Force give Bulls the Blues
4 May 2007
The Blues hammered the Force to make the Super 14 semi-final.
The Blues won 33-6, scoring the fourth-try bonus point in injury time. It means they will have to wait until the Bulls play to see where their semi-final will be. At this stage the odds must favour a trip to Christchurch. But in a weekend with all sorts of twists, the Blues could still end 2nd, third or fourth, depending on the outcome of the Sharks and Bulls matches.
The Bulls have to beat the Reds with a bonus point to push for a top two place. To overtake the Crusaders they have to beat the Reds by 70-plus points. Victory by 40-plus will mean they finish third and the Blues slip to fourth.
All this of course can only happen if the Sharks beat the Stormers. If the Sharks lose this match they could end up fourth and have to travel to Christchurch.
True to form, this tournament’s final placings will be decided in the last match, as it was last year when the Bulls had to beat the Stormers by 30-plus points in Cape Town. They did this in winning 43-10.
The Blues were a transformed team from that which stumbled through South Africa. In Perth they physically dominated the Force pack, something they could not do in South Africa.
With this front foot ball and the return of Luke McAlister at inside centre, the result was never in doubt.
McAlister’s presence galvanised the backline, and his three penalties and two conversions ensured that the Force were always playing catch up. But the Auckland franchise will still have to make significant improvements if they are to be considered serious title contenders.
They did show glimpses of the incisive backline play that had them firmly entrenched at the top of log for majority of tournament. Their first try, a breakout from their 22m in which Isa Necwa, McAlister and Ice Toeava played a central role, saw Rudi Wulf profit after a couple of phases had depleted the defence.
But the Blues struggled to penetrate thereafter, and at one stage one could be forgiven for forgetting that this was a team in need of a bonus-point victory. They spurned opportunities in good positions through poor handling, which wasn’t aided by steady rain. To the Forces’ credit they did defend well. When they slipped first-up hits their scramble defence was impressive.
In addition to their impotence with ball in hand, the Blues simply failed to find their range off the boot. They sort to play down in the Force half early on but instead simply gave the back three the opportunity to counterattack.
The Perth franchise failed to capitalise though, their kicks routinely finding grateful Blues catchers. If it was a tactic to keep the ball alive in the hope that they could force errors off the kick return, it failed. Their chasing line never put any significant pressure on the catcher allowing them to clear easily or break the first line of defence. That however was simply one in a multitude of flaws.
The Blues defensive line speed forced their backline crossfield, while the Auckland franchise’s superb defence around the scrum, ruck and maul fringe never allowed the Force to generate any momentum there.
The Blues dominance of the tackle situation gave them the ascendancy at the breakdown. This meant that the service to Matt Giteau was slow and often scrappy, which never allowed the Force pivot to get his back division going.
When he did produce moments of brilliance, his support runners were simply on a different wavelength.
The Blues led 13-6 at the break, and extended that to 10 points when McAlister sunk a close- range penalty early in the second-half. The Force made just one meaningful foray into the red zone in the half, despite a couple of promising linebreaks from Scott Staniforth and Digby Ione.
John Afoa and Keven Mealamu struck within five minutes of each other to effectively end the contest. The latter’s try was highly contentious, with Ali Williams receiving a new ball from the ball boy, and taking a quick throw to the All Black hooker who ran in as the Force ambled to the lineout. Neither referee Jonathan Kaplan nor his touch judge picked up the incident.
Tony Woodcock then crossed after the siren to secure the all important bonus point that sent the Blues into the semi-final.
By Ryan Vrede
Force – Penalties: Matt Giteau (2)
Blues – Tries: Rudi Wulf, John Afoa, Keven Mealamu and Tony Woodcock. Conversions: Luke McAlister (2), Penalties: McAlister (3)
90 Comments
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4 May 2007, 13:25 pm
what’s the score
4 May 2007, 13:25 pm
Go Force!!
4 May 2007, 13:28 pm
3-3
4 May 2007, 13:29 pm
Has keo been reserructed??
4 May 2007, 13:41 pm
Oi, was that a BIG CRASH or what for this site??
Damn!!
Dull game between Blues & Farce…..
Playing almost right into the Bulls & Guppies hands, so far!!
4 May 2007, 15:08 pm
Sorry folks had some serious issues with the server, it might still wobble – please bare with us.
4 May 2007, 15:08 pm
Blues vidtory means the brumbies have no chance!
aussieboer. com
4 May 2007, 15:09 pm
BLUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSS!!!
4 May 2007, 15:13 pm
FLIP the bulls will win against the Reds but I cannot see them going for a 40 pointer and having to travel down to Christchurch. They will engineer a trip down to Durbs to meet the mighty Sharks
4 May 2007, 15:14 pm
THREE of the Blues four tries were scored by front-rowers. Has this EVER happened before in Super Rugby?
Have three tries been scored by frontrowers for any team before in super rugby???
4 May 2007, 15:16 pm
Damnit. The Blues third try should never have been allowed. Lineout taken quickly with a different ball.
That bonus point is bad news for the Sharks and Bulls. You idiot, Kaplan.
