assistants are so timid and afraid to make a call you wonder why they are in the game. I must say I didn't notice the time in play in that game and only mentioned van der Merwe in the Chiefs vs Hurricanes game because he actually blew his whistle and called time off. I do agree though Jackson had a very good game. I do note Hammett has come out complaining about van der Merwe but I believe it is just frustration from a poor coach who thought his charges could win and blew it.
Posted 12:58 19th May 2013
Realbull says...
Bulls truck and trailer when mauling...think not!!! Mauling is a skill and it takes skill to stop a maul. Appreciate and acknowledge the maul as a effective attaking skill.
Posted 12:56 19th May 2013
philipjfry says...
@bigb6969: Great stat. It's astounding that they score tries at all considering they have the least amount of defenders beaten in the competition (159 for 29 tries, still the most in SA conference).
Posted 12:40 19th May 2013
HumbleGenius says...
@MidCoaster When it comes to SA you are about as neutral as Bryce Lawrence
Posted 12:36 19th May 2013
cuw3100 says...
@ harkling says...
The TMO decision regarding the second try was okay; there wasn't any conclusive evidence that the ball went forward in the final pass - although it looked like it might have gone forward out of the player's hands, it actually landed behind him.
lol from above assume ur talking about both players involved in the play. the pass from JS went forward but as u correctly said was behind AN who collected the ball to run away.
must actually congratulate the tv guys; that replay was very good (as opposed to the one where a penalty try was given with doubts over a knock on though unclear from footage)
simple fact is, JS would need to be super human to pass that ball sidewayss when being hit from behind .... unless he thorws it over his head in a backward motion.
also explains why AN collected the ball behind him,
Posted 12:03 19th May 2013
ADShark says...
Who was the TMO in this match? Was it Shaun Veldsman or Johan Greef?
Posted 12:00 19th May 2013
HumbleGenius says...
@Bokrocker you are spot on! Kiwis are total hypocrites. They spent 1997-2011 whinging about Suzie the waitress, gold watches and the crooked referee in 1995 World Cup (the same ref who disallowed the Bok try) yet when we point out that they shouldn't have won 2011 RWC they accuse us of promoting conspiracy theories.
Now you have hypocrites like Ramage and Manawatool moaning about TMO decisions and refs yet when we do so we are accused of being cry babies. Talk about the pot calling the kettle an all black
Posted 10:26 19th May 2013
harkling says...
The TMO decision regarding the second try was okay; there wasn't any conclusive evidence that the ball went forward in the final pass - although it looked like it might have gone forward out of the player's hands, it actually landed behind him. Joel Stransky (one of the commentators) was out of line with his criticism of the TMO. A much bigger problem was how the referee allowed the Bulls to obstruct defenders at lineout mauls. On at least three occasions the Bulls got away with truck-and-trailer moves.
Posted 09:03 19th May 2013
Jester says...
The TMO had a shocker, got two calls wrong. Not that it matters the Bulls where too good for the worst team in the comp.
Posted 08:27 19th May 2013
Ramage says...
bigb6959 Maybe the Bulls are an 80 minute team and play until the game is over.
Posted 08:23 19th May 2013