Bulls v Crusaders

[Silver Arrow]

Bulls:
15 Zane Kirchner, 14 John Mametsa, 13 JP Nel, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Marius Delport, 10 Derick Hougaard, 9 Fourie du Preez (captain), 8 Pedrie Wannenburg, 7 Wikus van Heerden, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 Rayno Gerber, 2 Derick Kuün, 1 Gurthro Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 James vd Walt, 17 Werner Kruger, 18 Jaco Engels, 19 Dewald Potgieter, 20 Heini Adams, 21 Morné Steyn, 22 Danwel Demas.


Crusaders:
15. Leon MacDonald, 14. Kade Poki, 13. Casey Laulala, 12. Stephen Brett, 11. Scott Hamilton, 10. Daniel Carter, 9. Andrew Ellis, 8. Mose Tuiali’i, 7. Richard McCaw (captain), 6. Kieran Read, 5. Ali Williams, 4. Brad Thorn, 3. Greg Somerville, 2. Corey Flynn, 1. Ben Franks Reserves: 16. Ti’i Paulo, 17. Wyatt Crockett, 18. Reuben Thorne, 19. Nasi Manu, 20. Kahn Fotuali’i, 21. Hamish Gard, 22. Caleb Ralph

 

[Bull]

I think the Bulls will struggle to win this one even though they are playing at home. But this is Super 14 and anything can happen.

 

[Vambo]

I'll be tipping the Bulls to shade this one largely due to home advantage. Could be a cracking game

 

[Steve-o]

Unfortunately I see my fellow country men getting mowed the f*** down in this one. 20+ points to the Crusaders.
It's a real pity the Bulls can't be at full strength, with Habana and Botha out injured.

BTW Bull, what's the latest on Habana's injury? Will he be back next week?

 

[nam97]

WOW. Never realised how depleted the Bulls are at the moment :huh:

I'll still give them the home advantage, which will make it a close game. Crusaders by 12 'n under.

 

[Gavin]

Unfortunately I see my fellow country men getting mowed the f*** down in this one. 20+ points to the Crusaders.
It's a real pity the Bulls can't be at full strength, with Habana and Botha out injured.

BTW Bull, what's the latest on Habana's injury? Will he be back next week? [/b]

Bryan Habana is out for a month. Bit of a pitty because he is in my testrugby.com fantasy team. It would have been nice to see the experience of Habana against the young talent of Kade Poki. Crusaders by 10.

 

[Boggle]

Ah the twisty turny play on the emotions that is the Super 14.

I would love to see the Bulls crush the Saders at the Fortress, I unfortunately realise what a slim prospect that is at the moment.

Crusaders by 13+ (here's hoping I'm wrong).

 

[TheBokke]

Crusaders by a good 20+

 

[Bull]

Congrats to the Crusaders they were by far the best team, the Bulls played really ****. I wish the Bulls could get rid of Wynand Olivier. Bulls were lucky to not get a yellow or red card for the spear tackle on Mose. But how is it that the Bulls get penalised for the same things McCaw does but he doesn't get penalised?

 

[shtove]

Ah, the eternal question. But he was brilliant for the Crusaders try just before half time.

 

[Bull]

The Crusaders will be the team to beat in the Super 14 along with the Blues.

 

[Gay-Guy]

Ah I wouldn't read too much into this result. It is only the second game of the season. A team can afford to look bad in the first game or two. This is where they were last year at this time of the season with a one - one record. By round four two weeks later they were still only 50 percent win/loss. They are missing key players and had to play a surprisingly in form Crusaders team who could badly in the wet last week yet put on 34 points against the great Brumbies outfit. The Crusaders also did not let the Brumbies get more than a solitary penalty goal...at least the Bulls crossed the line and kicked some penalties. The Bulls also did well away from home the week before and denied the Stormers a try in a tough close game in Cape Town.



So the Bulls are still maintaining some sort of a steady ship despite the scoreline in this game. When they have their impact players back the team will lift a few notches. When do do lift their form it is then that they will do exactly what the Crusaders/Blues/Brumbies have always done.....they will have kick in to their team culture that "winning" team spirit and will reach their potential.



