Olivier miss saves Bulls' bacon
Fri, 20 Aug 2010 21:49
Oh so close. Griquas in dispair. (c) Gallo
The Blue Bulls came from behind to edge Griquas 39-38 in a Currie Cup match at Loftus Versfeld, courtesy of a missed conversion from the visitors' captain Naas Olivier.
The narrow victory saw the Bulls move ahead of Griquas, into third place, on the standings at the halfway stage of the competition - that after the Bulls took five points from the match and Griquas two.
The fightback by the Blue Bulls in the second half produced some brilliant moments, but as in the first half and in previous matches there were too many losses of concentration and neglecting basics.
The Blue Bulls came from 7-20 down to lead 39-33 and were strongly on attack when Griquas' fourth try came from their own line.
Former Blue Bulls wing Rocco Jansen broke away from his own tryline and fed Springbok Bjorn Basson, who ran in for his third try of the game - with a relatively easy conversion awaiting Olivier. However, the visiting captain missed his first kick of the game, and the Blue Bulls were the victors - perhaps deservedly so after five good tries and a largely impressive second half.
It was fullback Jaco van der Westhuyzen who so nearly lost the game for the Blue Bulls when he ignored the overlap with a try beckoning right at the end and was tackled. The turnover led to Basson's breakway try.
The first half belonged to Griquas. A sloppy Blue Bulls side conceded turnovers, made poor decisions and were out rucked when it mattered.
After only seven minutes Griquas were 10-7 ahead. It became worse for the Blue Bulls as the score mounted to 20-7 after 20 minutes and then 27-7 a further eight minutes into the game.
The Griquas tries came through Richard Lawson, who rounded off a move of 50 metres from a ball the Bulls left unprotected next to a ruck, and Basson scored his second on the right side of the field after a first phase backline move. Olivier was on target with all three conversions and also slotted two drop-goals before half-time.
The Blue Bulls had been scrumming well - especially on the two occasions when they were threatening the Griquas line - and were rewarded when a good scrum was reset and then followed by a set-up ruck from where John Mametsa went over under the posts.
The score was then 27-14 with three minutes remaining in the first half and a missed penalty by Jacques-Louis Potgieter on the half-time whistle could not disguise the fact that the control of the game was slowly shifting.
Potgieter kicked a penalty shortly after the restart and seven minutes into the second half the Blue Bulls crept closer with a good build-up that was finished off by prop Dean Greyling with Potgieter adding the conversion (27-24 to Griquas).
Again, loss of focus cost the Blue Bulls as Griquas broke away from their own line and 16 minutes into the second half, Olivier kicked his third penalty (30-24).
Griquas' ascendancy was to be shortlived, however. The Bulls forwards had regained their composure, and they were relentless as they hammered away at the Griquas tryline. Good defence kept them at bay, but Griquas had to wilt and it was Mametsa who was sent over after a full backline move following the build-up.
It was the bonus point try and despite the conversion being missed the Blue Bulls were ahead for the first time in the match at 32-30. It had taken them 66 minutes to achieve that lead and it was to be shortlived as Olivier replied with a penalty from the restart to make it 33-32 to Griquas.
Back went the Blue Bulls, and this time it was hooker Bandise Maku who went over as the Griquas forwards again could not withstand the build-up pressure.
Potgieter added the two and the Bulls were 39-33 to the good with six minutes remaining.
Potgieter came close with a scintillating run, but the Blue Bulls kept up the pressure, until that breakaway try by Basson and the missed conversion which could just have seen then lose at home...
The scorers:
For the Blue Bulls:
Tries: Maku, Greyling, Kuün, Mametsa
Cons: JL Potgieter 4
Pens: Potgieter 2
For Griquas:
Tries: Basson 3, Lawson
Cons: Olivier 3
Pens: Olivier 4
The teams:
Blue Bulls: 15 Jaco van der Westhuyzen, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Jaco Pretorius, 12 Stefan Watermeyer, 11 John Mametsa, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Ruan Snyman, 8 Gerrit-Jan van Velze, 7 CJ Stander, 6 Derick Kuün (captain), 5 Fudge Mabeta, 4 Juandré Kruger, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 Dean Greyling.
Replacements: 16 Henry Bantjes, 17 Bees Roux, 18 Jaco Engels, 19 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 20 Okkie Kruger, 21 Dustin Jinka, 22 Stephan Dippenaar.
Griquas:
15 Riaan Viljoen, 14 Richard Lawson, 13 Wilmaure Louw, 12 Matt Rosslee, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Naas Olivier (captain), 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Burger Schoeman, 7 Davon Raubenheimer, 6 Rohan Kitshoff, 5 Cecil-John Kemp, 4 Frikkie Spies, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Rayno Barnes, 1 Steph Roberts.
Replacements: 16 Simon Westraadt, 17 Jean Botha, 18 Michael Passaportis, 19 Johan van Deventer, 20 Marnus Hugo, 21 Barry Geel, 22 Rocco Jansen/Rudi Vogt.
Referee: Mark Lawrence
Assistant referees: Tiaan Jonker, A Buitendach
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