In case you missed it, the Bulls met the Carter-less Crusaders in Timaru and were totally destroyed. And it wasn’t because the Bulls weren’t interested.
They arrived pumped and ready to take heads because they wanted to beat the team whose exciting play made headlines around the rugby world when it defeated the Sharks at Twickenham. But they didn’t even get close.
No sniping try from du Preez, no scything five-pointer from Kirchner, no try-saving tackle from Spies, not even three points from Moyne Steyn. And, most surprisingly, Matfield was beaten in the lineouts by the veteran, Chris Jack.
Given the strength of the teams the game could be viewed as a mini-rehearsal for the Tri Nations. If so, will the ABs slaughter the Boks or will the Boks come up with a workable game plan? They sure didn’t have one on show at Timaru.
Everybody in the park knew that the Bulls had their instructions: stop Sonny Bill or he’ll rip through the line just as he did at Twickenham.
So what happened? Less than fifteen minutes in, Sonny Bill Williams sprints through on a great angle and scores. And the way he went past Olivier, who had a nightmare game, was almost a carbon copy of the way he went past Bosman at Twickers.
As the game progressed, the Bulls started to get ornery – partly because they were upset by Jonathon White who pinged them again and again, and partly because their scrum, with their heavy front row, monster locks and big No. 8, failed to fire.
And just to spoon the icing off the cake the Bulls repeatedly spilt the ball in the tackle.
Why did this happen? Why didn’t two of the best teams in Super Rugby each score two or three tries apiece with the final score influenced by a penalty goal or a missed conversion?
Could it have been because of the NZQ – the New Zealand Quotient?
It’s axiomatic that every team enjoys an advantage playing at home, but some places are harder for visiting teams to win at than others. And the Bulls, who are used to playing at sunny Loftus Versfeld, capacity 52,000, had to play a night game on a moist field at Timaru’s AE stadium, capacity 12,000.
A small stadium with the hometown crowd close to the action is always intimidating for visitors, but when it’s located in NZ it’s even more so.
It’s a long, long haul for a South African team, and for a team from any of the Six Nations it must feel like interplanetary travel by the time they reach NZ.
This is another reason why the All Blacks have to be favoured for the RWC. Even though they’re not immaculate playing at home – since 2004 the ABs have lost once to the Boks in NZ, once to France in NZ, and once to the Wallabies (2003) in NZ – just about anywhere they play in the Shaky Isles (except Carisbrook) is an unbreachable fortress.
It’s a little like the Russo-Japanese war of 1905 when the Russian fleet steamed 33,000 kms to the Tsushima Strait while the Japanese simply waited for them to arrive then blew them out of the water.
NZ is the All Blacks’ playground. It’s their park, their ball, their weather, their crowd. And even though it won’t be their ref come the Rugby World Cup, they’ll still have all the other advantages.
And another advantages is the aforementioned Sonny Bill Williams. After watching a video of the game Deans and de Villiers must surely know that when they go into the Tri-Nations, curtains raiser to the RWC, they’re going to have to devise a defence to stop him, much as the Boks did to stop Jonah in the Rugby World Cup in South Africa.
And that leads me to believe, in the Wallabies’ case, that JOC won’t be playing opposite Sonny Bill. Mortlock will.
Incidentally, if Sonny Bill Williams had had to make another yard he wouldn’t have scored that try against the Bulls because he was cut down right around the sprigs by a copybook tackle. But that tackle was made by a player flying across the field in cover not head on. SBW can be stopped.
But apart from playing outside Carter, he’ll always have an edge in the WRC – he’ll be playing in NZ. And so will the rest of the All Blacks.
