Highlanders vs Bulls

[munross]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

This match will go down in history as the first match in Super Rugby history to be played at a neutral venue within New Zealand.

The Highlanders moved the match to Palmerston North in order to try and get a bigger crowd


Last year: Bulls 47, Highlanders 17 at Pretoria
Head to Head: Hurricanes 7, Bulls 3, Drawn 1
Last five results
2008 Bulls won 17-47 in Pretoria
2007 Bulls won 13-22 in Dunedin
2006 Bulls won 16-23 in Pretoria
2005 Highlanders won 23-0 in Dunedin
2004 Highlanders and Bulls drew 16-16 in Pretoria

Match detail
We are waiting for the kick off. The teams are on the field.

The match is underway.

2.00: Almost immediately the Highlanders lsoe Hayden Triggs to the blood bin. He is temporarily replaced by Josh Bekhuis.

4.00: Bakkies Botha is blown up for a penalty for offside. The Highlanders kick for touch.

5.00: There is a bit of scrappy play and both teams kick the ball downfield.

6.00: Irael Dagg finds touch and sets up a 5 scrum.

8.00: The first kickable penalty comes after Wynand Olivier offends. Matthew Berquist takes the kick and slices it like a banana.

12.00: The Highlanders enjoy some good attacking play. The Bulls defence however is strong and keeps them out.

13.00: Jimmy Cowan has a sniping run which sets up an attacking position in the Bulls 25. Alando Soakai gets them to about 5m out. Jason Shoemark gets the ball at pace and fires through the Bulls backline to score the first try of the match.

15.00: Matthew Berquist slots the conversion.

170.00: The Bulls get a free kick so Fourie du Preez takes a quick tap as the Highlanders think they will go for posts. Du Preez passes to Gerhard van den Heever on the wing and he runs in the Bulls first try.

18.00: Morne Steyn misses the conversion from the corner flag.

22.00: The Highlanders keep up the attack and playing the ball at pace. They work the ball into the Bulls 25 and the pressure pays off after 11 phases as Daniel Bowden finds a hole and scores the Highlanders second try.

23.00: Matthew Berquist takes the conversion from in front of the post and slots it.

29.00: The Highlnaders continue to boot the ball up behind Akona Ndungane. This time he misses the ball and knocks it on setting up a Highlanders scrum.

32.00: The Highlanders continue to attack the Bulls and this time Jimmy Cowan finds a gap as he scores the Highlanders third try - this one again under the posts.
33.00: Berquist slots the conversion.

38.00: Free kick to the Highlanders so they opt for the Scrum. It collapses so the Bulls win a scrum back.

39.00: The scrum is a mess. Repeated collapses results in reset after reset. The Highlanders wheel the scrum which earns them the put in.

40.00: Scrum still a mess so the Bulls win a free kick. The Bulls runs the ball to within 10m. The Highlanders turn it over and boot the ball out.


The half time score was Highlanders 21 Bulls 5

The second half is underway.

42.00: The Highlanders start by picking up where they left off. The work the ball up to the Bulls line but the Bulls turn it over and Morne Steyn clears.

45.00: The Bulls win a penalty so they kick for touch.

46.00: The Highlanders are starting to give too many infringements as they give another free kick away.

47.00: Its messy stuff as the Bulls give away a free kick. Cowan takes it quickly but the Bulls stop them and kick it to safety. Or do they?

48.00: The Highlanders counter attack from the Bulls clearance kick and Matthew Berquist runs in the bonus point try.

49.00: Berquist converts his try.

51.00: The Highlanders look dangerous as Jimmy Cowan intercepts a pass and runs half the field until Ndungane stops him. The Bulls then give a penalty away so Matthew Berquist takes the kick into the sun and wind and slots it.

55.00: The Bulls Wynand Olivier enjoys a break but as the Bulls get to within 5m the Highlanders turn it over and clear the ball.

57.00: Better play from the Bulls as they run the ball to the line and after a couple of phases Morne Steyn finds space and scores the Bulls second try.

57.00: Steyn then converts his try.

63.00: There is a break in play due to an injury.

68.00: The Bulls comes close to scoring another try but as Akona Ndungane tries to pick the ball up he knocks it on.

73.00: The Bulls just can't get their game together as the Highlanders continue to dominate.

76.00: The Highlanders are playing the game in the Bulls 25 and it seems more likely that the Highlanders will score next.

77.00: The Highlanders drive over the line for their fifth try as Israel Dagg pops the ball over the line.

78.00; Daniel Bowden misses the conversion.

80.00: The Bulls work the ball down to the Highlanders line but the Highlanders turn it over and boot it out.

Full report to follow.

The full time score is Highlanders 36 Bulls 12

Scorers

Highlanders
Tries -Shoemark, Bowden, Cowan, Berquist,Dagg
Penalties -Matthew Berquist
Conversions -Matthew Berquist 3
Drop Goals -

Bulls
Tries -Gerhard van den Heever, Morne Steyn
Penalties -
Conversions -Morne Steyn
Drop Goals -

Venue: Arena Manawatu, Palmerston North
Kick-off: 5.30pm (local)
Referee: Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Chris Pollock (New Zealand), Jonathan White (New Zealand)
Television match official: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)

Teams

Highlanders :15 Israel Dagg, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Jason Shoemark, 12 Daniel Bowden, 11 Kendrick Lynn, 10 Matthew Berquist, 9 Jimmy Cowan (captain); 8 George Naoupu, 7 Alando Soakai, 6 Adam Thomson, 5 Tom Donnelly, 4 Hayden Triggs, 3 Clint Newland, 2 David Hall, 1 <strike>Chris King</strike> Jamie Mackintosh. (fixed)

Reserves: 16 Jason Rutledge, 17 Chris King, 18 Josh Bekhuis, 19 Steven Setephano, 20 Sean Romans, 21 Johnny Leota, 22 Fetu'u Vainikolo

Bulls: Gurthro Steenkamp, Derick Kuun, Rayno Gerber, Bakkies Botha, Danie Rossouw, Dewald Potgieter, Pedrie Wannenburg, Pierre Spies, Fourie du Preez, Morne Steyn, Gerhard van den Heever, Wynand Olivier, Jaco Pretorius, Akona Ndungane, Zane Kirchner.

Reserves Chilliboy Ralepelle, Werner Kruger, Wilhelm Steenkamp, Jacques Burger, Heinie Adams, Burton Francis, JP Nel.[/b]

Super14.com

Worst I've seen the Bulls play in along while, got dominated at the rucks, in the scrums and line-outs and made too many handling errors.

Jimmy Cowan and Adam Thomson almost single handedly won the match for the Highlanders, they both had superb games.

Great victory for the Highlanders, well done to them :bravo:

 

[kaino1990]

great performance by the highlanders, they were the ones to beat the bulls great game to watch (probably not for bull fans), good ol' fashion hard rugby, won through the forwards, great game from cowan and thomson especially who i thought didnt deserve that all black jersey last year, but he sure put me to shame

 

[QLD]

Jimmy Cowan is a unit.

 

[C A Iversen]

As in a unit, like the kind that peoples grandparents move into? If so, I'd describe him more as a cubicle.

 

[jawmalawm24]

Yeah what a awesome game and what a massive turnout to a game I'm sure most people wouldn't of expected the Highlanders to come off so good. The Highlanders forwards were just immense and kept blowing the Bulls of the ball. Their were 10,000 people at the game which is a great crowd for a team like the Highlanders that have been averaging 5,000 at their own hometown.

This is my pick for the game of the weekend along with the Chiefs thrashing of the Reds showing what they did last week was no fluke and we're bound to see more to come.