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Round 7. Crusaders v Bulls

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The Crusaders after a week off take on the Bulls (who should be riding high after humping the Tah’s) in Christchurch.

I’m going for the Crusaders in this one… why? I’m not convinced about the Bulls, not by a long shot.
Admittedly players like Fourie du Preez and Gary Botha are in a league of their own at the moment but players like (and this is going to shock) Habana (two opportunist tries last week don’t really stand out to me) and Matfield are still to step up.
Still could be wrong but on the individual front there’s the potential for some good match ups.
In the front row big Gary Botha on Corey Flynn should be a classic.
Ross Filipo and Kieran Read on Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha is going to be hard one for the Crusaders but with the added power of Mose Tuiali'I should keep things covered.
Stephen Brett and Andy Ellis will have their hands against Fourie du Preez and Morne Steyn.
In the backs, well it’s pretty open.

Crusaders to open them up towards the end and make it look pretty one sided.
 
have to factor in the crusaders home crowd they are worth a good 10-15 points imo and will ultimately be the difference in this one. bulls have some good players but not enough to beat the crusaders at home.crusader by 13+
 
I'd like to see the Crusaders win, just to silence the Sth. Africans :p

Although, it's never bad to see the Crusaders lose :p
 
Crusaders to cream the Bulls by +20 as they have only played one fair game and that was against a poor and depleted Tahs
 
I`ll go with the Bulls here, surprisingly. Why? Because they`ve finally shown that they can put together 80 minutes of decent rugby in one match last week. Also, if they play to their full potential, they can actually dominate in the tight 5. Call me a one-eyed Saffa, but I doubt whether an on-form Matfield and Botha hae their equal in world rugby in the 2nd row.

In the Crusaders` favour- undoubtedly freshness, home-ground advantage, back row, flyhalf decision-making and outside backs. And of course the Robbie Deans factor- all of his Crusaders sides certainly knows how to play total rugby.

All in all, with 7 All Blacks still missing, it will be the best chance that the Bulls will ever have of beating the Crusaders in their own back yard. Whether that`ll be enough, only time will tell.
 
CRUSADERS: 15 Scott Hamilton, 14 Rico Gear, 13 Casey Laulala, 12 Tim Bateman, 11 Caleb Ralph, 10 Stephen Brett, 9 Kevin Senio, 8 Mose Tuiali'I, 7 Johnny Leo'o, 6 Kieran Read, 5 Ross Filipo, 4 Michael Paterson, 3 Campbell Johnstone, 2 Corey Flynn ©, 1 Wyatt Crockett. Reserves: 16 Ti'i Paulo, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Isaac Ross, 19 Peter Nixon, 20 Andrew Ellis, 21 Tusi Pisi, 22 Brent Ward.
 
Bulls to win this encounter.


For the record: I have said it before and I'll say it again; I just cant see myself supporting the Crusaders.
 
Admittedly players like Fourie du Preez and Gary Botha are in a league of their own at the moment but players like (and this is going to shock) Habana (two opportunist tries last week don’t really stand out to me) and Matfield are still to step up.

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Just for interest sake, why would you say those were 2 oppertunist tries ?

Surely Du prez put the grubber through FOR Habanna ?

And surely both he and habanna knew that habanna himself is the fastest man in world rugby.
I'ts a planned move, nothing opertunistic about it, remember he allmost did it 3 times.


BTW, Matfield isn't playing... being rested (* surprisngly no one here has picked that up :huh: *) so I don't know, I would love to see the bulls crush the saders before they get their allblacks back but I don't see it happening this weekend for some reason, saders to win.
 
Fair about Habana, can only speak for myself on this one...
Would love to see him score a try where;
a. He didn't intercept the ball and run it it
b. Where the ball wasn't kicked for him to run on to
c. He stepped a player

Just my opinion
 
Fair about Habana, can only speak for myself on this one...
Would love to see him score a try where;
a. He didn't intercept the ball and run it it
b. Where the ball wasn't kicked for him to run on to
c. He stepped a player

Just my opinion
[/b]

You mean like the 2 he scored from 80m out vs. the Aussies in Perth, 2005?
 
So is Habana confirmed in the side, last I heard he was nursing 2 sore hamstrings?
Take out Matfield as well and I think Nel has been suspended and is being replaced by a guy who is not only a rookie but who plays more wing than centre and I think you might have to back the Crusaders on this one.
The crusaders however are missing Tipoki, who I reckon makes a huge difference, but if the crusaders aren't rattled then Bateman's lack of experience won't matter one bit.
 