4 May 2007, 15:17 pm
Bulle must win by 45 to go above blues and 72 to go above Crusaders(bonus point obviously)
4 May 2007, 15:19 pm
Crusaders lucky to get extra bonus. tele-ref robbed chiefs from a try. THERE WAS DOWNWARD PRESSURE! that would have made a big diffirence on log.
4 May 2007, 15:19 pm
What is Kaplan’s defence on that shocking try? If he didn’t see the ball switch and the linesman said it was fine, what is his official position? Doesn’t he have to take the word of the TJ? I don’t think he’s allowed to refer it to the TMO seeing as it didn’t happen in the goal area. Can anyone explain?
4 May 2007, 15:20 pm
Failing any reasonable defence, I hope Kaplan and his TJ get cited and lose their places on the ref’s panel for the World Cup – that was nothing short of disgraceful, but as usual the ref will be untouchable
4 May 2007, 15:23 pm
Ah brilliant Kaplan once again you South African ref’s F%&k over your own S.A. teams. By allowing that third try Kaplan has almost certainly screwed over the Bulls. What kind of brain **** was that?
4 May 2007, 15:26 pm
I really think that the Bulls can beat the Crusaders in NZ. From what we saw this morning they are very beatable. The The Bulls would come back home to face the Sharks in Durban in the final.
First prize would be to hammer the Reds by 70 points and have the Crusaders travel to Tsawne.
4 May 2007, 15:27 pm
Ahhh Victor, but for that kick right in front of poles 8 weeks ago… Wouldnt you like to have that decision back!!
4 May 2007, 15:27 pm
Recraig # 16 and TheFeather # 14 & 15
I agree. A huge blunder. Bulls don’t dig Kaplan as it is. Now they will loathe him even more. A real pity. To have had the Blues on 41 points and not 42 would’ve helped the Bulls big time. Shocker of a decision.
4 May 2007, 15:29 pm
Kaplans blunder may well have done the bulls a favour guys… Maybe not south african rugby but certainly the bulls.
They would probably rather play a semi in durban then in new zealand…
4 May 2007, 15:33 pm
The match report says the AB’s in the Blues saw them go through a slump. Maybe the rest for the 22 AB’s wasn’t such a bright idea.
4 May 2007, 15:41 pm
Well
Sharkies to just beat the Stormers and the Bulls to beat the Reds by 72 points and whalla we have 2 home semi’s.
4 May 2007, 15:41 pm
Go Stormers go!
4 May 2007, 15:42 pm
So if that try was given to the Chiefs where the ball clearly was grounded and no try was given to the Blues becuese it was a difrent ball the log would have looked very good for SA
4 May 2007, 15:47 pm
I just feel that since the NZ teams are certainly not doing each other any favours in terms of log places – as the Chiefs game proved -why should the Stormers help the Sharks to qualify in any way.
I say go Stormers, it would only be fair if you beat the Sharks, so as to cancel out the Chiefs beating the Crusaders. Else, in a twisted way, the Sharks would merely be reaching top spot on the log thanks to the depth of NZ rugby, seeing as it was the strength of one of the lesser NZ teams that prevented the Crusaders from claiming that spot.
Go Stormers, cancel out this imbalance. And let the Bulls get a home semi…
4 May 2007, 15:47 pm
Crush, agreed
4 May 2007, 15:51 pm
Stamp die Sharks hard stormers! aussieboer. com
4 May 2007, 15:53 pm
Tacitus, you’re talking nonsense.. Crusaders didn’t get that spot because they played like ****. Bulls at the beginning of the year could also have lost to Cheetahs(who at the time had practically no injuries and were VERY good) if they hadn’t played very well. A fixture is a fixture. Never heard such **** lool!
4 May 2007, 15:54 pm
Go the Reds! Help ACT!
4 May 2007, 15:55 pm
#29, The reds are going to get HAMMERED
4 May 2007, 15:55 pm
so the bulls will have to beat the reds by more than 44 points to go past the blues and more than 71 points to go past he saders into 2nd place.
thats asuming the sahrks will beat the stormers to go to first.
cant see the stormers upset the sharks but hey!, the chiefs pulled one on the saders.
in terms of patriotism i’ll shout for the sharks tommorow.
4 May 2007, 15:57 pm
Tacitus, far removed from the normally sensible (mostly) stuff you post here, your number 25 has got to rate as one of the most lopsided and brainless things I have ever read! Imbalance? Are you serious?
It’s not as if the Stormers are planning on doing anyone any favours, well, not like they did for your boys last year!
What has fair got to do with it? Your post smacks of straw-clutching!
4 May 2007, 15:58 pm
Kaplan was watching play from where the Force player kicked the ball.
He clearly asked the Aussie linesman whether he was happy and they used the same ball as he did not see.
The linesman said he was happy and Kaplan told the Force captain he cannot overrule the TJ if he did not see anything.
It was a bad thing to miss, but Kaplan did all the right things – the TJ was elsewhere though and that to me is his responsibility.
Kaplan has to look for late tackles, players in front of kickers etc etc.
His duty is to concentrate what is happening within the four white lines, not outside.
