Bulls: Stopped in their tracks
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The Highlanders managed to cling on for a tense 16-11 Super Rugby win over the tournament-leading Bulls in Dunedin on Saturday.
Both sides crossed the whitewash for one try apiece, however the boot of Highlanders pivot Mike Delany proved to be the difference between the two sides in what was a real arm-wrestle at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
In a tight encounter, neither side were able to pull away from the other until the final quarter when lock Jarrad Hoeata powered over whilst the Bulls were reduced to 14 men by the sin-binning of prop Dean Greyling.
Hoeata's converted touchdown followed by another Delany penalty gave the home side some breathing space, however the Bulls hit back with a try of their own through replacement hooker Willie Wepener to set up a nail-biting finish.
The Bulls threw everything but the kitchen sink at their hosts, but were unable to crack the Highlanders' stubborn defence as the southerners held on for a crucial victory that keeps their play-off hopes alive.
The result is the second in a row for the Highlanders against the Bulls after they ended the Bulls' 19-match unbeaten record in Pretoria last year.
The Highlanders went for a high-paced and expansive game plan from the start, running the ball at every opportunity.
But they came up against a stout Bulls defence, while mistakes at key moments and their struggles at lineout time also halted their momentum.
The Bulls were happy to kick for territory or loft up-and-unders and went into the break 6-3 up on the back of two penalties to Morne Steyn in his 100th Super Rugby match.
Delaney's second penalty tied the scores, before the Highlanders pulled ahead with Hoeata's try. And the rest, as they say, is history.
The scorers:
For Highlanders:
Try: Hoeata
Con: Delany
Pens: Delany 3
For Bulls:
Try: Wepener
Pens: Steyn 2
Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Siale Piutau, 13 Tamati Ellison, 12 Phil Burleigh, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Mike Delany, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Nasi Manu, 7 Tim Boys, 6 Adam Thomson, 5 Nick Crosswell, 4 Jarrad Hoeata, 3 Ma'afu Fia, 2 Jason Rutledge, 1 Jamie Mackintosh (c).
Replacements: 16 Andrew Hore, 17 Bronson Murray, 18 Hoani MacDonald/Josh Bekhuis, 19 Scott Fuglistaller, 20 Jimmy Cowan, 21 Chris Noakes, 22 Kenny Lynn.
Bulls: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Pierre Spies (c), 7 CJ Stander, 6 Dewald Potgieter, 5 Juandré Kruger, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Dean Greyling.
Replacements: 16 Willie Wepener, 17 Rayno Gerber, 18 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 19 Arno Botha, 20 Jano Vermaak, 21 Louis Fouché, 22 JJ Engelbrecht.
Referee: Ian Smith (Australia)
Comments
Wallaroo says...
@Ramage LOL. That's one to consider however methinks the man needs a session with the "Boss Himself".
Posted 07:26 21st May 2012
Trader2 says...
@Sandal do you mean like your nonsense on English football supporters. Opps damm I wasn't going to say anything more on that rant
Posted 00:54 21st May 2012
isthatrightref says...
Has any SA team ever lost for reasons other than biased refing? Just wondering...
Posted 19:32 20th May 2012
carpelone says...
In spite of being on the top spot, the Bulls were far from being convincing. With all due respect to the Highlanders (a respectable average side), you can not lose to them. Sharks and Stormer are better sides this year.
Posted 17:15 20th May 2012
Ramage says...
@Wallaroo I believe there have been miracles performed at Lourdes do you think it would help?
Posted 14:26 20th May 2012
Wallaroo says...
@Ramage Agreed the commentary was shocking. Must say I was also surprised by the Kearnsy vote but tell me who else do we have lol.
Regarding the man in a dilemma, don't have to fear for his insanity. I has already overtaken him. Best we can do now is hope for healing.
@Sandal Fair enough, although I was impressed when he started to post reasonable comments I'm hoping that with some professional assistance he will overcome his phobias.
Posted 11:24 20th May 2012
Ramage says...
@noord_transvaal I quite agree with you absolutely amazing. By the way talking about animals on the field, can you tell us have the bulls administrators banned that animal that came on the field and threw the bottle at Maleamu yet?
Posted 09:27 20th May 2012
Ramage says...
@Trader2 what was diabolical about the fact they had picture of Blackadder having his say was, not only that the three stooges kept on their dribble as usual, but one of them even had the cheek to say what Blackadder would be saying. These guys would have to be the worst commentators on the game I have ever come across and that even includes Moore and Barnes from the UK. What on earth has got into Fox that we now have to listen to these goons shut in the box at some Australian venue when we could be getting up to the minute comments from people at the ground in NZ. Thank goodness it doesnt happen during half time in the games from South Africa because they have all had their cocoa and a re tucked up in their beds. Still some guy from Fox will probably dream up bedside interviews with Marto and Kearns. Oh the Geriatric Bedside Horror Show. Biggest joke of the year is Kearns has been nominated as a best presenter for an award on Pay TV. This really is a farce.
Posted 07:03 20th May 2012
brands says...
