Don't put too much weight on Bulls thrashing in the Mo'unga versus Barrett debate
Crusaders flyhalf Richie Mo’unga delivered a fine performance against the hapless Bulls in Pretoria, bagging a personal tally of 20 points, two tries, and one assist. However, as comprehensive as the final 45-13 scoreline was, this was far from a clinical Crusaders performance against a depleted Bulls side.
The visitors dazzled in spurts, but an alarming rate of penalties still gifted away untold amounts of possession and territory. They were pinged 13 times to the Bulls’ four, while heroic Bulls number 8 Duane Vermeulen was able to snatch five turnovers at the breakdown and openside Janne Kirsten got three.
Outside of some great work at the ruck, the South Africans themselves were atrocious with ball-in-hand and even worse in defence once they were tired out by the tempo of the game. The home side simply could not keep up with the Crusaders’ game speed.
Had the Crusaders been at their absolute best, this could have been 80-points on the Highveld. They weren’t, and the Bulls were spared of an unforgivable scoreline in front of a bumper home crowd due to the #duanespecial.
The Bulls’ ability to control the ball deteriorated rapidly under fatigue. The handling errors and erratic passing on show in the second half was embarrassing for a Super Rugby side. It’s not the fact that errors are made, it’s the comical fashion in which they happen.
A high number of cold drops and poorly-placed passes are all unforced, self-inflicted wounds absent of much influence from the opposition. They aren’t performing offloads with a high degree of difficulty or throwing ‘timing’ passes made with trust and delicate running lines – it is basic catching and passing accuracy that continually lets them down far too often.
They are a side, already missing top-line stars, that collectively doesn’t have the skill level to play possession-based rugby after a certain point of running around. Without Jesse Kriel, Lood de Jager and Warrick Gelant, this side was second-rate and never a chance to come close to the defending champions back at full strength. It was a cakewalk that required the Crusaders to be at 50 percent to drop 40 points.
The Bulls are a side that can be physical and can tackle, that’s not the problem. When the game speed is kept in check, they can play a stop-start territorial kicking game around the maul and set-piece that never really tests their anaerobic capacity because the game never gets going, much like most South African derbies.
If you play with ball movement at a decent clip, their tires blow out and you can run up the score. They are built to be competitive in the South African conference, not in the New Zealand one, and play a style suited to do so.
The Crusaders exposed them as slow, tired, and immobile, unable to regenerate their defence after 20 minutes. They were forced to play a way they have only once this season – against the Chiefs, who must be said, put 56 on them, more than what the Crusaders did.
Eventually, the windows opened and the Crusaders could strike in a canter, on counter-attack targeting lethargic tight five forwards and poor efforts from the defence folding on set-piece. The cross-field kicks further exposed a fellable back-three unit.
After the Chiefs hammered them, few were talking about either McKenzie brother taking over Barrett. They shared first receiver duties in Pretoria after Jack Debreczeni was injured early and combined for four try assists, three line breaks and were involved in some way in 41 of the 56 points.
Mo’unga impressed against poor opposition, which he should do based on the class he has shown over the last three years.
Bulls coach and Handre Pollard after loss to Crusaders:
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments