A dominant second half from the Blues earned them a bonus point and a much-needed win after a rough few weeks against New Zealand opposition.
» Click here to read the full match report
Final score
Blues 38
Bulls 14
The Bulls make the long trip over to New Zealand off the back of a debut win for the season when they take on a struggling Blues side this afternoon. Join The Roar from 5:35pm (AEDT) for all the live scores, highlights and action.
The Bulls bagged their first win of the season last week against the Sunwolves, scoring four tries to two on their way to an important 34-21 victory.
The South African side have had a testing start to the season, with one win from three games, and are in real need of stringing a few wins together to avoid slipping behind early in the year.
While the Bulls come into this one with a win behind them, the Blues have lost their last three games on the trot.
After a very positive start to the season, running rampant over a hapless Rebels outfit in Round 1 with a 56-18 win, they’ve since lost every game.
Defeats to the Chiefs, Highlanders and Crusaders have left them reeling in a tight New Zealand conference early on in their campaign.
They were the victim of another Crusaders comeback last week, giving up a 19-point lead in the second half and letting in two tries in the final eight minutes, going down 33-24 at full time.
Interestingly, these two sides haven’t played since May of 2015, and have only played each other five times in the past seven years, such is the current fixtures layout of Super Rugby.
Team News
For the Blues, All Black prop Charlie Faumuina has pulled through training midweek and is set to make his return from a leg injury this afternoon.
He will replace Sione Mafileo at tighthead.
Other than that, coach Tana Umaga has named an unchanged side to the one that went down late to the Crusaders last week.
The Bulls have a captaincy change on their side of the park, with Adriaan Strauss coming in at hooker and taking the skipper duties.
Lizo Gqoboka has been brought into loosehead prop, pushing Pierre Schoeman onto the reserves bench, while Nick de Jager comes in at flanker to replace a suspended Renaldo Bothma.
Jan Serfontein has also been switched from outside to inside centre after notching a pair of tries last week.
Prediction
While the Bulls have a win under their belt coming into this one, it was against the Sunwolves at home. This one will be the real test for the South Africans if they want to get their season rolling.
For the Blues, this is just as important. They’ll be leaning on their home ground advantage to break the losing streak and get their mojo back.
The Blues might just get this one with a superior offence, but expect a fight from the Bulls.
Blues to win by 7
Join The Roar from 5:35pm (AEDT) for all the live scores, highlights and action.
Mark
Guest
For 70 minutes the Blues looked less than ordinary Perhaps Tana should have shut up and listened to Henry's team talks instead of whining - he might have learnt something Like not picking the 15 biggest boofheads and hoping for the best This lot are going nowhere fast Another coached chosen because he used to be a great All Black but zero coaching success behind him Anyone who crows about the Blues victory here is blind
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
Thanks Marius .... would have preferred that result against your rednblacks last week .... *S*
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
Apologies for spelling and grammar errors ... *S*
Old Bugger
Guest
Yep, fair enuff.....
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
Wooo thanks OK.. see comment posted to Thugby...
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
Ha!, haven't I seen the game yet ... presently overseas, but hit the turps every night anyhow! Reading live score updates though, it appears TBM became that in the 2nd half! And who needs Beauden Barrett, or Otere Black, when we have Ihaiai West! ... *S*
Tipene Roar
Roar Rookie
Whats with ate aussy sparkles mardegra jerseys
Sadly that is a trend running through most of the SA sides. Our rugby has become very average
davSA
Guest
All too predicable I'm afraid. I think I was somehow hoping for the Bulls to do something special , but they are a very , very average team.
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
Thanx mate. Just as the TMO was talking to the ref, daughted switched to bleeding Dirty Dancing on #10. Argrhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh seriously should get a larger tv for the FTA crap.
Goodness me that was poor from the Bulls
The Neutral View From Sweden
Roar Guru
Sometimes two wrongs makes one right! :)
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
Yeah for the Akky Blues. RT will be hitting the turps tonight to celebrate his beloved TBM finally looking good. Thanks to Connor for his good work, I was only getting bits and pieces of the game as flicking from cricket to rugger and back, so Connor kept me in the loop there. Now for a Brumbies win and there will be many a long face in far south Nu Zillend and many a smile in far north Nu Zillend. :)
Old Bugger
Guest
RT,TM Haven't seen the game just the final score so, congrats.....well done and does this result actually, reflect the difference between conferences???
Connor Bennett
Editor
No penalty try. The ref went to the TMO and said he thought it was a try. The TMO said he couldn't see the ball touch the ground, but there was no evidence to say that it definitely wasn't a try... so he should stick with his original decision. It was a bit weird overall
Jamez
Guest
IMHO, wasnt grounded, but, should have been a penalty try anyway (Blues players were not back 10)
Connor Bennett
Editor
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
Damn, my daughter grabbed the tv remote and took over. Was that try at the death a penalty try or did the ref say he grounded it? A weird result there, the half took off from the wrong spot and should have been pulled back by the ref but too quick and he allowed it. The tackler was no-where near 10 metres back so if he did stop the ball being grounded it was likely a penalty try.
Connor Bennett
Editor
FULLTIME A dominant second half from the Blues earn them a bonus point and a much-needed win after a rough few weeks against New Zealand opposition. Despite a scrappy, but still tight, opening 40 saw the two sides take a 7-7 stalemate into the halftime break, it was all the Blues in the second stanza. They piled on five tries and 31 unanswered points in the second half. The only solace for the Bulls was a try after the fulltime siren to slightly soften the blow. Although there were plenty of scrappy periods of play, it was an overall entertaining game of rugby, highlighted by the fact there was 8 tries and zero penalty goals throughout the game. Blues – 38 Bulls – 14
Marius Ciliers
Roar Guru
Well done Marauders. Grats RT and Blues fans. Good win.