The weekend culminates with a good old South African derby of massive proportions down in Cape Town, with the table topping Stormers taking on the ladder climbing Bulls. Should the Bulls lose, that would leave them with no chance of finishing second in the South African conference.
The Stormers are still without Peter Grant, which if he was playing, would have been a rather interesting battle with Morne Steyn, but instead we will see Steyn up against rookie Kurt Coleman.
The Bulls have had their own set back with Bakkies Botha not able to play, but his replacement is the evergreen Danie Rossouw.
This match kicks off at 18h10 and I predict a win for the Stormers.
Teams
Stormers:15 Conrad Jantjes, 14 Gio Aplon, 13, Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Kurt Coleman, 9 Ricky Januarie, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Schalk Burger (captain), 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Rynhardt Elstadt, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Deon Fourie, 1 Wicus Blaauw
Substitutes: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Frans Malherbe, 19 Anton van Zyl, 20 Nick Koster, 21 Dewaldt Duvenage, 22 Juan de Jongh
Bulls : Zane Kirchner, Gerhard van den Heever, Jaco Pretorius, Wynand Olivier, Bjorn Basson, Morne Steyn, Francois Hougaard, Pierre Spies, Dewald Potgieter, Deon Stegmann, Victor Matfield (c), Danie Rossouw, Werner Kruger, Gary Botha, Dean Greyling.
Replacements: Chiliboy Ralepelle, Rossouw de Klerk, Flip van der Merwe, Derick Kuun, Dustin Jinka, Francois Brummer, Stephan Dippenaar.
Match Officials
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
Assistant referees: Mark Lawrence, Phillip Bosch
Television match official: Johann Meuwesen
The match has not even started already it feels like my bulls side is going down…..
STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@Muzi (Comment 1) : Going to be very very close imo.
STOOOOOORMEEEEEEEERS!!!
Once again a packed Newlands.
Just hope the stormers can pull it trough
Come on STORMERS
3-0 to the bulls after 23 min
3-3
Looking better
HALF TIME
Stormers 3 – 6 Bulls
Not looking good, maybe the STORMERS can do the same as the Sharks in the 2nd half, and take this game and not just draw like the Sharks
Not a great spectacle.
Too many mistakes form the Stormers.
Habana still off form.
And January still fat & slow.
@McLovin (Comment 13) : Yes, Januarie is a liability… the half backs may well be the difference in a game like this, and the Bulls win that battle.
So far a boring game to watch. Sure plenty to play for from both sides, but expected a better game.
Go Stormers.
@Muzi (Comment 1) : Why are you pessimistic… youre not a sharks supporter
I think January has perfected the hospital pass. He is talented at that indeed.
stormers gonna pull through here?
oh great. Hougaard try. It’s over now
All over red rover.
Well done Bulls.
Stormers looking clueless.
and just when you think the weekend cant get any worse….
ffs Stormers
this won’t cut it
Good try by Hougaard though
16-9 with 11 min to go
If the Tahs lose without a BP next week, we go through.
Bulls schooling the Stormers in how to play winning rugby.
Nothing flash, just get the job done.
Hats off to them.
Not having a flyhalf and Jimmy Abbot’s love child at scrumhalf is seriously hampering the Stormers.
At least we’ll get a losing bonus point.
@klempie (Comment 23) : Hands up everyone praying for a Brumbies win next weekend.
A draw would be bloody beautiful.
@Pablo Dinero (Comment 27) : The great thing, is that like the Lions, they’ll only be playing for pride.
Habana NEARLY scores!!
Damnit!
Damn… that was actually close in the end
@Pablo Dinero (Comment 27) : And Chiefs.
Kaplan could have played advantage there! Asshole! Well grafted by the Bulls though. Respect.
Congrats to the Bulls and their fans.
Well played.
Damn it is going to be hard to beat those bulls at loftus
and if the tahs win…
@Ben (Comment 34) : Just looked at it again and he definitely was far too quick on the whistle there.
@Ben (Comment 34) : He mad a mistake, why is he an asshole?
Reffed a damn good game otherwise.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 38) : Because that was a big mistake.
Congrats Bulls, bad luck Stormers. That was a great last 8min or so by Stormers. Had they played like that longer they could have won it.
