Bulls just getting better
1 Mar 2010
An injection of youth has allowed the Bulls to soar instead of stagnate, writes Keo in his weekly Business Day column.
The Sharks are sinking and the Bulls are on a stampede, with the former terribly out of sorts and showing no sign that the view will get any better.
The Lions, given another year’s grace in that they don’t have to win anything, continue to leak tries and for the second successive match gifted the opposition a four-try bonus point, and the Cheetahs again confirmed their inability to put together two winning weekends in succession.
The Stormers were simply the Stormers. If they were red hot a week ago against the Waratahs then they were the opposite against the Brumbies, who weren’t much better. A draw would have been the fairest reflection, although the defeat means no player in Cape Town should believe his hype. Not just yet anyway.
The Bulls will have more difficult nights on the road, when they have to battle without the delights of the most fanatical home support in the competition and the magic wand called altitude.
But they will win more away from their Pretoria fortress than they will lose if they continue to embrace the most complete game in the competition. There were moments against the Waratahs when they were sublime. What they lacked in the first half was accuracy because the intent to play with intensity and width was a presence throughout. That the Waratahs attitude was as positive made for the weekend’s best match – something you would associate with the Bulls in the first three rounds of the competition.
The usual individuals continue to give world-class performances, but the biggest beneficiary of the Bulls this season is inside centre Wynand Olivier, whose attacking lines are starting to match his ruthless defence. Olivier destroyed the Waratahs midfield and the momentum he gave the Bulls compensated for their first half lack of dominance at the breakdown. This was largely due to the combination of loose forwards that started the match and when Potgieter and Stegman entered the festivities in the second half, all that was festive ended for the visitors.
Olivier now has the edge on Springbok inside centre regular Jean de Villiers, whose season with Munster has been difficult enough without Olivier torturing the best midfields in the southern hemisphere.
It is the composition of the Bulls team that has been as appealing as their results, with coach Frans Ludeke trusting youth to add a dimension to a Bulls team that could easily have stagnated. Instead they are soaring.
Every neutral would want to watch the Bulls play at the moment. They play intelligently, always back themselves to score tries as well as force penalties and they aren’t afraid to move the ball if it is on. Their counter attacks are clinical and there is nothing frantic about the way they use the ball. That is the major difference between Bulls and Lions at present. The Lions run with hope and the Bulls do so with purpose. The Lions say they want to entertain and the Bulls say they want to win.
Just what the Sharks want to achieve in terms of game plan is a mystery only eclipsed by the signing of England reject flyhalf Andy Goode. Why not play a local lad, ala the Bulls? Why not play Guy Cronje, so highly rated yet so sparsely used.
Questions are rightfully being asked of the Sharks because nothing can justify why a starting team with 11 Springboks and led by the country’s most successful captain can’t fashion a win.
The coach John Plumtree does not become a poor coach in three weeks and the players are among the best in the competition, so something else has to be wrong. I have heard all sorts of rumours from within Kwazulu-Natal, but in the early stages of the competition refused to give them merit. Now the talk of a split camp is becoming more believable, as is the whisper that Plumtree has lost the support of a faction within the squad and the administration.
The Sharks, as against the Chiefs and Cheetahs, were diabolical and in 240 minutes have produced one five pointer, while conceding seven. There has to be accountability and consequence if the franchise with the biggest chequebook offers a one try and no win return in the first three weeks of a competition, in which there is rightly so much expected from them.
206 Comments
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1 Mar 2010, 14:45 pm
@Hoops: Yeah dude, because if someone kills the ball in their own 22, they always get yellow-carded for a professional foul.
If that was the case, the Waratahs would have been down to 4 players.
1 Mar 2010, 14:47 pm
@Hoops:
You seem to be the only one moaning about the ref…
What’s up?…
Can’t handle a Bulls win…well get use to it buddy…
1 Mar 2010, 14:48 pm
Must say Bob fixation with Flekkie is a bit worrisome….
Well to be truly honest…. i actually must say that the Cape’s fixation with Bob is peculiar… always thought he was a good 8′th man… not more than that…
taking about a Stormers player that can become a great… imo.. Andries Bekker…. this guy has got it all. way better than what his dad was…. i rate him as the pinnacle of Wp/Stormers rugby….. hope he stays injury free cause we gonna need him in 2011.
1 Mar 2010, 14:51 pm
LOL
Bob was king!
So happy about the butch rumour…..dammit i can sing!
Now want 2 more headlines….