@ Bokwhunger
bla bla bla bla bla you sound like a broken record! a bore really!
Posted 04:18 20th May 2012
sandal says...
@tha_mai
@Wallaroo
@davodiablo
Many of us have agreed to ignore BokAvenger -- call it a boycott, if you like. Without the oxygen of responses such as yours he will just fade away and we will hear no more of his nonsense.
Posted 01:42 20th May 2012
letsgoboks says...
Good win for the highlanders... I do think hl shouldve put more points on the board though with all the ball they had. Some solid defense from the Bulls, even with a man down(I know hl scored a try in the period).
3rd game on the trot away - even us die hard Bulls fans know that they dont travel well so dropping this one was expected. Bulls are still playing fantastic rugby for a young emerging team.
Posted 01:27 20th May 2012
noord_transvaal says...
lady luck will bring the cup back to Pretoria, wait and see. For a side that lost 9 of it's star players at the and of last season to still be near the top of the log at this stage is pretty damn good, i mean lucky. Pure luck to beat the Brumbies, Crusaders, Reds,Waratahs and Sharks. You Bulls haters sound just as bad as bokavenger
Posted 00:27 20th May 2012
startledwombat says...
@noord_transvaal - about taking their dogs along -
this comes from Dunedin being a city of canny Scottish folk. When the new stadium was mooted the locals said, "och, it's a pipe dream by vain people who have put too much whisky on their porridge in the mornings." Much local opposition due to reasonable citizens foreseeing that it would bankrupt the city.
But the people with the spiked porridge were powerful and won out, with the result that the stadium is built, the Otago Rugby Union is bankrupt, the City Council is almost bankrupt and the Rates bill has gone up enormously to tax the citizens for the cost of the new loans.
Dunedinites who attended Saturday's game can reasonably claim to have paid several times over for the pleasure - ticket entry, stadium subscriptions, higher ratepayer bills. It's only reasonable that they look to maximise their use of their new city amenity.
Posted 23:43 19th May 2012
noord_transvaal says...
Absolute class from the Highlanders supporters taking their dogs for a dump and a piss on the field at half time. never saw anything like it. shocking!
Posted 19:54 19th May 2012
BillyMutt2 says...
Thank goodness, the real Bok is back - the imposter of the last few weeks seems to have disappeared. Let the bleating commence. Pathetic indeed Bok.
Posted 17:18 19th May 2012
davodiablo says...
BokA What happened to "turning over a new forest" ?
Posted 15:08 19th May 2012
davodiablo says...
BokA What happened to "turning over a new forest" ?
Posted 15:08 19th May 2012
Trader2 says...
Looks like BokAvenger crying (almost) on his own, good to see - stick the dummy back in loser.
Have't watched the game because I got the time wrong (yes I know Trinats it fits the acronym) so will have to wait for Fox to show the replay sometime Tuesday I think. Result keeps Highlanders in the hunt, althoug Crusaders looking sinister after last weeks hiccup, then again the Blues are so bad who knows. Thanks to Fox for not even showing the halftime interview with Blackadder by the way. Do they think that we want to listen to the three stooges pontificating when we could be hearing what the people actually involved in the game have to say. heh BokAvenger can I have my dummy back?
Posted 14:46 19th May 2012
Ramage says...
@Wallaroo I totally agree with your last paragraph. Ian Smith is not the greatest of referees to hit the super rugby field but neither is Stuart Berry or were Pro Legoate or Johan Meuwessen. Does Ian Smith cheat? No.Is he a top referee? No. Does he do his best within his capabilities? Yes. If he is a cheat then so to are Marius Jonker, Mark Lawrence, Jonathan Kaplan, Craig Joubert, Jaco Peyper and the Van der Merwe chappy . Oh sorry I forgot I named all the Soth African referees and of course there is no way they would cheat. If you think I'm being sarcastic you are wrong because I don't believe they cheat. Sure they get some calls wrong and miss other calls they should make. But cheat? No. Similar to the Australian and NZ refs and its time this nonsense was knocked on the head as it sounds very much like a whining diatribe from an obvious malcontent who is determined to give all Saffas a bad name. Just as well we are all aware of this delusional person.As Wallaroo states the man needs some professional help. I hope he gets it soon as his rants have become so bad I fear for his sanity.
@Zambokke and these dozens of Northern hemisphere referees who are available to referee our games come down to referee and as soon as a South African team loses out will come the same claptrap from those malcontents who peddle the conspiracy theory that everyone in rugby is out to get the Saffas. I'm sorry you may think that it will be better that these referees control the games I don't. I spent many years in the UK and unless they have changed dramatically too many referees there do not have a feel for the game. We all have our opinion about referees we think are good or bad, usually coloured not by the laws but what happens to our team. So if you think the use of UK or French referees will help our game or stop this clap trap being written then I'm sorry it won't.
Posted 14:03 19th May 2012
jonesy2 says...
never in doubt, really good win from the highlanders over the bulls who are lucky they have won half their games this season.
Posted 13:52 19th May 2012