Not sure why Kaplan never played advantage at the end there, instead blew for full time? Don’t think that was right. Then like I have said on another blog, teams win some with refs and sometimes lose out. Something we all have to live with.
Next week all to play for against the Bulls. Gonna be a hard game. Pleased we have Deysel back and hoping we have Alberts as well. Adi should start and Freddie also Bissie. We will have a better chance. Play like we done in the 2nd half and we could beat the Bulls.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 38) : How would you have felt if it were the Sharks on the receiving end? Frustrates me when refs make mistakes like that potentially costing a team the game.
Wanted to ask you something.
@Ben (Comment 41) : Yeah i woulda been pissed but i would not have called him an asshole.
KSA Shark
All refs are assholes!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 42) : That’s just the frustration.
What I wanted to ask you is, do you think this tie breaker with most wins is fair?
I don’t think it is. Let me tell you why.
Let’s say team A and B have played 10 games. Team A have won 8 and lost 2. Team B have won 8 and drawn 2. Those two teams will then be equal on wins. Let’s say team A’s pd is better that means they are above Team B. I don’t think that’s fair as Team A has lost 2 and team B has lost none.
What do you think? Have you ever thought of it from this angle, could they rather have gone with least losses being the first tie breaker decider.
@wpw (Comment 43) : That’s a myth.
All Stormers fans are Storm troopers.
@Ben (Comment 44) : Read your example again and tell me what is wrong?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 46) : I don’t see anything wrong?
@Ben (Comment 44) : Your tie breaker in this example is actually points difference, not number of wins.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 42) : Sorry about calling Kaplan an asshole. The reason I did it is I didn’t think it would offend anyone here.
@Ben (Comment 47) :
If they each have 8 wins, but one team has drawn 2 and the other has lost 2 then they wouldn’t be equal on points
@Ben (Comment 49) : Referees always get offended when you call other referees assholes for making a mistake. If they are being biased then go ahead.
@war1 (Comment 48) : I know but I think its unfair because let’s say Team A’s pd is better but they have lost 2 more games.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 50) : They could, if team B has 4 more bonus points. On wins it’s still a tie so that tie is not broken, the tie is only broken on points diff.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 50) : Lol okay but you get my point?
What I think they should do is get an extra tie breaker table so to sorts. Give a team 2 points for a win 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss. And break the tie that way.
The issue I DO have with this new tiebreak is that is does TO A CERTAIN EXTENT negate the benefit that was once derived from BPs.
As an example you have two teams level on points, one has won 1 more match than the other but the other has managed to get level on points by scoring the extra BPs required (thus playing the full 80min to get a losing BP or score that 4th try on a few occassions) to get higher up the log.
On the old system they would then have gone to PD again benefitting the team with the better PD and potentially giving a big pay-off for the effort to get BPs.
Now those BPS are nullified to a certain extent.
@Ben (Comment 52) : Team B got 4 more bonus points which needs to be rewarded. But if we went back to the old system the result would be the same, as the points difference is ultimately the decider. How would you suggest they do tie breakers?
@Ben (Comment 55) : If that makes any sense? Not literally another table in the log but just use this method when teams are equal on points.
@war1 (Comment 53) : possible but unlikely.
@war1 (Comment 57) : See comment 55 and 58. And if teams are level after this go to PD.
@Ben (Comment 55) : Ok, you answered my question before I even asked it.
@war1 (Comment 61) : Does that method make sense to you?
I would love to find the article (pre-season) where we were discussing the possible finishing scores on the log and the amount of BPS were were awarding to teams.
I think we gave the crusaders like 10 scored from the 16 matches. As it turns out in reality the HIGHEST number is only 6 try BPS by any team.
IF you can guess who these two teams are without looking I will change my display name to whatever you want for 1 week.
ONLY without looking.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 59) : Definitely, as is a team getting two draws. Even one a season is unlikely. I mean, when last have the Sharks drawn a game before tonight’s game?
@war1 (Comment 64) : There have actually been 5 draws this season quite surprisingly high IMO
Force have 2
Hurricanes 2 (1 was actually not a draw)
@KSA Shark © (Comment 63) : Let me take a guess. Reds and crusaders?
@Ben (Comment 62) : Yeah, but I still think the old system is better, winning by less and winning by more would then be rewarded.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 65) : 2 draws this week. That’s what got me thinking about these new tie breakers.
@Ben (Comment 66) :
Neither team correct.
@war1 (Comment 67) : Oh yes I agree, its far simpler.
What a feeling, sorry “the rest” you’re team did not make it!!!!!
Okay let me put answer the question
Blues is the one and the other is BELIEVE IT OR NOT THE SHARKS.
We are tied for the most try BPS this season
@KSA Shark © (Comment 69) : At least you know I didn’t cheat.
Blues and Sharks?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 65) : Yeah, the first Crusaders game for the Hurricanes, I didn’t realise there as many draws as that this season.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 72) : I swear to you I didn’t cheat. Typed mine before I read yours.
@Ben (Comment 73) : Yip.
@Ben (Comment 75) :
@KSA Shark © (Comment 72) : I knew we were one of the teams, thought the other team would have been the Crusaders.
@Ben (Comment 75) : so what’s my new name?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 77) : I promise. But seriously that was my 2nd guess.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 79) : That would be unfair was my 2nd guess not the 1st but I’ll give you a nick if you want.
Try BPS so far this season
6 – Blues, Sharks
5 – Reds, Waratahs, Crusaders, Hurricanes
4 – Cheetahs
3 – Stormers, Bulls, Brumbies
2 – Lions, Rebels, Highlanders, Chiefs
1 –
0 – Force
@Ben (Comment 81) : So how about I give half a nick and then you can fill in the other half?
@Ben (Comment 81) : Your call, I don’t mind changing my name.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 82) : Damn low if you ask me really.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 85) : It is damn low.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 84) : Okay I’m giving half and you the other half. Two words mine is “Victoria”. You can use it as the 1st or 2nd word.
Try BPS in the history of the S14.
2011 – 53 from 110 matches (48%) (Super 15 after 17 rounds)
2010 – 57 from 91 matches (62%)
2009 – 58 from 91 matches (63%)
2008 – 46 from 91 matches (51%)
2007 – 43 from 91 matches (47%)
@Ben (Comment 87) : “KSA Queen Victoria” or “KSA Victoria Matfield”
You choose.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 89) : KSA Queen Victoria Matfield. To long?
No It should be OK.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 89) : Presumptious,,, NOT!!!!
@diablo (Comment 92) : Presumtious of what?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 91) : Okay one week. Go!
@Ben (Comment 90) : not taking the change
Will look at it tomorrow.
I need to get to bed. Work in the am
Night.
@diablo (Comment 92) : Congrats on your team. Lots of respect for what you guys have done in the last 6 rounds or so to turn things around.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 95) : Will remind you.
Cheers KSA
@Ben (Comment 96) : Thank you – tonight I am so chuffed – what a feeling…
@KSA Shark © (Comment 88) : world cup years..
@diablo (Comment 98) : I can only imagine. Wish my team could turn thing around like that, but that obviously isn’t happening so whatever!
We are not there yet. You guys must forget about “chamagne rugby and start playing winning rugby. With your “own” guys and not foreign imports, imho
@diablo (Comment 101) : I blame player manageent for our failures this year. The players don’t select themselves and those who got selected by our o so Brilliant coach couldn’t get their heads out of their own asses if you know what I mean.
@Ben (Comment 102) : Player management. Sorry.
@Ben (Comment 102) : You have a squad envied by many – they MUST take some of the responsibility. You may not like the Bulls (one little bit), but boy, we have a culture of “One for all, and all for one” and ” dis lekker”. That is why we sing stupid songs at Loftus – it’s part of a rugby culture which need no explaining to anyone but a Bull – and we luv it!
Well done Bulls. Diablo, congrats to your team, Muzi you too.
@diablo (Comment 104) : And now I ain’t got no more “prentjie”
@diablo (Comment 104) : Yeah like I said the ones that got selected couldn’t pull their heads out of their own asses.
Let me be honest with you Diablo, its one of the reason some people dislike the Bulls. We envy the togetherness of your team in a way and your success.
@molly (Comment 105) : Thanks – appreciate it coming from you. This game has been giving me nightmares – no more nails left, but gee, I’m cuffed. Could have gone either way though, but I think “we’ might just have played the more desperate rugby today. Phew
@Ben (Comment 107) : But like I say, its ONE of the reasons, there are other reasons as well for disliking your team. For me that is.
@diablo (Comment 108) : Oh oh oh.. So you don’t appreciate it coming from me?
