The defending champion Bulls will meet the Stormers in an all-South African final of rugby’s Super 14 after Saturday’s semi-finals saw the elimination of New Zealand and Australia’s last title hopes.
The Stormers outclassed the NSW Waratahs 25-6 in Cape Town after the Bulls had beaten the Crusaders 39-24 in the earlier semi-final in Soweto.
The final will be played at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, the venue for the Bulls’ historic clash with the Crusaders.
It was the first major rugby union match staged in the black township near Johannesburg and Nobel peace prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu called it the greatest development in the sport since the Springboks 1995 World Cup victory.
With Pretoria fortress Loftus Versfeld unavailable as it is being readied for the 2010 World Cup next month, the titleholders opted for Soweto and a capacity 40,000 crowd cheered them to glory after leading 23-10 at halftime.
There were also milestones for winning captain and lock Victor Matfield, who completed 100 Super appearances, and flyhalf-cum-scoring machine Morne Steyn raised his season tally to a record 243 points.
“This ranks among the most memorable experiences of my rugby career – coming to Soweto, reaching 100 appearances and defeating a great Crusaders team,” said Springbok and Bulls legend Matfield.
“We realised that starting slowly and giving our opponents a 15-point lead would be suicidal and so we set out to take control from the kick-off and it worked.
“Resting our top players last weekend also worked in our favour.”
Crusaders skipper and flanker Richie McCaw did not offer the long trip from Christchurch as an excuse and said his side made too many mistakes in the southern hemisphere championship clash.
“This is a very good Bulls team and we gave them a head start,” Mccaw said.
“We came back strongly in the second half but were not clinical enough when we had them under pressure – that has been the story of our season.”
Traditional slow starters, the South Africans were quick to apply pressure on the New Zealanders and No.8 Pierre Spies stormed over the tryline just 126 seconds into the game for a team seeking a third title in four years.
Steyn converted and added a penalty before seven-time holders Crusaders hit back with a try from McCaw off a driving maul that flyhalf Dan Carter converted.
But there was no stopping a Bulls team lucky to beat the Canterbury outfit in Pretoria two weeks ago and fullback Zane Kirchner touched down after an awkward bounce eluded numerous players.
Another conversion and another penalty from Steyn lifted Bulls to a 20-7 advantage and after Carter landed his only penalty of the match, the Bulls pivot planted the ball between the posts from well inside his own half.
The Crusaders needed to score first in the second half and they did in the 45th minute when slick handling and a missed Dewald Potgieter tackle allowed wing Sean Maitland to go over far out with Carter adding the conversion.
A Steyn penalty steadied Bulls nerves and the turning point came after 63 minutes when halfback Fourie du Preez made a blindside break from a scrum, brushed off a Kieran Read tackle and dived over for Steyn to convert.
The red-and-grey clad visitors were allowing the game slip away from them as they trailed 33-17 and Steyn added another couple of penalties before lock Sam Whitelock snatched a consolation try that Carter converted.
Harry
Guest
I am greatly looking forward to this game between the best 2 sides in this year's S14. Lots of fabulous Very evenly matched, but I do think the Stormers have two big game match winners out wide in Fourie and Habana that, if they get space (and teams have scored plenty of tries gainst the Bulls this year, its jsut taht the Bulls have scored more!) could be the difference, particuarly if it becomes a high scoring match.
MarkR
Guest
Ben - I have to agree, the SA players have turned on some great rugby recently. The team the won the WC played extremely well, & last years Bok team was so good it was scary. I'm hoping they peak before the WC ! The S14 teams have really moved up a level & I'm expecting to see all 3 countries in the semis as the norm now. My pick, the Bulls, there's a good reason they're top of the table & from the 3 or 4 games of their I've watched it's in their consistency. Strong scrum & lineout with a good loose forward trio let them hold par or better most teams in the forwards, fast wings, good service from the 9, nice strong midfield with a realiable 15 & great goal kicking make them a complete team. That being said the Stormers have looked good, unfortunately I haven't watched enough SA games to do a player by player comparison, but the Bulls seem to me to be more complete. Should be one heck of a gmae though.
