This could turn out to be one of the most important games of the tournament, with two of the early favourites and first round winners the Bulls and Brumbies doing battle in Pretoria.
The Bulls have a pretty settled team with two notable exceptions to the team which beat the Cheetahs 51-34 being Jaco Pretorius and Danie Rossouw. The Brumbies crucially have Matt Giteau and Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom starting after they both missed the win over the Reds. Will the Bulls have the loss of their two key players offset by home ground advantage and the haemophiliac horde of supporters or will the inclusion of Giteau and Elsom tip the scales the Brumbies way?
Referee: Mark Lawrence (South Africa)
Ars: Marius Jonker (South Africa), Stefan Breytenbach (South Africa)
TMO: Johann Meuwesen (South Africa)
Venue: Loftus versfeld, Pretoria
Kick off: 17:05 (SA time) 15:05 GMT
Bulls: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Stephan Dippenaar, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Pedrie Wannenburg, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Victor Matfield (captain), 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Gary Botha, 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Bees Roux, 18 Fudge Mabeta, 19 Derick Kuün, 20 Heini Adams, 21 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 22 John Mametsa.
Brumbies: 15 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14 Pat McCabe, 13 Stirling Mortlock, 12 Christian Lealiifano, 11 Francis Fainifo, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Josh Valentine, 8 Stephen Hoiles (captain), 7 George Smith, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Mark Chisholm, 4 Justin Harrison, 3 Salesi Ma’afu, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Ben Alexander.
Replacements: 16 Huia Edmonds, 17 Guy Shepherdson, 18 Ben Hand, 19 Mitchell Chapman, 20 Patrick Phibbs, 21 Matt Toomua, 22 Tyrone Smith.

the bulls beter win this one i chose them on my lms
well here go bull fans
Bulle by 10
And the boys are running onto the field, kick-off is on the cards
3-0 brumbies
Sterling slots an easy penalty in the 1st minute
got bulls by 10 so i hope i’m right
@robdylan (Comment 5) : glad yr back enjoy the game maybe just maybe beter than our game
Steyn misses a shot at goal
neither side able to make any impact on attack
well morne missed that one maybe luck with the next one still brumbies 3 bulls 0
@Charmaine (Comment 8) : 2 stars already? Nice work!
3-3
12mins
3-all now
yeh but gee what a long run for 3 5000 now how the hell do i get there fast
oh and thanks
tmo for rocky try
@robdylan (Comment 12) : need to make a post on something don’t know how can you help
try given. 8-3 brm, kick to come
@robdylan (Comment 18) : and the haemophiliac horde are silenced.
kick is missed by morty. Still 8-3
6-8 Brumbies
17mins
Try ELSOM!!!
Brumbies try!!! After Du Preez got a shocking pass
try to George Smith. Brumbies will kill you from turnover ball
Sorry. I meant SMITH!!
Midfield mix up by the bulls elsom makes a break and feeds george smith who scores, this is vintage brumbies rugby!!
6-15
21mins
Koeie thinking they still playing against the Cheaters
Lets go Brumbies lets go!!
come bulls my life l relies on this game don’t won’t to be dead just yet
6-15
Bulls have been poor so far. FDP and Steyn been average!!
Du Preez try!!
Murphys Law. Du Preez scores!!!
Just as i pressed enter for my previous comment!!
well done bulls i need this one by 10
That’s not a try
Bulls plaing with 16 men
Conversion over.
Bulls 13 Brumbies 15
13-15 Brumbies
25mins
What a pass by FDP
Joel Stransky works on my boobies!!
@Charlie (Comment 36) : now how in the hell did u some that one if there is 7 points up
13-18
29mins
bull no need to make faults now boys the points dif is 2 small for that
well now we are talking
Steyn try!!! Wicked
20-18 Bulls
32mins
wow… I stop watching for 5 mins and the bulls come right back. What happened?
This looks like another really good game, loving this super 14, especially nice being able to watch it
@robdylan (Comment 46) : well i think they know they have to win and they are really playing to win was busy with food so not really sure
Mortlock going at goal and its over
20-21 Brumbies
C’mon Bulls!!!
21-20 to the brumbies now
Steyn misses a drop
HALFTIME
Bulls 20 – 21 Brumbies
The Loftus pitch looks bad…
@Charlie (Comment 54) : I think a couple Bull supporters took a leak before kick-off
@Charlie (Comment 54) : coke tin pitch also looked like that, with a middle piece which looks good,
Go Brumbies!!
Meisiekind what are you doing
Giteu slotted a dropgoal a few minutes into the 2nd half
20-24 Brumbies
46mins Gone
20-27 Brumbies
50mins
After 54mins its 23 – 27 to the Brumbies
van den Heever Try!!!!
28-27 Bulls
57mins
Bulls 30-27 Brumbies
20mins remaining
Olivier try!!! And thats the BP
37-27 Bulls
62mins Gone
40-27
67mins
8mins remaining, current margin is 13 in favour of the Bulle
another penalty
43 – 27 Bulle
73mins
16pnts margin
Blou, blou, blou.
Steyn Try!!! His 2nd for the match and a total of 35 points.
Only have the Bulls by 5 on SB.
50-27
77mins
Got them by 10
Go Brumbies
Bulls go top?
@McLovin (Comment 75) : Where you watching?
This is an excellent win for the Bulls…Brumbies are a very decent side!
@Villie (Comment 76) : At home. Media/Rugbyzone dot com.
Maak die Bulle almal Bokke.
FULLTIME
Bulls 50 – 32 Brumbies
Brumbies scored after the siren.
Margin – 18
well got the win but not by 10
good work bulls
5 from 6 on SB, only 2 margin points so far. Hope I can get a margin or bonus point out off the Stormers game
@McLovin (Comment 75) : at least one SA team is there
Good stuff from the men in blue.
Vickey gooing a bit of afr in the interview.
@Charlie (Comment 58) : who are you talking about
looks like charlie is off can anybody tell me what he was talking about (meisiekind what are you doing)
@Charmaine (Comment 86) : Meisiekind = Wynand Olivier.
Maybe Meisiekind ‘passed’ to the assistant ref on the touchline.
@wpw (Comment 88) : thanks wpw thought i had done something wrong
@McLovin (Comment 87) : oh is that it missed that part thanks