Bulls player ratings vs Munster | 2023/24 URC
Bulls player ratings: The Bulls were shocked at Loftus by a Munster side that took advantage after a red card for flyhalf Johan Goosen reduced the home side to 14 men.
Here’s how the Bulls players rated:
1. Gerhard Steenekamp – 6
Managed some solidity in scrums but lacked the usual impact in loose play against a tough Munster pack.
2. Johan Grobbelaar – 8
Pleasingly busy around the park, Grobbelaar kept the Munster pack on their toes with his all-action play. Deservedly got over the line with a powerful surge in the 50th minute.
3. Wilco Louw – 5
The big tighthead showed moments of dominance in the scrum, but didn’t have it all his own way. A couple of fumbles but it’s hard to hold that against a prop.
4. Ruan Vermaak – 6
Started well but his physical intensity ebbed against a relentless Munster side.
5. JF van Heerden – 6
Played his part in the first-half dominance, but like Vermaak, was part of the Bulls pack that started to run out of steam in the second half.
6. Cameron Hanekom – 7
His gritty performance and relentless tackling were a highlight and had left the field before Goosen’s red and Munster’s revival.
7. Reinhardt Ludwig – 6
His efforts at the breakdown were noteworthy, although he found it hard to turn over as much ball against Munster’s back row. A couple of uncharacteristic handling errors will irk.
8. Elrigh Louw – 8
Louw’s powerful runs and defensive work were central to the Bulls’ efforts, even in defeat. Must surely be on Rassie’s Springbok No.8 watchlist.
9. Embrose Papier – 6
Directed the game well with solid service and smart decision-making, keeping the Munster defence guessing on his 50th Bulls cap.
10. Johan Goosen – 5
Controlled the game’s tempo superbly with eye for a gap and generally strong game management. Against that, some questionable decisions on occasion blotted his copybook, not least trying to play the ball across his own line in the 33rd minute. A clumsy red card tackle attempt in the 53rd minute took the shine off what would have been an 8 out of 10 performance.
11. Kurt-Lee Arendse – 7
Was incredibly busy in defence even if he had limited opportunities to show off his scintillating attacking abilities.
12. David Kriel – 7
Made a spectacular over-the-ruck dive for the line in the 44th minute and was a menace on both sides of the ball. Hard to fault.
13. Canan Moodie – 5
Kept quiet in attack in the first half thanks to Munster’s solid backline unit. His own defence was far from perfect, however. Burst into life in the second half, riding the tackle of Jack Crowley to dive over in the corner for what looked like a brilliant finish, although the try was ultimately disallowed for Goosen’s head-on-head tackle on Craig Casey.
14. Sebastian de Klerk – 6.5
Busy in attack before being clattered by Calvin Nash in a 50-50 ball and went off for a HIA. Returned in the second half and resumed his attacking menaces.
15. Willie Le Roux – 6
The veteran fullback ensured the Bulls were solid at the back. Some wonderful flat passing on show too. Took up kicking duties when Goosen was sent off.
REPLACEMENTS:
16. Akker van der Merwe – 5
Entered into a tough situation and struggled to make a positive impact against a surging Munster.
17. Simphiwe Matanzima – 5
Couldn’t provide the necessary boost in the scrum or open play.
18. Mornay Smith – 6
Contributed to a continued strong scrummaging effort and held his own in tight.
19. Janko Swanepoel – 5
Added fresh legs but couldn’t alter the course of the match under the sustained Munster attacks.
20. Celimpilo Gumede – 5
His presence at the breakdown was not enough to disrupt Munster’s control.
21. Zak Burger – 5
Entered under difficult circumstances and couldn’t spark the needed change in pace or direction.
22. Chris William Smith – 6
Played a part in maintaining the Bulls’ strategic kicking game late in the match, but it wasn’t enough.
23. Devon Williams – 5
Saw little of the ball and was unable to provide the needed breakthrough.
Comments on RugbyPass
ABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
225 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
225 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to commentsCan’t wait for the article that talks about misogyny in Ireland. Somehow.
16 Go to commentsI would like to see a rule change, when the attacking team is held up over the try line, by allowing the defensive team to restart a goal line drop out releases the pressure for the defensive team, but what if the attacking team had to restart a tap 5m out from the defensive team it gives the attacking team to apply more pressure, there are endless options for the attacking side and it will keep the fans in suspence.
2 Go to commentsLess modern South African males predictably triggered.
16 Go to commentsMy heart is with Quins, but the head is convinced Toulouse have too much. Ntamack is back, his timing and wisdom has been missed.
1 Go to commentsWow, what a starting line up for the Sharks) Tasty up front,kremer vs Tshituka or venter …fiery ,,Lavannini ,,will he knobble etzebeth? Biggest game for belleau?
1 Go to commentsIt was rubbish to watch, Blues weren’t even present. Did what they had to do, nothing more. Should be better next week against canes.
1 Go to commentsI’ve just noticed that this match has an all-French refereeing team. Surely a game like this ought to have a neutral ref? Although looking at the BBC preview of the Saints game, Raynal is also down as reffing that - so there may be some confusion about who is reffing what.
1 Go to commentsIf Havili can play anywhere in the back line, why not first 5. #10.
11 Go to commentsThe dressing room had already left for their summer break before they ran out in Dublin that year, and that’s on the coach. Franco Smith has undoubtedly made progress, particularly their maul, developing squad players and increasing squad depth. And against a very tight budget too. That said they were too lightweight last year and got found out against both Toulon and Munster in consecutive games. Better this season so far but they’ve developed something of a slow start habit occasionally, most notably losing at home to Northampton who played them at their own game. Play offs will ultimately show whether there has been tangible progress on last year, or not…!
2 Go to commentsAustralian Rugby has been a disaster, by not incorporating learning from previous successful campaigns. QLD Reds 2011 - Waratahs 2014. Players, coaches and administrators appoint there representatives for scheduled meetings, organisation’s agreement’s assessments and correspondence. This why a unified Rugby Union under one entity works. Every Rugby nation has taken that path. Was most difficult in the Northern hemisphere with over 100 years of club rugby before the game become professional. Took a lot of humility for those unions to eventually work together.
7 Go to commentsThough Wilson’s sacking was pretty brutal, it wasn’t just down to that Leinster game; Glasgow had a lot of 2nd half collapses that season, in the URC and Europe, and only just scraped into the playoffs. Franco Smith has definitely been an improvement, some players are delivering far more than they did under Wilson.
2 Go to commentsjesus - that front 5!
1 Go to commentsShould be an absolute cracker of a game! Will be great to see DuPont & Ntamack in tandem once again🔥
1 Go to commentsBest team ever…. To have played? These guys are still pressure chokers. Came nowhere when it counted. What a joke
84 Go to comments