[2015 Super Rugby] Bulls vs. Stormers (Round 1) 14/02/2015

[TRF_heineken]

Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

19:10 CAT, (SA, GMT+2)​

Teams

Bulls:

15. Jurgen Visser, 14. Bjorn Basson, 13. JJ Engelbrecht, 12. Jan Serfontein, 11. Francois Hougaard, 10. Handre Pollard, 9. Piet van Zyl, 8. Arno Botha, 7. Lappies Labuschagne, 6. Deon Stegmann, 5. Victor Matfield (captain), 4. Jacques du Plessis, 3. Werner Kruger, 2. Adriaan Strauss, 1. Trevor Nyakane

Substitutes: 16. Callie Visagie, 17. Morne Mellet, 18. Dayan vd Westhuizen/Neethling Fouche, 19. Grant Hattingh, 20. Pierre Spies, 21. Rudy Paige, 22. Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 23. Jesse Kriel


Stormers:

15. Cheslin Kolbe , 14. Johnny Kotze * , 13. Juan de Jongh (vice-captain) , 12. Damian de Allende , 11. Dillyn Leyds * , 10. Demetri Catrakilis , 9. Nic Groom , 8. Duane Vermeulen (captain) , 7. Michael Rhodes , 6. Rynhardt Elstadt , 5. Ruan Botha , 4. Jean Kleyn , 3. Vincent Koch * , 2. Scarra Ntubeni , 1. Steven Kitshoff


Replacements: 16. Bongi Mbonambi ** , 17. Oli Kebble , 18. Wilco Louw ** , 19. Jurie van Vuuren , 20. Nizaam Carr , 21. Louis Schreuder , 22. Kurt Coleman , 23. Huw Jones **
(*Super Rugby starting debut for the Stormers)
(**On Super Rugby debut for the Stormers)

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Good derby to start with, the Bulls will be looking to get an early hold on the conference.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Good derby to start with, the Bulls will be looking to get an early hold on the conference.

Yeah, I can't wait anymore! And I'm rather optimistic about our chances, based on our pre-season, it looks very positive for the Bulls. But with that said, I haven't seen the Stormers, but they have some injury concerns. Especially at Lock.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Stormers will come into the early rounds a tad undercooked I'd imagine; injury hit like mad and not a lot of game time pre-season and not against quality opposition.

I expect something along the lines of:

1 Steven Kitshoff if available? Not sure.
2 Scarra Ntubeni
3 Vincent Koch? (Malherbe still out for the opening few rounds)
4 Rynhardt Elstadt (since all our out-and-out locks are unavailable bar Botha who might make it in time)
5 Ruan Botha (will probably be rushed straight back from injury because of our lack of locks ATM)
6 Nizaam Carr (should be available but remains a question mark)
7 Siya Kolisi
8 Duane Vermeulen (C)
9 Nic Groom (though Masimla has been impressive.. might make the bench ahead of Schreuder I'd imagine but I'd still start Groom)
10 Demetri Catrakilis
11 Huw Jones ? (Senatla with the bok 7's team as a priority)
12 Damian de Allende (can only be him with JdV out for the season)
13 Juan de Jongh (VC)
14 EW Viljoen / Dillyn Leyds? (Kobus van Wyk likely still unavailable)
15 Cheslin Kolbe

So, season hasn't even begun and we're without Etzebeth, Burger, Malherbe, Taute, De Villiers and Carizza as international players as well as 1st choices and upcoming players in Van Wyk, Senatla, Kitshoff not to mention Kleyn, JD Shickerling, Grobler etc. I'm not sure but Pat Howard should return back from his loan deal with Munster and would make either wing or the bench as center/wing cover. We have been looking at Tagicakibau and Matt Turner as fill ins on the wing as well but again, I am unsure what to expect there.

We just need to contain the Bulls who I expect will have the majority of possession and take our chances when they come probably courtesy of Carr, Groom, Kolbe, DdA & JdJ who are dangerous on the counter.

 

[Gena_ZA]

With all the injuries the Stormers has massive depth, of the best in the competition.
If they can go on from where they left of last year they will have a good season but yeah, I have said that before

Looking forward to this Valentines day game, only love for the television come that afternoon

 

[TRF_heineken]

With all the injuries the Stormers has massive depth, of the best in the competition.
If they can go on from where they left of last year they will have a good season but yeah, I have said that before

Looking forward to this Valentines day game, only love for the television come that afternoon

I bought my wife a ticket to go watch 50 shades of Grey at the cinemas when these 2 run out. She and her friends are all going together, while I can watch this in peace and quiet. It's a win/win

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Updated the OP to show the Bulls team. Glad I got Piet van Zyl in the fantasy rugby draft; think he is a great fantasy 9 if starting. Hougaard on the wing makes for another great fantasy 9! Arno Botha starting is also great to see. Kriel on the bench is a cop-out though if you ask me.

 

[TRF_heineken]

So we went with the dual fetchers in the back row. I think that is a bold move, especially from a Bulls pack. Mixing experience and youth along the way is yet another good idea.

Jesse Kriel to make his Super Rugby debut off the bench... Not too bad.

 

[Gena_ZA]

Nw that the Stormers team is revealed I honestly do not give them much of a chance at Loftus...
6 playing 1st game on S15 level

While the Bulls line up with 13 Springboks, the Stormers boast just three in the team announced by coach Allister Coetzee at lunch time on Thursday. More than that, the Bulls have a squad brimful of players boasting significant Super Rugby experience, whereas the Stormers will have six players making their Super Rugby debut for the franchise in their match day squad that travels to Pretoria.