GPR-SA
Guest
OJ "the atmosphere is like nothing we have in NZ at present" I am sure the atmosphere at the World cup next year will be electrifying as would have been a NZ super 14 final. I would still love to watch a match in the land of the long white cloud where the Hakka and the awe of the All Blacks still makes the average Saffer a bit weak at the knees. Look forward to you future comments during the Tri Nations.
ohtani's jacket
Guest
Thanks, GPR-SA. It should be a spectacular occasion on Saturday night. The South Africa crowds are fantastic and the atmosphere is like nothing we have in NZ at present. It ought to be an interesting game. With all the talk about South Africa dominating this year, only one side can win and I imagine there will be huge disappointment for the loser. Plenty of subplots. Will the Bulls join the Blues and Crusaders as the only back-to-back winners in competiton history? Or will the Stormers win a maiden Super 14 title? A couple of Boks in the Stormers would love to add a Super rugby title to their career resumes and what about Habana potentially winning two consecutive titles with two different clubs? History definitely favours the Bulls but then they won away from home in 2007 to kick start this dominant era of theirs. The time zone is unfriendly but I think there's compelling enough reasons for people to watch a replay at the least.
Ben J
Guest
For years NZ and Australian fans have been complaining about the quality of rugby being produced by the SA teams and it is great for the competition that there is some form of consistency coming from the top SA teams. It has taken a good few years for the SA rugby establishment to wrap their heads around this competition and embrace it. Gone is the excuses around travel and long seasons. It has made the S14 a fantastic spectacle and the player development coming from SA has been exeptional.
GPR-SA
Guest
OJ - agree with you re wanting Stormers to win for same reasons. I suppose there must always be a winner and yes perhaps(?) bulls were "the best side"(?), but I have enjoyed the great rugby of the season that has seen an abundance of tries from most of the teams and far less kicking. While everyone is so ready to tear apart their opposing teams, I think everyone in the tournament except the Lions ( sadly my old side - no longer living there.) had some great games this season with some awesome tries. I loved watching the latter games of the season where teams like the Hurricanes made an amazing charge for semis contention and played some brilliant rugby. The flair of the Highlanders running rugby and the inspiration of the Reds was great! Force had some great games, as did the cheetas, blues etc.. Heck I just appreciate a good game of rugby and while I will always want my team to win, am quite happy to concede if the other team plays a better game. This game is bigger than all of us. Well done to all the teams - except the Lions! There were some very lucky wins and some unfortunate losses: one or two different outcomes could have seen a very different top four, so close is the competition - so whilst on paper the 2 "best "teams made it to the final does not necessarily mean that the folowing pack were that worse than them nor less deserving to be in the final. I think Richie was very gracious in not accepting travel as an excues for their loss but I have done the trip myself a few time and it does take it out of you - just going one way is punishing. To do it 4 times and beat the Brumbies in between - an incredible feat: truly a champion side and the travel counted heavily against them in the last hurdle. Dan Carter may not have had his best game,(I would honestly attribute it the travel factor - edge is taken off you) but is still a genuis and would love to have him in my side any day! I look forward to next season to see my newly adopted team (as I have been living in QLD for the past three years) the Reds, step up to the mark and make the finals. Thanks OJ. I have enjoyed your comments thoughout the season. I have not posted many comments but have followed the articles and posts quite often, and there are some realy childish people out there - Nice to have some good solid based arguments even though I didn't agree with you all the time. Bring on the Tri Nations and World cup ( rugby that is)
ohtani's jacket
Guest
I'd like to see the Stormers win simply because I'd like another champion in the history books, but I think the Bulls are classier and deserve to go back-to-back. While this may not be the last final in SA for a while, it may be the last all-South African final for quite some time given the new seedings system.
MarkR
Guest
CB - agree they deserved their positions, I'd put my money on the Bulls though. great win over the Crusaders who've just kept making too many mistakes all season. I'd be happy if I was a Bulls supporter.
Comrade Bear
Guest
... and fair enough too. I thought the Stormers and Bulls were the two best teams this year - with the Stormers being the best and should win this weekend..