Bulls batter Cheetahs
11 Feb 2012
The Bulls eased to a 39-16 victory over the Cheetahs in Polokwane.
The Bulls, who fielded a strong combination similar to the one that is expected to start in Super Rugby, struggled to establish any fluidity in the play initially but sparked to life in the second half.
The forward play was impressive and after wearing down a resolute Cheetahs pack, they cut loose. They also blunted the Cheetahs on attack, with their success in this regard rooted in a strong collision contest.
Bulls scrumhalf Francois Hougaard was solid without being outstanding. He did, however, create a try for CJ Stander after breaking and making 40m before offloading. He’ll improve with an extended run in his preferred position.
Cheetahs flyhalf Johan Goosen continues to grow his reputation as a competent flyhalf and deadly goalkicker, with two of his penalty attempts soaring over from 60m.
The match opened up with the introduction of substitutes and the Bulls’ superiority in this regard saw them gain the ascendency and ease to a convincing win.
26 Comments
11 Feb 2012, 20:15 pm
well, i said it before and i’ll say it again “DO NOT WRITE OFF THE BULLS” yes its early season, but this is both top teams
11 Feb 2012, 20:21 pm
Bulls looked steady.
11 Feb 2012, 20:22 pm
Die Magtige Bulle lyk baie goed op hierdie stadium maar die Cheethas het swak rugby gespeel. Jy kan nie net van orals af hardloop nie, jy moet nog steeds skop vir veld posisie en konsentreer op die vaste fasette.
11 Feb 2012, 20:23 pm
More like, the Cheetahs looked terrible.
11 Feb 2012, 20:32 pm
bulls defence looked solid when required, and attack will improve with match practice. good season prospects ahead. what a boot this goosen lad has ffs!
11 Feb 2012, 20:35 pm
@roobarb2-5:
Difference between Steyn and Goosen
Steyn 7/7
Goosen 3/5
11 Feb 2012, 20:35 pm
Or was that 4/6?
11 Feb 2012, 20:38 pm
mr black, didnt steyn miss a drop? also if we are assessing differences Goosens’ age should also be mentioned…
in his second season, what was Steyn’s percentage?
11 Feb 2012, 20:41 pm
Goosen is n goeie speler maar laat hy eers 2 seisoene rugby op die vlak speel voor hy vir Springbok oorweeg word. Morne is nog die beste in die land.
11 Feb 2012, 20:46 pm
can we just agree that he has a massive boot?
11 Feb 2012, 20:49 pm
What was the temperature during the game in ‘Polokwane’ (nee Pietersberg)?
Probably 35C?
11 Feb 2012, 21:03 pm
yes, but its a “dry heat”
11 Feb 2012, 21:24 pm
This one is for Tacitus.
From Sport24:
The Barberton daisy and the light blue colours of Northern Gauteng’s sports teams are under renewed threat from politicians.
The Tshwane Sports Council (TSC), which was formed under suspicious circumstances two years ago, will on 31 March officially become the governing body of sport in the Tshwane region.
And according to the Beeld newspaper this new council is keen to replace the daisy and light blue colours with a more representative emblem and colours.
The daisy has been prominent on the Blue Bulls rugby team’s jerseys for years and feature on most of Northern Gauteng sports teams’ shirts.
“All sports codes in the region would have to conform to the TSC’s constitution,” a well-informed source told Beeld.
“Even though the Blue Bulls and Bulls emblems are registered trademarks, there will definitely be political pressure for only one sports emblem to be used for sports teams.”
The Blue Bulls Rugby Union (BBRU) and the Notherns Cricket Union (Titans) have already indicated they are against this new proposition.
Elise Lombard, CEO of Northerns, said the daisy is the team’s registered trademark.
Chaka Croukamp, vice-president of the BBRU said it doesn’t make sense from a commercial point of view to change the team’s registered trademark.
“It is the union’s registered trademark and is known worldwide.”
Twenty-eight sports codes have already indicated that they do not support the new proposition.
In 2010 the Tshwane Sports Council made five suggestions – all with the colours white, black, yellow and green – to replace the light blue.
