Round 5: Brumbies v Bulls

[Dumbo]

Brumbies take on the Bulls at home. The Bulls come of a VERY narrow win against the Chiefs and the Brumbies come off a narrow defeat against the Canes.
The Brumbies seldom lose at home and we get to see just how well the Bulls travel away from home.
Normally I’d go with the Brumbies but in this one I’m going against the grain and going with the Bulls.
This is mainly due to the Brumbies really looking out of sorts… defensively they really are holding their own but on attack â€" things just don’t seem to be clicking into gear.

Bulls in a really close one.

 

[dobrien7]

Alright, Brumbies in a close one

 

[BokMagic]

The Bulls have managed to put together 80 minutes of awesome rugby this year- unfortunately it`s been spread over 4 games, in 20-minute bursts. The rest has been pretty ordinary really.

The Bulls are also notoriously poor travellers- they`ve gotten to the semi`s in the last 2 years by virtue of having been close to unbeatable at Loftus.

Sure, the Brumbies haven`t exactly set the field alight on attack this season, but then again, nor have the Bulls. In the Bulls` favour- the returning colossus Bakkies Botha, Guthro Steenkamp looking excellent, and Hougaard also coming back from injury to assist Du Preez with the halfback decision-making. Also, their coach doesn`t look like Laurie Fisher.

I`m going Brumbies in a close one, because the Bulls still haven`t gotten their back-row up to speed, with the emphasis on speed.

 

[Dumbo]

or exciting back play.

Still think that the Brumbies have been playing worse though.

 

[Juggernaut]

Without Mortlock, the Brumbies are gonna crumble at the back.


Bulls by 10.

 

[Dumbo]

Wooow, just had a thought - this could be a nil all game!

 

[BokMagic]

Wooow, just had a thought - this could be a nil all game!
[/b]

Not too far off there actually- one of the least watchable games of round 5.

The Bulls got there by virtue of the boot of Hougaard- his 3rd-minute drop pretty much sums it up. Concerning for the Bulls is the fact that their normally watertight set-phases weren`t up to scratch at all- their scrummaging was well below par, and their normally brilliant line-out didn`t do the dirty as per normal- even Gary Botha can stuff up the odd lineout throw it seems.

Credit to young Derick Kuun though- his 2nd-half appearance certainly coincided with a helluva lot more competition on the ground by the Bulls. Surely he can`t be too far off a starting berth for the Bulls by now, with their legendary lack of pace to the breakdown?