CJ signs for Bulls
and
BJ to Stormers…
Heehaaa
1 Mar 2010, 14:57 pm
@Tacitus: Who was man of the match at Loftus???
1 Mar 2010, 14:59 pm
The Poms are the worst when it comes to biased commentary. I didn’t watch the full England Ireland game this weekend, but the bit I saw had me waving the Jacob Zuma salute at the screen in protest at regular intervals. One of them will make a bold statement about some horrible travesty of breakdown justice just visited upon the English heroes by the out-of-his-depth referee and the other one will solemnly agree. Only for us to immediately cut to a slow-mo replay of said incident (don’t they know we’re all going to be watching it again, slowed down, in close-up, from three angles?) and be presented with reams of undeniable evidence that the two clowns on the microphones got it completely wrong. Enough to make any commentator feel sheepish, one would think. But one would be wrong if said commentators were citizens of Her Majesty’s Muddy Meadow and Mouldy Carpeted Bathroom. They just “Aaaah…” and “Well…” and “Hard to tell…” until they have each other convinced that the rugby watching public of the world is in agreement with them that England have now not only been denied by the ref, but also by dodgy camerawork.
1 Mar 2010, 14:59 pm
@Kea-Cat: Luke Burgess.
1 Mar 2010, 15:02 pm
Wolfman
The waratahs deserved at least 3 yellow according to me!
But look at the whole game and how advantage et is played….look at it from pure rules….and you will see the tendency like Shane Warne getting those close calls when going for LBW!!!
1 Mar 2010, 15:07 pm
@Hoops:
Bwahahahaha
Now I get it….jealousy !!!
1 Mar 2010, 15:08 pm
@Hoops: Every ref misses things, and calls things incorrectly. It is human error. Rugby is a chaotic sport with plenty going on at every point in the game.
If the ref gets a couple wrong, the question is, is one team constantly benefiting, or is it simple an error from the ref? For every rulling you bring up in support of your theory that the ref loves the Bulls, there will be one I can bring up which suggests he wasn’t harsh enough on the Waratahs.
Shane Warne got LBW’s because he was a genius bowler and a stroppy git who intimidated the umpire. The whole Aussie team did.
The Bulls don’t. The only 2 players recently that I can remember who had the ref in their pocket, were Gregan and to a lesser extent McCaw.
1 Mar 2010, 15:09 pm
@grant10:
The stormers can have James by all means, if this super 14 doesn’t prove that you cant win the comp with a checkbook then the WP will never learn.
Grown young talent, that is what this thread is about, the Bulls are so good because they do just that!
1 Mar 2010, 15:28 pm
i actually were pro-active and had the portion of my brain that “notches” the ref all the time – surgically removed…. thus i can handle the utter snot that Pro dish up every weekend better..
in saying that another part of my brain did see Mister Bullethead Waugh going into the first ruck from the side like a friggen scud missile and the ref (don’t wanna noem his name… blood pressure) didn’t even had a clue… o-ja.. it was from the kick-off and they score from the turnover ball…
but ya – i just ignore these Watson type untouchable semi-gods…. but Pro will make me remove a bigger part cause he is honestly Clive Norling quality….
1 Mar 2010, 15:43 pm
Blouste
Not at all!
All I’m saying is just keep the ‘God” tag away for a few more weeks!
1 Mar 2010, 15:49 pm
@Hoops:
Well I for one agree on that…
1 Mar 2010, 16:00 pm
Having said that, we are a quality side….
1 Mar 2010, 16:01 pm
Blouste
My wife is a bulls supporter so I get enough banter to last me a life time! Hehehe
But I watched the game with bulls fans other than my usual bulls friends…..and they were a bit in the untouchable mould about their way they called for another 50 pointer etc.
When my team is playing and ref gets it wrong for them I am also pissed off cause I want these bafoons to perform their task! That i after all what they are paid for!
I did not see the Stormers game but will watch it tonight….on PVR in great pain……
I did the Sabie MTB this weekend and came off really bad….so not a good weekend, and therefore missed the game cause I had to register on friday night!
I heard only what we did wrong from Provvas!
1 Mar 2010, 16:09 pm
Hoops
We’ll I’m not sure if I should say enjoy…
1 Mar 2010, 16:10 pm
Blouste
I wil not take away the rightful praise the bulls deserve….