11 Feb 2012, 21:28 pm
Lol lol lol at the new ANC colours for the Bulls! What a pathetic waste of resources to be investing in such a silly issue… Politics has no place in sport.
I’ve seen quite a few blacks wearing Bulls jerseys, but now I’m told a daisy and the colour baby blue are not “representative”?
Just what is? Yellow, green and black and a hand on a spear?
11 Feb 2012, 21:38 pm
@wooden spoon-14:
woody howzit , you love stirring
11 Feb 2012, 21:40 pm
@President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts-15: howzit SL. I can imagine Taccy poeping in his broek right now
but seriously, it’s a totally ludicrous idea.
11 Feb 2012, 22:57 pm
SL fortuunately for you and me the Sharks already play in the officially accepted “representative colours” of black and white. And the Shark logo is post 1994 so no way can they can claim it is evil and racist
11 Feb 2012, 23:12 pm
Truth is the Bulls completely dominated this game. They had all the possession, ruled the line outs and must have taken the ball to tenth phase on numerous occassions.
The penalty count at rucktime was also completely in their favour.
They were hardly likely to try any backline moves in a practice match – as they face these same guys in week 2 of the competition and will no doubt keep their attacking moves for that game.
The Cheetahs weren’t in this game, and what pleased me was the new approach that was evident in the Bulls play. In their own half they kicked the ball, but in the Cheetahs half they held on to the ball in a clear shift to a possession based game.
Wilhelm Steenkamp suprised me. He has developed into a great lock over the last couple of years. CJ Stander, however, did not surprise me. I already knew he was a great player, and he just showed it again today.
I’ll say it again. The Bulls have more depth in talent than any other SA franchise this year. They just lack the experienced core of veterans. But many of these youngsters are already outperforming many veterans at other unions.
I’m very happy with where we are at this stage of the season.
11 Feb 2012, 23:25 pm
@Tacitus-18:
And you won’t be naming the ‘many veterans at other unions” just yet!
It’s too early for that.
11 Feb 2012, 23:42 pm
Bulls will do well to leave all ou doos over the hill veterans well out of their plans or thinking…
to enforce the hapless and overbearing inadequacies of passe participants such as the likes of Olivier, Spies or FdP over these exciting and brimming with talent youngsters such as Stander, Kruger, Van Velze, Botha, Hougaard, Fouche, Sadie, Basson and Engelbrecht would be tantamount to high treason… leave these brimming with confidence and raring to go vigorous high energy enthusiasts alone to strut their stuff without enforcing the straight jacket of conservative and prima donna antiquity of those has beens who will only stifle and destabilize the spurt of potential encouragement that the new breed of Bulls enterprising proteges have already showcased here tonight.
11 Feb 2012, 23:49 pm
@ashampoopaloo-20:
Yeah, Bulls do have some exciting youngsters. They’ll do ok this year.
Check SS6 for 7′s now.
11 Feb 2012, 23:55 pm
Wilhelm Steenkamp is a monster on defense.
12 Feb 2012, 00:08 am
Steenkamp on Defence, J. Kruger on attack, Van Velze, Stander, A. Botha, on all facets of rampant loose ball play..
Bulls need Matfield, B. Botha, Spies, FdP, WO et al like a hole in the head.. leave the passed tense passe has been’s to whittle away their remaining rugby years in the lands of the rising or setting suns or wherever their prima donna fancies do fancy, but bring them into the bright young fervent frenzy of vigorous zestful energetic enterprise with grave and destabilizing consequence.. Bulls do not need them.. they got far more promise in their young hopefuls than they could ever hope to glean from their nineteen voetsek models.
12 Feb 2012, 00:10 am
Watching sevens live on NBC – Boks vs. France. American commentary pair clueless.
12 Feb 2012, 00:30 am
I’d like to hear Tacitus’ and other bully boy fans’ views about the impending loss of the baby blue strip and Barberton Daisy.
12 Feb 2012, 06:54 am
What SAAT t?me ?s the 7s sem?-f?nals?
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