The Bulls have found a new weapon but regaining South African power still a tall ask
The Bulls opened their Super Rugby campaign at home in Pretoria with an emphatic 40-3 statement win over the troubled Stormers, a complete reversal of the pre-season clash between the two sides, and in the process uncovered a new weapon and an old one – Rosko Specman and astute tactical kicking.
The addition of Blitzboks Sevens star Specman proved a masterstroke as he knifed the Stormers to bits twice inside the first quarter of the game. The speed Specman brings, even at 29-years-old, gives the Bulls a lethal finisher who can create all on his own, or roam around and work off the ball-players to create mismatches as he did on his second try.
Specman showed an invaluable ability to provide pressure on kick-chase with his top-level speed and complete his tackles with a high success rate, an undervalued part of his game which the Bulls will use off the back of first five-eighth Handre Pollard’s long driving kicks. His reading of the game from the backfield is still green, his rolling coverage will need to improve but overall this looks like a boom signing.
The return of former Stormer Duane Vermeulen to Super Rugby in a Bulls jersey has bolstered the pack with a world-class eight, and he showed that in the first half an hour with over 60 metres on eight carries.
More impressive was the back row as a unit, with Hanro Liebenberg and Ruan Steenkamp in combination with Vermeulen forcing six turnovers and imposing themselves on the Stormers in defence as part of a brutal Bulls line, while veteran hooker Schalk Brits also impressed in his short return before being forced from the field.
With the Bulls coaching staff not being appointed until mid-way through the pre-season, even with the large number of quality signings, this kind of dominant result wasn’t expected.
They may still be benefitting from processes installed by John Mitchell last year as the new coaching staff has had little time to work with the squad, but the Stormers were objectively awful and could not find an answer to the tactical kicking of the Bulls halves.
The Stormers’ backfield coverage was all over the shop, allowing the likes of Pollard, Warrick Gelant and Embrose Papier to tactically kick the Stormers out of the game. The Bulls halves pairing kicked more than double that of the Stormers, and did so on a third of their possessions.
Pollard played the corners and took the space when offered, using a deft chip off set-piece to set up a try for Jesse Kriel early in the second half to put the game beyond a shadow of a doubt. The Springbok centre nearly had a flawless game, distributing wisely and defending well until a few errors crept in late in the game.
The Stormers have as many on-field issues as they do off it, with defensive breakdowns a constant worry not to mention basic execution errors. At 28-3 early in the second half, the Bulls basically shut down the game by taking every available three and played for territory for nearly fifty minutes.
The third try to Bulls winger John-Ben Kotze contained nice lead-up work but the Stormers defence made horrendous reads, with nearly every player out of sync and playing outside of any visible system and without trust in each other.
Despite the visitors being laden with Springbok talent, it would be dangerous to put too much weight on beating this Stormers outfit by a big score. The Lions remain king in the South African conference until proven otherwise, and the Sharks are building, proving last year they can go on the road and win in New Zealand, something the Bulls have struggled with in recent years.
The Bulls haven’t won an overseas game since 2016, in over two years, and haven’t won on New Zealand soil since 2013. The first test will come next week when they travel to Argentina to play the Jaguares before key conference games against the Lions and Sharks.
If the Bulls can continue their form through this early block of four games, it could set them up for a favourable run into playoff qualification. Their Australasian tour isn’t due into Round 13, by which point they will have built into the season and determined much of their conference fate.
The one factor of the Bulls’ game that holds the most weight out of the performance is the defensive showing, limiting the visitors to three points and conceding no tries, which gives the strongest indication that they may turn the corner in 2019.
They will need to take that defensive resolve to Buenos Aires.
Comments on RugbyPass
“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets 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?
11 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.
11 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.
17 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 comments