DHL Stormers team: Cheslin Kolbe, Johnny Kotze, Juan de Jongh, Damian de Allende, Dillyn Leyds, Demetri Catrakilis, Nic Groom, Duane Vermeulen (captain), Michael Rhodes, Rynhardt Elstadt, Ruan Botha, Jean Kleyn, Vincent Koch, Scarra Ntubeni, Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Oli Kebble, Wilco Louw, Jurie van Vuuren, Nizaam Carr, Louis Schreuder, Kurt Coleman, Huw Jones.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Not quite the team I was expecting. I suppose losing so many starters before the season even starts will do that.. Very very young and inexerienced Stormers team. We'll have to take our few chances well off scraps if we are to sneak it..

If I borrow Kebble, Mbonambi and Carr from the bench who else would back the Stormers injured XV(-3)(see below)(internationals in bold) to do a number on the starting XV?

1 Kebble
2 Mbonambi
3 Malherbe
4 Etzebeth
5 Carizza
6 Kolisi
7 Burger
8 Carr
9 Masimla
10 Du Preez
11 Senatla
12 JdV
13 Howard
14 Van Wyk
15 Taute

 

[TRF_heineken]

This sounds more and more like a Valentines Date that the Stormer's will be dreading...

Hope they don't close the toilet door...

 

[Gena_ZA]

Well that just shows you: will, guts and high intensity
Extremely proud of our Stormers boys, beating a much more fancied side on paper.
Most Boks were outplayed on Saturday and De Allende was pure class, pity his one dimensional opponent is carrying the Bok 12

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Couldn't even watch the game due to Valentines day BUT I'll be milking the fact from now on for the rest of the season!- "But, Honey, I missed the Stormers' win at Loftus.."

 

[TRF_heineken]

Well done Stormers!!

They outplayed us. I just wish Frans Ludeke will now drop his love-child, Jurgen Visser once and for all. We were getting the upper hand early, and then he makes schoolboy errors, and allows the Stormers a soft try and the lead, which we never got back.

Arno Botha getting injured within the first 30 minutes and Werner Kruger and Dayan vd Westhuizen both also injured after playing just a couple of minutes. Leaving us with Nyakane on the tighthead, and Mellett at loosehead. Rudy Paige is yet again another pedestrian in the team. He's useless!! Why didn't they move Hougaard to Scrumhalf, and bring in Jesse Kriel?? at least then we could have gotten front foot ball.

I'm so livid with my team's coaching staff. Where was all that oompf and experimentation they showed in the pre-season??? Nick Mallettis 100% right when he said there's something wrong with the Bulls.

 

[SomeOke]

Very impressed with the win, I was not optimistic at all but the boys showed a lot of character. On the Bulls side I have to agree with Heineken Visser was horrendous and if you remove the Leyds try which was a bit of a freak error it would have been very close indeed.
That said it was a class performance, I was particularly impressed with Vincent Koch who looked confident making the step up to SR level, but really the whole young tight five played with intensity. Out of the backs I thought Leyds and de Allende were the stand outs, hopefully we continue to be somewhat expressive moving forwards, I get the feeling Allister Coetzee is a bad performance or two from sending the team back into it's shell, but hopefully I'm wrong.

 

[Gena_ZA]

Well done Stormers!!

They outplayed us. I just wish Frans Ludeke will now drop his love-child, Jurgen Visser once and for all. We were getting the upper hand early, and then he makes schoolboy errors, and allows the Stormers a soft try and the lead, which we never got back.

Arno Botha getting injured within the first 30 minutes and Werner Kruger and Dayan vd Westhuizen both also injured after playing just a couple of minutes. Leaving us with Nyakane on the tighthead, and Mellett at loosehead. Rudy Paige is yet again another pedestrian in the team. He's useless!! Why didn't they move Hougaard to Scrumhalf, and bring in Jesse Kriel?? at least then we could have gotten front foot ball.

I'm so livid with my team's coaching staff. Where was all that oompf and experimentation they showed in the pre-season??? Nick Mallettis 100% right when he said there's something wrong with the Bulls.

Hein, I say again that Ludeke is killing this team, my favorite player a year ago was Jan Serfontein, but he is becoming another battering ram and it ****** me of as much as it hurts any true Bull supporter, hope this is his last year at the Bulls. Mallets comments on the scrum was also an eye opener

 

[Bull]

I wish Ludekak would just f-off, he is a useless coach in the same mould as PdV, they both inherited winning teams. BBRU missed a chance at taking Jimmy Stonehouse as coach, guess it will never change as long as krimpie Afrikaners are in charge.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Hein, I say again that Ludeke is killing this team, my favorite player a year ago was Jan Serfontein, but he is becoming another battering ram and it ****** me of as much as it hurts any true Bull supporter, hope this is his last year at the Bulls. Mallets comments on the scrum was also an eye opener

Serfontein had no choice but to be a battering ram. Our backs got backfoot ball all night. Serfontein had to make an effort in getting over the advantage line, and he has been quite good in doing the crash-ball like runs.

The problem is favouritism at the Bulls. Werner Kruger, Jurgen Visser and Rudy Paige - All 3 of them are not up to standard. Kruger can't scrum, Paige can't pass, and Visser can't do anything right. Oh and JJ Engelbrecht, he has that same tendency as Ryno Benjamin, in that he slip every time he tries to make a side-step.

I'm so irritated by how we played that It has dampened my mood all weekend!

I was looking forward to the Bulls continuing where they left off with their pre-season performances, as well as their promise to play an expansive game. Yet we got the same old pile of BULLS***!!