Bulls outmuscle Waratahs
Sat, 03 May 2008 17:01
Celebration time: Wikus van Heerden happy with a Bulls win
The Bulls, reveling in the wet weather that Pretoria dished up, outmuscled the Waratahs to record a well-deserved 16-13 win in their Super 14 Round 12 match on Saturday.
While the result kept the door wide open in the play-off race, the bonus point - for losing by less than seven points - ensured the Waratahs remained in second place on the standings.
However, the last two weeks are going to be a mad scramble for the three remaining places - with the Crusaders the only team assured of a semifinal spot.
Tactically the Bulls were far better than the 'Tahs, who couldn't cope with the muscular Bulls pack - who finally turned up for a game ready to scrap to the bitter end.
It was very heavy underfoot and rain kept pouring down throughout the game.
Under the circumstances it was to be expected, but the scrums were a mess, with the 'Tahs penalised often. The handling was also very poor, but mostly due to a wet ball.
But the key was in the set pieces, where the Bulls had the upperhand - with the Waratahs' line-outs a shambles.
The first five minutes was played at a frenetic pace, despite the slippery underfoot and rainy weather. However, neither team really threatened in that opening stanza.
As the rain started to come down even heavier, it turned into a game of aerial ping-pong, with neither team prepared to take a risk.
I was 'Tahs No.8 Wycliff Palu who changed the course of the game when he brushed aside a couple of would-be defenders to set up the opening try for centre Rob Horne - as the Bulls defence was in disarray once the first line had been broken. Kurtley Beale's conversion made it 7-0 to the visitors after 10 minutes.
The stop-start nature of the game, as a result of the many handling errors, continued. In fact the Waratahs were once over the line, but failed to control the ball and lost a golden chance of a second score.
The Bulls finally got on the board in the 19th minute, when Derick Hougaard - on for an injured JP Nel - slotted a neat drop-goal. The Bulls had already had a penalty advantage and the three points lifted the home team's spirits.
But the teams continued to struggle with ball control, as several promising movements failed to develop into something more substantial because of the dreadful conditions.
The next scoring opportunity came in the 29th minute, when the Waratahs were penalised for tackling a man without the ball, and Morné Steyn took a shot from 40 metres out - which he duly slotted.
And the Bulls had another chance, as the Waratahs went offside, in the 38th minute - with Steyn's attempt just dropping short.
The Waratahs had the next shot at goal, in the 40th minute, as the Bulls were penalised for a late tackle. Lote Tuqiri was the man entrusted with the kick, but he was well wide of the mark.
That was how it stayed till half-time, with the Waratahs leading 7-6 at the break.
The Bulls opened the scoring soon after the break, a try by hooker Derick Kuün - coming from an amazing counter from a spilled ball by the Waratahs, a move which saw great hands by flank Deon Stegmann and prop Gürthro Steenkamp. Steyn's conversion gave the Bulls a 13-7 lead, the first time they were in front in the game.
In the 50th minute the Waratahs got another penalty, for offside, and Tuqiri had a shot from about 45 metres out - again hooking it badly.
A questionable penalty to the 'Tahs - and a warning about a possible yellow card - allowed Beale to narrow the gap to 10-13 in the 54th minute.
But the Bulls could truly feel aggrieved, as the so-called guilty party - centre Wynand Olivier - was still on his feet and nowhere near the ball.
The Waratahs lifted their tempo and won the next period of play, as they won the kicking duel.
It was a lot of bash-and-go by the Bulls, who seemed to enjoy the physical nature of the game, but the conditions made ball control difficult and despite coming close they just could finish.
The Waratahs scored next, in the 65th minute, when Kurtley Beale managed to sneak over a drop-goal - despite slipping and huge pressure from the Bulls.
Despite this setback the Bulls continued to play a territorial game, which they did very effectively - keeping them within striking distance of the Waratahs line.
The points came, in the 73rd minute, when Morné Steyn slotted the Bulls' second drop-goal from 10 metres out, after a series of rucks close in.
Now it was the Waratahs playing the catch-up game and their turn to kick for territory to get in strike range.
However, the Bulls were the ones applying the most pressure and earned a scrum just five metres out after pressure saw a 'Tahs clearance charged down.
And the siren went without the 'Tahs getting another chance to score - leaving the Bulls with a great 16-13 win and plenty of pride restored.
Man of the match: In these conditions the Bulls' big pack reveled, with the loose forwards - Pierre Spies, Wikus van Heerden and Deon Stegmann - particularly effective on the ground. Kurtley Beale did some neat things for the Waratahs, although his kicking game was maybe not as effective as that of Morné Steyn, Derick Hougaard and later Fourie du Preez. However, our award goes to Bulls captain Wikus van Heerden, who was a colossal on defence and ensured a number of crucial turnovers late in the second half - at a very crucial time in the game.
Moment of the match: Kurtley Beale's 65th minute drop-goal - under huge pressure and while he slipped - deserves a mention. However, the match-winning moment and our moment was Morné Steyn's 73rd minute drop-goal.
Villain of the match: Nothing untoward, no award.
The scorers:
For the Bulls:
Try: Kuün
Con: Steyn
Pen: Steyn
DGs: Hougaard, Steyn
For the Waratahs:
Try: Horne
Con: Beale
Pen: Beale
DG: Beale
Teams:
Bulls: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JP Nel, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bryan Habana (vice-captain), 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Wikus van Heerden (captain), 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Derick Kuün, 1 Gürthro Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Rayno Gerber, 18 Jaco Engels, 19 Danie Rossouw, 20 Fourie du Preez, 21 Derick Hougaard, 22 Pedrie Wannenburg.
Waratahs: 15 Sam Norton-Knight, 14 Lachie Turner, 13 Rob
Horne, 12 Tom Carter, 11 Lote Tuqiri, 10 Kurtley Beale, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Phil Waugh (captain), 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Dan Vickerman, 4 Dean Mumm, 3 Al Baxter, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Adam Freier, 17 Matt Dunning, 18 Will Caldwell, 19 David Lyons, 20 Sekope Kepu, 21 Matt Carraro, 22 Brett Sheehan.
Referee: Lyndon Bray (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Brent Murray (New Zealand), Pro Legoete (South Africa)
TMO: Michael Cupido (South Africa)