By Week 8 we will know if the Bulls are semis material and have recaptured the championship material that the Crusaders/Blues and Brumbies often tap into. Or if their key players never return we may see if they are able to find something within their junior players to carry on a winning tradition as seen in the Crusaders ability to bring out the best of offcasts and the Brumbies ability to turn nobodies into stars of the future.

 

[mimic]

It's really weird.

Usually, the Crusaders are slow starters in the Super 14, and usually get their roll on towards the end of the tournament. I sure hope it's not 2002 all over again.

Blues still have a lot to prove though. I like the look of the Sharks.

 

[Incredible Schalk]

The Crusaders were immense and the Bulls for the last 50 minutes were very poor. Of course the Pretoria franchise were missing Habana,Spies (thought he was supposed to be back this week?) and Botha. Still the Crusaders were playing away from home against the defending champions and they absoloutely dominated in ominious fashion, only the Sharks and the Blues have a chance against them i feel.

 

[C A Iversen]

I once asked for a video clip which shows Richie cheating. Anything, surely with all the rugby fans in the world who think he's a cheat, and all of the games he's played, all of the cameras and the existence of You Tube, there must be some great evidence.

That was over a year ago....still waiting.

It's nice other nations are, well, jealous.

 

[SaintsFan_Webby]

I once asked for a video clip which shows Richie cheating. Anything, surely with all the rugby fans in the world who think he's a cheat, and all of the games he's played, all of the cameras and the existence of You Tube, there must be some great evidence.

That was over a year ago....still waiting.

It's nice other nations are, well, jealous. [/b]

It's all very well saying that, but people don't tend to post up countless clips of rucks with slow motion and zoom included. I can't find one in fact, but I could sit watching a match and point out where McCaw (seemingly better than most flankers) gets away with infringements.

I was able to find some proof though:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZB9TuTJ9UY

 

[MunsterMan]

What has Hamilton thinking? How did he not touch that down?

 

[Gay-Guy]

What has Hamilton thinking? How did he not touch that down? [/b]

He didn't because he isn't that on to it. Hamilton is simply a very good club player who was lucky enough to end up in the Crusaders squad where they turn average provincial players into Super 14 stars and even one time test players.



Scott Hamilton....All Black :lol2tn: You gotta love the Crusaders lol!

 

[C A Iversen]

<div class='quotemain'> I once asked for a video clip which shows Richie cheating. Anything, surely with all the rugby fans in the world who think he's a cheat, and all of the games he's played, all of the cameras and the existence of You Tube, there must be some great evidence.

That was over a year ago....still waiting.

It's nice other nations are, well, jealous. [/b]

It's all very well saying that, but people don't tend to post up countless clips of rucks with slow motion and zoom included. I can't find one in fact, but I could sit watching a match and point out where McCaw (seemingly better than most flankers) gets away with infringements.

I was able to find some proof though:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZB9TuTJ9UY
[/b][/quote]

lol, that was great. Some funny stuff there.

Also, where you say "It's all very well saying that, but people don't tend to post up countless clips of rucks with slow motion and zoom included", I must say that "It's all very well saying that McCaw's a cheat, but that statement needs more proving than what people are prepared to put the effort into".

Also your statement, "I could sit watching a match and point out where McCaw (seemingly better than most flankers) gets away with infringements", is an untested and therefore unproven one.

C'mon guys, real proof would be a great victory for all the hard done by sides who supposedly have been beaten by "McCaw cheating".

All anyone has to do, is tape a Crusaders game and put up three bits (that should do) on You Tube. The internet is so big, and there are millions of people out there with the resources to do this simple task, and yet, I am yet to see it.

I'm not saying he's never grabbed for a ball he shouldn't have ever, I'm merely claiming he's no more illegal than Burger, Smith or anyone else in the world.

 

[shtove]

<div class='quotemain'> I once asked for a video clip which shows Richie cheating. Anything, surely with all the rugby fans in the world who think he's a cheat, and all of the games he's played, all of the cameras and the existence of You Tube, there must be some great evidence.

That was over a year ago....still waiting.

It's nice other nations are, well, jealous. [/b]

It's all very well saying that, but people don't tend to post up countless clips of rucks with slow motion and zoom included. I can't find one in fact, but I could sit watching a match and point out where McCaw (seemingly better than most flankers) gets away with infringements.

I was able to find some proof though:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZB9TuTJ9UY
[/b][/quote]
I'm convinced