The things I love about them is as follows:
1. Panic is not in their vocabulary. They keep calm and just play their game…..even when they are well in front
2. They mix things up….their is no pattern….some times it is kicking …..other times nice counters…then chip and chase…then forwards driving….very strong point for them
3. None of the players are getting invloved in the tussles at the moment…like bismark thinks no one is allowed to tackle or even touch him…even Duane Vermeulen got that attitude that no ons should mess with his hair r something….they are there to play rugby first and that is it.
4. Apart from hougaard there is no side shows when scoring tries….just pure elated happiness! Not like JF tapping his mouth when he scored against the lions….or pistol shots etc….
5. Ludeke is almost non existent. He’s not for ever telling the world exactly what his plan is….like AC…OMG!!!
1 Mar 2010, 16:14 pm
The only thing I think you should realise is that without 3 r 4 players (like most teams) you will come down hard back to earth!
The last few CC the boks had to come save you every time…either to make the semi or to get to the final.
Without FDP, Steyn, Victor and Spies the thing kind of come apart badly…..
I foresee that the Bulls will strugle when these big names leave…….and they will leave….
So enjoy this rampant team you have….it is not going to last that long!
1 Mar 2010, 16:22 pm
See article below from Tank Lanning, while some could not care less about what Tank says, I think he knows a littlle bit about scrumming…………………….seems to me Grant10 and tank are the sdame oke !!!!!
Obviously I am talking about the section regarding JS at 3……enjoy !!
——————————————————————————–
Thank heavens for the Bulls
Sun 28 Feb 2010, 07:55 10 Comment(s) Report Abuse A truly dark weekend for us Saffers, the saving grace being the silver lining provided by the Bulls in the final game of the weekend. And what a silver lining it was. Platinum with studded diamonds, in fact! Down 17-0 at one stage, the Bulls came back at Loftus to hammer the Tahs by 10 points.
And after the muck that had been dished up in the previous games – my word, but this game I love needs a proper make over – it was fitting that the defending champs dished up their fightback in a really classy and entertaining affair …
Of major concern me are the Sharks. And I could leave it at just that given their dramatic demise, but specifically at hooker and tighthead. I will say it for the millionth time on this blog – John Smit is not a tighthead. For me the solution is so blatantly obvious that I struggle to comprehend what John Plumtree and Peter de Villiers are on about. John Smit should start at hooker as he really is a scrumming machine in the middle of the scrum. If and when the game opens up, bring Bismarck du Plessis on as the impact player, pulling Smit from the field completely. He should not touch the number three jersey – ever! Jannie du Plessis should start at tighthead every game. Smit could then train as a hooker, and lose the excess weight he has gained in order to try and pretend that he is a prop. At the moment he is neither prop, nor hooker, and it’s unfair on the national captain. He gets his ears stuffed up his arse come scrum time, shuffles morosely to the next breakdown, and argues with the ref …
I know there are those of you that think Bismarck should wear his underpants outside his shorts, but just watch how many tackles that man falls off, how many lineouts he misses, and how many penalties (and yellow) cards he gives away. It’s also key for a side to have a solid scrum, especially in the opening half hour or so, and with Smit at hooker, you are virtually guaranteed that
Much like the SA SuperRugby weekend, and with too much faith being placed in the SA sides, so too went my SuperBru effort. Mid table morass in most of my pools after only getting four predictions correct, with only one of them warranting a margin point:
Bulls 48 – 38 Waratahs (My prediction: Bulls by 5)
Cheetahs 24 – 31 Highlanders (My prediction: Cheetahs by 6)
Western Force 19 – 37 Chiefs (My prediction: Chiefs by 10)
Reds 18 – 27 Blues (My prediction: Reds by
Hurricanes 33 – 18 Lions (My prediction: Canes by 32)
Stormers 17 – 19 Brumbies (My prediction: Stormers by 12)
Crusaders 35 – 6 Sharks (My prediction: Crusaders by 2)
I do not have much faith in the Lions, Cheetahs or Sharks, but I think this will prove to be a comma, rather than a fullstop, on the Stormers campaign …
How awesome was Andrew Hore’s try! The Canes hooker and captain smashed through about 5 tackles in a 30 metre bustling run to the tryline – it was a thing of absolute beauty. Even better, though, was the lack of even a smile afterwards – just the odd hand shake, and a trot back to the halfway line. Asked afterwards why he did not show any emotion, he said he would get too much stick from his mates! Perhaps our fatties should stick to the hard work up front, and move away from the peacock positions out wide?
Here’s to a good week, my friends, and what better way to start it than with a few classic Varsity Cup matches on Monday. Up first on the goggle box the Maties take on Tukkies at Coetzenberg, and that is followed by the UJ vs Ikey clash in Joburg.
