• Fixtures
• Results

Bulls go down in Brisbane

Sat, 17 Apr 2010 13:17

Pivotal pair: Reds halfbacks Will Genia and Quade Cooper

The Reds confirmed themselves as true Super 14 semifinal contenders with a hard-fought 19-12 win over the Bulls in Brisbane on Saturday.

Both teams scored two tries in a titanic struggle at the Suncorp Stadium, but the home side did well to come away with this crucial victory - a result which sees the Queenslanders move into fourth spot on the Super 14 log, whilst the Bulls - thanks to their losing bonus point - move into second position.

The Bulls are now just one spot ahead of fellow South Africans, the Stormers - who smashed the Chiefs in Hamilton on Friday - and the Reds also moved ahead of their countrymen, the Waratahs, who are not playing this weekend.

"It was a great game," said Bulls captain Victor Matfield afterwards, "both teams carried the ball well.

"The Reds, however, kept the ball better than us - especially in those first 20 minutes after half-time - and tested our defence. Well done to them, they played well."

The loss is by no means the end of the world for the Bulls, probably thanks to that losing bonus point, but the defending champions very nearly stole a draw in the dying minutes of the game - eventually conceding a penalty in the 79th minute right under the Reds' uprights.

Replacement hooker Sean Hardman looked to be the man that won the penalty for his side - the Bulls were penalised for holding on - and it was just reward for the home side who, quite simply, played better on the night and deserved the victory against an error-ridden Bulls outfit.

The Bulls - who beat the Chiefs 33-19 in Hamilton last week - will return home now, having won two from four matches on their tour of Australasia and they will be disappointed with themselves; especially after their bright start to the match.

The visitors were quick out of the blocks and took an early 7-0 lead after a Derick Kuün try - and Morné Steyn conversion. The Bulls took the ball through the phases superbly and looked dangerous, but that good start would not last.

The Reds threatened soon after, with only some great defence from the Bulls denying them points - that and a missed penalty from Quade Cooper in the 18th minute.

The hosts, however, got onto the scoreboard eventually when the Bulls coughed up possession on attack in the Reds' half. Scrumhalf and captain Will Genia - who continues to impress, as a player and a skipper - spotted some space and kicked ahead, with blindside flanker Scott Higginbotham the only man chasing; much to everyone's surprise.

He could have been a bit ahead of the kick, but he continued chasing and beat both Bulls centres, Wynand Olivier and Stephan Dippenaar, to the ball - sliding over and touching down. Cooper missed the conversion, but at 5-7 the Reds were in it.

That try, as fortuitous as it might have been, seemed to inspire the Reds and a Morné Steyn tap-tackle on Rod Davies saved a certain try a few minutes later, before Cooper put his side in the lead - a position they would not relinquish - shortly before half-time with his first successful shot at goal of the night.

Springbok ace Steyn, who had a forgettable match, missed a very kickable penalty on the stroke of half-time and it was the home side who went into the changing sheds at 8-7 up.

The early exchanges in the second half were always going to set the tone in this match and it was the Reds who made the first moves; Cooper slotting two penalties inside the first ten minutes - one from a scrum and the other when replacement Deon Stegmann was penalised - for a handy 14-7 lead with just under half-an-hour remaining on the clock.

The Bulls were playing a bit of catch-up rugby afterwards, but a few silly mistakes - like Zane Kirchner kicking the ball out on the full - handed the ball back to the Reds.

The Queenslanders very nearly benefited straight from the ensuing lineout, after a scorching Genia break, but his pass could not find a flying Digby Ioane and the Bulls were able to breathe again.

That comfort, however, was to be shortlived as the Reds stole the very next lineout throw from the Bulls - something which does not happen very often! - and sent the ball wide before putting Davies over on the right-hand of the field. Cooper missed the conversion, but it was a stunning build-up with great hands - and subtle little flick passes - from Will Chambers, Anthony Faingaa and Ioane creating the space to put Davies over.

That score was ultimately the killer blow for the Reds who went into the last quarter 19-7 up. Cooper had a chance to stretch the lead in the 65th minute, which would have been crucial under the circumstances, but missed a long-range shot at goal, leaving the door slightly ajar for the tiring visitors.

To their credit, the Bulls fought back gamely and replacement Pedrie Wannenburg showed great determination to force his way over from close-range after the Reds coughed up the ball from their own scrum feed.

Steyn missed the conversion, but at 12-19 down the defending champions were not about to give up - despite not being at their best - and they spent the last five minutes camping in Reds territory as they pushed for the draw - or the win.

It very nearly came in the 77th minute but a long pass from Steyn to Gerhard van den Heever - when a short pass would have been better - went to ground and gave the Reds a scrum. The Bulls won a free-kick from that scrum and tapped and went, but the home side's defence held up again until Hardman forced the penalty for a Bulls player holding on in the tackle and it was game over for the visitors.

Man of the Match: Reds halfbacks Will Genia and Quade Cooper were good, again, for their side and Peter Hynes was full of running from the No.15 position. For the Bulls, Dewald Potgieter showed up nicely, but the Bulls loosies were overshadowed by a member of the opposition; Reds No.6 Scott Higginbotham - our Man of the Match. A high work-rate - in all facets of the game - he helped this 'no-name brand' Reds pack (the starting Queensland pack had just one international - compared to the six in the Bulls side) to match, and eventually get the better of, their more illustrious opponents.

The scorers:

For the Reds:
Tries: Higginbotham, Davies
Pens: Cooper 3

For the Bulls:
Tries: Kuün, Wannenburg
Con: Steyn

The teams:

Reds: 15 Peter Hynes, 14 Rod Davies, 13 Will Chambers, 12 Anthony Faingaa, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia (captain), 8 Leroy Houston, 7 Daniel Braid (vice-captain), 6 Scott Higginbotham, 5 Van Humphries, 4 Rob Simmons, 3 Laurie Weeks, 2 Saia Faingaa, 1 Ben Daley.
Replacements: 16 Sean Hardman, 17 Greg Holmes, 18 Jack Kennedy, 19 Ezra Taylor, 20 Jake Schatz, 21 Ben Lucas, 22 Brando Va'aulu.

Bulls: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Stephan Dippenaar, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Derick Kuün, 5 Victor Matfield (captain), 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Gary Botha, 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Stephan Roux, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Deon Stegmann, 20 Heinie Adams, 21 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 22 Pedrie Wannenburg.

Referee: Craig Joubert

Contact Us | Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy | Advertising

This site requires cookies to be enabled!

Send Feedback on Rugby365!

News | Tournaments | SA Schools

Copyright © 2009 Primedia Online. All rights reserved. Developed by Primedia Online