The TMO can only rule on decisions in the in-goal area so they cannot call on him.
4 May 2007, 16:04 pm
Thanks PissAnt, that clears it up – I was thinking along the same lines too. Can someone get cited for that? It was very clearly a shocking decision in the same vein as the unfortunately hapless fellow that cost the Bulls a try last year (was it JC Fortuin?), and he got punished by missing games to get his confidence back. Surely in a game of this magnitude, with so much riding on it should carry the same weight of responsibility? Assuming that the masters of the cover up in Australia even bat an eyelid?
4 May 2007, 16:05 pm
It’s time to allow each team one appeal against a referee’s per match. This could happen during the match with the help of video replays.
Appeals are used successfully in American Football. Think about how many results in rugby would be different with this in place. It would help the referees by taking the pressureoff them, and ensure fairer results.
4 May 2007, 16:06 pm
Touch judges: Deon van Blommestein (South Africa), James Leckie (Australia)
Pissant, that leaves us with a Saffa and an Aussie, I bet you it’s Leckie who made the “mistake”.(I’m joking)
4 May 2007, 16:07 pm
#35, GREAT idea. The players generally know when something wrong has happenend!
4 May 2007, 16:08 pm
“That stretched the Blues to 23-6, and that looked like it would be that as far as their log-points haul for the night was concerned, but they were helped by some shoddy officiating from touch judge James Leaky.
This came when the Blues scored their third try, which went to Keven Mealamu after a quick throw-in from All Black teammate Ali Williams. It was an opportunistic try, but it should never have been scored as the replay showed that Williams had not retrieved the ball that was kicked out, and had thrown in another ball to Mealamu.”
HAHA, told you it had to be the incompetent and STUPID Aussie making the “error”
4 May 2007, 16:09 pm
It’s time to allow each team one appeal against a referee’s decision per match. This could happen during the match with the help of video replays.
Appeals are used successfully in American Football. Think about how many results in rugby would be different with this in place. It would help the referees by taking the pressure off them, and ensure fairer results.
4 May 2007, 16:10 pm
Thanks Piriet Bel. I hope this happens soon. It would be an excellent addition to the game, I think.
4 May 2007, 16:12 pm
It was Leckie who made the blunder.
And yes feather, they do get cited and this one will not go unpunished.
I dont think Leckie is in the WC group but he would have been in **** if he had been I am sure.
It was a seriously bad mistake and I am very pissed off about it to be honest.
Teams (coaches and captain) do write reports after every match as far as I know – what weight they carry is anyone’s guess.
I am dead against a public roasting of ref’s personally, but that being said, I would like O’Brien (IRB ref’s boss) to take serious action against seriously bad blunders.
In the context of the Super 14, this could well cost SA the trophy since I believe no team will beat the Bulls at Loftus given their current form, and if they did not get the bonus point (Blues) the Bulls simply had to win and get one and they would have ended up with a real shout of hosting a semi depending on points difference with the Saders as far as I read the log yesterday.
It would also have meant that even if the Bulls did not get a home semi the Blues would have had to spend 5 weeks on the road going into a semi which is damned difficult.
However it is done and dusted – the Bulls know what they need to do, and they must simply go out and do it now.
They have done it 2 seasons in a row.
The Sharks obviously must also get a win.
4 May 2007, 16:18 pm
all that try meant is the difference between 3rd and 4th on the log for the bulls. if they beat the reds by 71 then they will be second, but that had nothing to do with the blues try.
relax okes, these things happen, it is the sharks fans who should feel bereaved, as we would much rather play the jetlagged blues at home than the bulls, thats for sure.
4 May 2007, 16:20 pm
Kan n mens dan noooooooiit die Aussies vertrou om n job oordentlik te doen nie?
4 May 2007, 16:22 pm
die aussies gaan more die job vir die brumbies doen. aussieboer. com. hul gaan bulle verrras en hul hard stamp!
4 May 2007, 16:22 pm
25. Tacticus you don’t care about justice and honour only that the Bulls get a home semi. By all means let them. It won’t make a difference. Saders will slaughter them even with their “a” team. Sharks on the other hand can easily beat the Saders so all will not be lost.
4 May 2007, 16:26 pm
i agree with taci, no favours, if the sharks want it they must go get it. the pressure is there, if the sharks are to win this comp they must show they can handle it. i think they can.
4 May 2007, 16:31 pm
Bagel, what makes you think the Sharks can beat the Saders if the Bulls cant do it at Loftus?
4 May 2007, 16:36 pm
Bagel,
Son – your team so bad you need to pull the Bulls down to that level?
4 May 2007, 16:38 pm
if the Bulls cant pull off the 70 point win they will want to win by less than 40 and hopefully come fourth. 4th would be better than 3rd as they would end up probably playing the Sharks in Durbs, a better road match than flying to New Zealand, for a semi.
4 May 2007, 16:41 pm
# 25..Tacitus i cant believe that every time u type, **** spews outa ur head and we got to read the filthy stupid stuff u write!!…get a life mate..go to the toilet and pass that stuff out like the rest of us!! gee u full of kak ********!!
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