Gavin Cowley and I are together again for the Maties game on SuperSport 1, so do not say you have not been warned. Perhaps go for a few double Cane and Crème Sodas rather than the plain old amber liquid?
Cheers,
Tank
1 Mar 2010, 16:26 pm
Aha!!!!
So Tank says it a million times….
i am only at about 32072 times …so a way to go still…..
Smit aint a 3 !!!
1 Mar 2010, 16:26 pm
and i aint Tank!!
1 Mar 2010, 16:51 pm
If i may ask a question…..
I see that people would prefer John to be a 2…
How is his general play?
Is he cleaning the ruck hard…… is he making tackles etc etc.
just wanna know – have not seen the sharks play…
just seen a bit of clip on SS and he looks huge….
1 Mar 2010, 16:52 pm
@justrugby:
#170
I got a better prediction than Tank, only the Cheetahs bungled my perfect day included the 6 Nations results.
There is no way to tell of course what Tank REALLY put on his TAB card, a knowledgeable rugby writer would be careful with his money betting on the Stormers team with Aplon, January and De Jongh in the line up
1 Mar 2010, 16:57 pm
@Staal:
The problem isn’t JS the problem is The Beast
5 turn overs in 60 minutes, committed one tackle, never seen in the ruck at point of impact, always on the fringes in defence.
The Saders were looking for him the whole evening but barely found him twice in their pick and drive.
JS had a reasonable game outside the scrum
1 Mar 2010, 17:01 pm
@Hondo: o – ok. Just wanna say if he wants to play 2 he will have to be in sieriaaaaaas shape – like all International 2′s should be. But if he is in shape – no problem.
1 Mar 2010, 17:03 pm
@Staal: @Hondo: Guys….Smit was nowhere…be fair Hondo….i know your rep towards players who do not fit your stereotypical approval.
Lots of better 2 s around….at least 4 i can think of!
1 Mar 2010, 17:18 pm
@grant10: the thing is that the game is so fast nowadays that the hookers, props and locks must be able to cover the park for 80min.
if he can do it every game – then it’s fine – if he can’t …. he’s going to get exposed….
1 Mar 2010, 17:19 pm
@grant10: Has your opinion changed over the last month or so? Because from what I can remember, you were pro-Smitty at 2, against him at prop.
Has you opinion changed due to form?
1 Mar 2010, 17:20 pm
@Staal: 178
He will be exposed…..sadly.
Unless he regains full fitness….
1 Mar 2010, 17:21 pm
@WOLFMAN21: yes…changed due to form…and i dont think he is fit enough to be at 2….he needs a break and conditioning programme.
1 Mar 2010, 17:29 pm
@grant10: Yeah, we will see. Currently, it appears like it will be a mediocre end to a great career. If he is in the Bok team at prop, we will struggle, if he hasn’t in the team it will be the end of an era, and a brave new world.
Matfield would really have to step up, or maybe a dark horse like JDV (if selected).
1 Mar 2010, 17:29 pm
hasn’t should be isn’t
1 Mar 2010, 17:30 pm
@WOLFMAN21: 182
IMO….Smit should have listened to Jake White…and left on top of the world end 2009….
1 Mar 2010, 17:31 pm
@WOLFMAN21: 182
I would go with Matfield…any other skipper would not get 100% support that Matfield will get…IMO
1 Mar 2010, 17:32 pm
@grant10: Yep, I agree with you. I wonder if sense will prevail this year? It does feel like he is holding on too long.
Players like Matfield are still very fit and competitive, I would back Bakkies to make the next world cup, although not Schalk Burger. I also can’t see Smit there, unless something changes, or unless PDV doesn’t want to make the tough decisions.
1 Mar 2010, 17:37 pm
@WOLFMAN21: 186
I concur….glad we have A Bekker playing well…and i hear great things about Juandre Kruger….so lock stocks seem good. It is vital though that BJ and CJ come back IMO…..
and i know there are mixed feelings about Butch….but i do believe he will….if fully fit…add value to a bok squad as back up to M Steyn.
LW as 8 back up would also add a bit of spice IMO…..
but lots of water can flow under the bridge!
1 Mar 2010, 17:40 pm
@grant10:
177
My rep is backed by my predictions on this site and the games’ statistics, give credit when credit is due!
When I say the Stormers with January will lose, they lost, when I said the same about the Sharks and the Lions I was right again, a wistful thinking not my style.