Bayboy
Guest
Very unlikely Rusty and another attempt at you to play down the Crusaders effort. The Bulls whilst not at their best are certainly not in the same category as the Lions, Cheetahs and Hurricanes. Your only fooling yourself if you really believe that they Crusaders should have piled on 50+ 27-0 is still an almighty butt whipping in most pundits books, but of course it's not good enough for you now is it? The Bulls were pressured into those mistakes by the Crusaders and they were outplayed in every facet.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
Gees Mike - I'll need some time to consider all those reasons you offered why he was "never good"! Randell wasn't Zinzan or Jones but 50 odd tests over 5 years, 70% won, and 20 odd as captain isn't real bad. He managed to earn a couple of degrees during that time too and handle a captaincy wiser men ought not have thrust on him at 21. He achieved all this without a leg up from Auckland Club politics or Christchurch royalty. In what terms was he unworthy? Who shoulda oughta have been there instead?
Moaman
Guest
Suzy-I was referring specifically to Matfield,Botha and co;for them it must be deja vu and it's beginning(?) to look like some of the greats of South African rugby have played a year or two too long.Maybe you need to get along to one of their luncheons and do your magic with the chocolate mousse? ;-) Spot of food poisoning before a certain semi at Eden Park would be extremely poetic!
Mike
Guest
Taine Randell - shudder - was never good
Moaman
Guest
Agree with a fair bit of that-forsee a problem reappointing Smit as skipper though ( if he can't hold a spot in the run-on xv) Your thoughts?
Sam Gilchrist
Guest
Totally agree Hanzo, I dont know if the writer has ever played night rugby at a field like Timaru, but the lights almost take the crowd out of the equation, you cant hardly see the crowd you can only hear them. And to a professional rugby player that definitely should not be an issue especially to the boks who allow their players to head over to the UK to play rugby in their intimate and hostile 15-20,000 seat rugby stadiums. The Bulls are an old tired team with a lack of ideas which has been displayed all season, I thought that would have been evident when the un-fancied Highlanders travelled over their and beat them. Not sure where the Timaru factor comes in.
Suzy Poison
Guest
Moaman, you are mixing the Bulls with the Boks. (I guess they have the same gameplan) However it depends how you look at it. You could put it this way, the Bulls lost to the Reds at Suncorp and then won the Super 14 title. However I don't really give the Bulls that much chance, this time round. A few old bodies in that group now.
Suzy Poison
Guest
Crusaders are looking shyte hot, there is no doubt, but it's early days. Remember that on current form , there wouldn't be a single Bulls player in the starting 15 Bok team, and only six will be picked in the top thirty Boks anyways. I agree that the Bulls gameplan is sooooo outdated, and I seriously hope the Bulls lose every single game from now on, so that P Divvy will realise that it's not teh way forward for the Boks either. Anyways regardless of coaching, here is my probable CURRENT Bok team, based on form. Of course some of these players will be swopped around come WC time. As per usual, the Boks will rest most of these guys for the Tri-Nations this year. 15. Francois Steyn / Gio Aplon. 14. J.P. Pieterson / Francois Hougaard. 13. Jacques Fourie / Juan De Jong 12. Jean De Villiers (vc) / Patrick Lambie. 11. Lwazi Mvovo / Bryan Habana 10. Butch James / Morne Steyn 9. Ruan Pienaar / Fourie Du Preez 8. Ryan Kankowski / Pierre Spies 7. Willem Alberts/ Juan Smith 6. Heinrich Brussow / Schalk Burger 5. Andries Bekker / Victor Matfield 4. Danie Rossouw / Bakkies Botha 3. Jannie Du Plessis / B.J. Botha. 2. Bismark Du Plessis / John Smit (c) 1. Beast Mtawarira / Gurthro Steenkamp
Geoff Brisbane
Guest
So keeping the Bulls to 0 wasn't good enough be interesting to see who else in the comp can achieve that for sure. And johnny-boy I have never thought of the Bulls as not being an intimidation type team. The Blues beat them ewarly in the piece (like game 1) will be an interesting return match. I think the Reds are going very well at the moment and are deserving of their position (like the Crusaders they have lost only 1 game). Saw an article on All Black website that posted a potential All Black lineup within 3 to 5 years that wasn't too outlandish (talk about depth).
johnny-boy
Guest
Rusty is correct the Bulls were bumbling fools and the Crusaders, to their credit took full advantage of it, as they do. The Crusaders obviously intimidate some teams but I look forward to a team that decides to stick it up them, much like the Blues did. Then we will see whether the Crusaders are a real rugby team or just clinically efficient. As good as SBW is, I think he will falter under pressure. He's been handed it on a plate. Never a good foundation.