Coming from you it’s HUGE..I’m gobsmacked.
@diablo (Comment 108) : They did, they wanted it more and ground it out like only they could, enjoy it!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 93) : Of a player rated by many…????? aag, skuus, forgot you have an intense dis
like of “my: Captain
@diablo (Comment 111) :
@diablo (Comment 113) : He does have a huge dislike of Matfield, that’s why I gave him that name. Hehe
@diablo (Comment 104) :
The only reason why people dislike the bulls is that they where always and will always be a very successful team and many people is jealous of that success.
Loftus bly een van die beste stadions om rugby te kyk
Geluk aan die bulle hulle verdien dit
@molly (Comment 112) : Thanks, I will for one or two days, but the fat lady is only warming up her vocal cords – but boy, if we can be in the play-offs I’ll be so, so happy. GO, Bulls, – julle KAN!
@BR (Comment 116) : Don’t steal my lines please!
@diablo (Comment 117) :
Ek het `n gevoel hier kom drie in `n ry vir die bulle hulle “peak” op die regte tyd , op die oomblik sien ek nie `n span wat hulle kan wen nie
@BR (Comment 116) : Yep. what a place to watch rugby.
I have been in the fortunate position to have watched games at all the stadiums, and, in spite of my blue blood, I have to admit that it has something special about it. I do not like Kings Park (sorry) difficult to see anything unless you sit right on the lower stands, no atmosphere and too many “wannabe” rugby people who do not even realise that one wears a black t-shirt and not some designer-logoed top if you do not have a Sharks jersey – again, sorry, but that is how I’ve experienced it. 
@BR (Comment 119) : Jong, ek weet nie – hulle maak my moeg. About 6 weeks ago I said “That’s it, I’m gatvol and I’m only gonna watch and enjoy the other teams play from now on”, WELL, hier sitcek vanaand sonder naels omdat die flippin BULLS nie kan besluit of hulle n titel wil behou of weggooi nie
@diablo (Comment 120) :
I have to admit the once I went to Kings Park I weren’t really impressed. Watched a numerous amount of bulls vs Sharks matches at Loftus and the “gees” is so different since the time I visited Kings Park I had the idee of if you want to relax while watching rugby go to Kings Park but if you want to ” gaan mal en jou longe uit skree” gaan Loftus toe.
@diablo (Comment 121) :
,anders as die Sharks 
Well they are a champion en hulle weet hoe om te wen as dit saak maak
Ek dink hulle het vannand klaar besluit hulle wil die kopie hou.
@BR (Comment 122) : True, let your hair down and “enjoy”. Most of us are professionals who have to “behave” during the week, so why not have have whilst watching your fav sport? I, for one, absolutely enjoy the vibe and singing songs which would never be played in my home at any other time but at rugby time – YOU’RE SIMPLY THE BEST, KAPTEIN…, BABY CHOKLITS….WE ARE MARCHING TO PTA….
What a great compliment to your team – make an arsehole of 
yourself 
Die waarheid maak seer
Congrats diablo! Enjoy the win.
@wpw (Comment 126) : Thank you, but it was hard won – your team certainly did not make it easy
@BR (Comment 122) : 100% correct.
In Durban we relax when we watch the Rugby because we are laidback.
In PTA they they “skree” and “gaan mal” because they only know 2 emotions “happy/content” and “ek gaan jou opf?k”
In Durban we have a family atmosphere with literally 1000s of children running around the outer fields with all teams celebrating the GAME whether it was won or lost.
In PTA they have rowdy fools sitting on the back of bakkies on the side of the road throwing comments like “I’ll wipe that smile off your face” (although the grammar is not that good) and “hoekom smile jy? D@@s” You DON’T want your children in this environment, well us Durban folk don’t.
In Durban as a visitor you can enjoy the afterparty and banter even if your team won. Try that behind the klipdrift curtain?
Let me make it clear that there are plenty of good Bulls supporters out there.
Sharks fans are arrogant and vocal, Bulls fans are arrogant and aggressive and I believe that is where the difference lies.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 128) :
That is true for a family the best possible place to watch rugby is Kings Park
Wie steer hulself aan `n klomp dronk bulle it is best to just ignore those arrogant drunks
I will always have a special place for Kings Park.
Black and white nothing else matters
Well done Bulls but had Stormers to win