1 Mar 2010, 17:43 pm
@Staal:
#178
That’s correct as far as the Super14 is concerned
Test rugby is different: structured and slower, JS at 2 is adequate there IMO
1 Mar 2010, 17:44 pm
@grant10: I don’t rate CJ as a scruming prop, but BJ back in the squad would be sweet. We have a lot of strength at lock, so no real problems there.
Butchy depends on if his body can still take it after all the injuries. He is breaking down regularly at the moment. There is a big difference in quality between the Guiness Premiership and Super 14, and at the age of 32 I think the world cup will be a bridge too far. Older players struggle to make it back in Southern Hemisphere rugby.
Luke Watson will never play for South Africa again unless he is given the team, as John Smit was given the team. It is not only the coach who isn’t likely to select him again, but I doubt he would want to play, and the other players certainly won’t welcome him in the team. With Steggmann, Potgieter, Spies, Smith, Brussouw, Alberts, Deysel and Vermeulen, we have enough strength in the back row, making it unneccesary to select Watson and all the baggage that comes with that.
1 Mar 2010, 17:47 pm
@WOLFMAN21:
#182
It’s a political appointment, Matfield doesn’t fit in.
Super14 isn’t a Test rugby, there are different criteria
1 Mar 2010, 17:54 pm
cheers all…..wolfman..you make some good points…
Hondo…new sa boet …great place…loosen the shackles that bind you…you sound like an intelligent oke!
outta here
1 Mar 2010, 17:58 pm
@WOLFMAN21: @grant10:
#187
In the unlikely event that the Boks will be whacked again like they were on the EOYT, perceptions will be changed.
1 Mar 2010, 18:05 pm
@grant10:
I love the new sa, it made me wealthy,,,,
Please take a note this is a pro sport today,
so
rule number one: you can’t make money if you don’t win
rule number two: you can’t win if you select your players on reasons other than ability and form.
cheers
1 Mar 2010, 18:33 pm
@Hoops:
as a stern Bulls and Sa Rugby in general supporter i do agree, the time will come that Vic and backies will leave the Bulle, altough Vic will be added to the coaching staff imediately. Spies is still very young. Waitng in the wings are Flippie, Potties, Hougardt and a few more. It wil take the bulls a season or two to be up there again. It will be a bigblow to the bokke also
1 Mar 2010, 18:46 pm
Saffa S14 team after round 3 purely on performance
15. Kircner
14. Hougaart
13. Fourie
12. Olivier
11. Habs
10 Steyn
9 Du preez
8 Frans Viljoen
7 SMith
6 Brussouw
5 Vic
4 Bekker
3 Kruger
2 Botha
1 Steenkamp
1 Mar 2010, 19:10 pm
@vasteses:
Surely you cannot choose Habana…
He gave away 4 penalties that I can remember just now…
He was more responsible for the Stormers loss than J.Peterson with the missed convertion.
1 Mar 2010, 19:38 pm
@grant10:
If you’re talking current form, G10 you are correct, but having said that, in all fairness, Smit is probably carrying about 7-10 kg’s extra if my eyes are not deceiving me, having bulked up to play 3.
If he is at all interested in working to discard that having just gone and bulked up, probably at the coaching staff’s behest, and is prepared to overlook being stuffed around major league by everybody, I believe that a fit John Smit still has some value to add come WC 2010 as a starting hooker to soften up some packs, with a relief hooker coming on with 40 to go when we want to speed things up.
Whether for me that would be Bissie right now is debatable, because it looks to me as if the man has become bigger than the game in his own mind, what with his loose cannon aggression, ill discipline and ***** attitude that certainly seems to be part of the problem at the Sharks currently. I reckon he has gone in my eyes the past two years from a +6 point value player to a -6 point player, and no serious WC contender can afford to play a guy like him who represents a 12 point swing.
I say this because he seems to be focusing on on playing the man rather than the ball, which is a pity because we all know what a difference a properly focused Bissie can make.
And all the more the pity because for me, in spite of the Tiaan Liebenbergs, Gary Botha’s, Adriaan Strauss’, Chilliboy Ralepele’s and Bandise Maku’s of this world, he is streets ahead of them when he is on top of his game.
So I reckon we need to start praying that Smit is prepared to re-reinvent himself.
1 Mar 2010, 20:32 pm
@WOLFMAN21: CJ is not s crumming prop, but he is the biggest MOFO wing I ever saw…
1 Mar 2010, 20:58 pm
@katman: Re: Post 7 – I know the acronym “LOL” is vastly overused, but your post did actually make me laugh out loud. Classic!
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