Tui
Guest
Owen Franks (like my Speed Triple) is an animal and to think he is still a kid in props terms is pretty amazing.
Gavin Henson
Guest
the most impressive point on the 10 backup is that multiple back ups like Brett and Slade have already fled from carter's shadow. ps dont forget that the japanese still had to fight quite beserkly and be willing to die without question for their country in order to narrowly win that war. Hopefully the all blacks follow their history too.
Gavin Henson
Guest
the general point on crowds has some validity though. i have been in half full 30,000 eden park and full 15,000 stadiums in the uk and the latter had far better atmosphere and intimidation
Sylvester Hyde
Guest
And he was cut down short of the line, yet still managed to wriggle over. Yes, he can be tackled, but had anyone been in support, he probably would have popped a pass anyway...
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
Interesting thoughts, sturugbymad. I think I saw Brad Thorn in just one match for Canterbury in the ITM Cup last year. From memory Carter didn't play at all, or McCaw. I think players at the centre of everything physical and cerebral on the field need to be rested, as is happening with McCaw now. I don't know of the RSA "senior player management system" but it is doing Matfield no favours. He looked horribly frustrated after Saturday's match. From what I've seen just about anything Franks does is done well - its as if there are two of him!
Moaman
Guest
The Bullsgo to Brisbane now.....for Matfield and co it will be deja vu all over again...after the 'Boks lost 2 on the road to kick off the 3N last year and were then ambushed at Suncorp.Groundhog Day.
sturugbymad
Guest
The problem with Victor Matfield is not one completely of age but of playing way too much rugby since the 2007 world cup win.He has played in almost every test match for the Boks , continued to play for the Bulls in the Currie Cup before autumn overseas tests and the following super 14 season in the new year.He's looking punch drunk! Matfield has been poorly managed by the Bulls and has been under extra pressure to turn up for tests due to the senior player management system that is in place there because let's face it their so-called coach is an absolute joke and can't do his job.Smit/Matfield/Jean de Villiers etc are running the decision making. Brad Thorn is known to be extremely fit in the Saders camp but has his workload been as intense outside of the test scene , I dont know? If the Bulls loose any more games(I think they will) and are out of contention then they should rest him otherwise the Boks will be getting more punishment in the scrums this year. Moment of the weekend for me : Franks hit on Flip van der Merwe , aaawwsoooome ! The brothers couldn't have come at a better time for the ABs. Go Saders !
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
For what they have achieved, and for the players they are, I hope their return to form is swift.
TembaVJ
Guest
The Bulls are making my transition to the Rebels much easier with displays like that. Great effort from the crusaders but also terrible game by the bulls. Very painful game to watch.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
And that Kronfeld was good too, eh? Along with Marty Holah and Taine Randell. Some achievement by the extraordinary Richie McCaw. On Williams - I watched because I knew he'd be no good, Moaman. His first match was half a 2nd half against Bay of Plenty in September. I was wrong alright - he excites me as Campo did, when a mate pulled me out to Manuka Oval to watch a young, clever, beautifully balanced runner carve 'em up in Canberra club rugby near a couple of decades back. Even my wife commented on Saturday how composed Williams looks, when she too expected from him a Mundine-like snarl at life itself (I'd never seen him play League 'cos we don't watch it much after they tossed out my beloved Souths - the sons of the Irish are good haters :) ). I swear Robbie Fruean spent last ITM season walking around with a grin like he'd won Lotto! All Stephen Brett and Colin Slade had to do was shovel the ball along. And thanks for your kind compliment Moaman.