<div class='quotemain'>
Fair about Habana, can only speak for myself on this one...
Would love to see him score a try where;
a. He didn't intercept the ball and run it it
b. Where the ball wasn't kicked for him to run on to
c. He stepped a player

Just my opinion
[/b]

You mean like the 2 he scored from 80m out vs. the Aussies in Perth, 2005?
[/b][/quote]

Nah mate, both those tries were scored from turnover ball with a massive overlap and a mile of space, not the slightest hint of a step involved there, all he had to do was run fast and straight.

Anyone with a fair bit of toe would have scored there.

You rarely ever see Habana try to step or successfully smash through an opposition d-line.
 
Head to Head:
CRUSADERS:
15 Scott Hamilton,
14 Rico Gear,
13 Casey Laulala,
12 Tim Bateman,
11 Caleb Ralph,
10 Stephen Brett,
9 Kevin Senio,
8 Mose Tuiali'I,
7 Johnny Leo'o,
6 Kieran Read,
5 Ross Filipo,
4 Michael Paterson,
3 Campbell Johnstone,
2 Corey Flynn ©,
1 Wyatt Crockett.
Reserves:
16 Ti'i Paulo,
17 Ben Franks,
18 Isaac Ross,
19 Peter Nixon,
20 Andrew Ellis,
21 Tusi Pisi,
22 Brent Ward.

BULLS:
15 Jaco van der Westhuyzen,
14 Akona Ndungane,
13 Marius Delport,
12 Wayne Julies,
11 Bryan Habana,
10 Derick Hougaard,
9. Fourie du Preez ©,
8 Pedrie Wannenburg,
7 Wickus van Heerden,
6 Danie Rossouw,
5. Francois van Schouwenburg,
4 Bakkies Botha,
3 Danie Thiart,
2 Gary Botha,
1 Gurthro Steenkamp.
Reserves:
16 Derick Kuun,
17 Ruan Vermeulen,
18 Victor Matfield,
19 Anton Leonard,
20 Heinie Adams,
21 Morne Steyn,
22 Frikkie Welsh.

For mine going for the the Crusaders in this one. This one should be a hell of a battle in the front row, infact great match ups in the front row. Think the Crusaders backs with the style of rugby they play will cause the Bulls a lot of problems.
 
Halftime at Jade 18-3 to the Crusaders

Crusaders
PENK 4 Min (Brett)
TRY 6 Min (Leo'o)
PENK 27 Min (Brett)
TRY 32 Min (Gear)
CONV 33 Min (Brett)

Bulls
PENK 13 Min (Hougaard)
 
32-3 to the Crusaders with about half an hour remaining. 4 try bonus point is in the bag.
 
Final score 32-10, 5 points in the bag for the Crusaders :bana:

Game stats

Crusaders
PENK 4 Min (Brett)
TRY 6 Min (Leo'o)
PENK 27 Min (Brett)
TRY 32 Min (Gear)
CONV 33 Min (Brett)
TRY 41 Min (Bateman)
CONV 42 Min (Brett)
TRY 44 Min (Hamilton)
CONV 45 Min (Brett)

Bulls
PENK 13 Min (Hougaard)
TRY 50 Min (Van Heerden)
CONV 51 Min (Hougaard)
 
Jeez the Crusaders have some depth. They comprehensively beat the Bulls with none of their 10 or so current AB's...
 
Good god, thats the Crusaders 'B' team.
Bulls completly outclassed tonight... it's going to be a hell of a batlle for the wooden spoon this year.

Don't think the Bulls are going to have much luck with the Highlanders next week either.
AND then they have to play the Hurricanes at Home after that... they'd better pull finger or they'll be battling with the Reds for the spoon.
 
Excellent win by the Saders, business as usual is resumed again. On the Saders side, I think that Senio, Mose, Brett, Read and Bateman really cooked on the night. Throw in the returning McCaw, Mauger, Carter, Jack etc. next week, and the poor old Stormers will at best be cannon-fodder.

The Bulls were like the Bulls of old, one-dimentional, without any surprises, devoid of ideas and decision-making. In the absence of Big Vic at 5, heck even their much-vaunted line-out went to shreads.

Saders are really already looking the part, even without their Chosen 22 All Stars representatives, they`re looking like a comfortable top 3 team.
 
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