The Bulls will be let loose on the Crusaders at Loftus to secure a first ever home final.
The Crusaders have won a Super Rugby tournament from 4th place before but this time they are playing the Bulls at Loftus.
The Bulls will be hoping that the fanatical home support they have in Pretoria will cancel out the disadvantage of losing both their centers during this week.
Will the Crusaders manage a win at Loftus? The Last time they met the Bulls in a Semi is also the last time they lost to them (2007).
Will the Bulls be able to overcome the loss of their midfield pairing?
Venue: Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 15:00 Local time
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
ARs: Mark Lawrence (South Africa), Garratt Williamson (New Zealand)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
Bulls:
15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Marius Delport, 12 Jaco Pretorius, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Victor Matfield (captain), 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Derick Kuün, 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp.
Replacements:
16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Rayno Gerber, 18 Danie Rossouw, 19 Pedrie Wannenburg, 20 Heini Adams, 21 Burton Francis, 22 Gerhard van den Heever.
Crusaders:
15 Leon MacDonald, 14 Jared Payne, 13 Tim Bateman, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Adam Whitelock, 10 Stephen Brett, 9 Andy Ellis/Kahn Fotuali’i, 8 Thomas Waldrom, 9 Richie McCaw (captain), 6 Kieran Read, 5 Isaac Ross, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Jason Macdonald, 1 Wyatt Crockett.
Replacements:
16 Daniel Perrin, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Michael Paterson, 19 George Whitelock, 20 Fotuali’i/Tyson Keats, 21 Colin Slade, 22 Hamish Gard.
Tweet
Bulls by 16 for me.
GO Bulls!!!!
Hi there…how are you….have been away over the last few weekends with no internet so have missed you guys 🙁
Was able to get time to blog yesterday BUT you weren’t around 🙁 again!!!
When are you coming home…next month?
I am completely 😐 about this game. It will be nice for SA to have a home final…that’s about all I can say.
I’ll be missing about a half an hour of this game. 🙁
Will be there to see them score the winning try in the 2nd half though. 😉
@Me2 (Comment 2) :
Arrive in SA on 8 June and leave on 6 July.
Will make sure we make contact while there.
You bet!! Looking forward to having you & the family over for a meal! If you can fit us in 😀
BTW my daughter is in Dubai for a week..what is the time diff between there & here?
@Me2 (Comment 6) :
Dubai is two hours ahead of SA. So it is 14:50 there now.
I hope she doesn’t mind the heat, we have been hit with a bit of an early summer. 😳
@Me2 (Comment 5) :
I’m sure we will be able to manage that. 😉
@KSA Shark © (Comment 7) : Thanks!
She loves the heat….spent the last few summers on Skiathos in Greece and said it “wasn’t that hot!” ❗
Not sure if she is there yet..left London early this morning.
@Me2 (Comment 9) :
Going across to bahrain Yesterday in the mid morning, the guy who reffed the game before had his car outside temp gauge showing 47 Deg C.
I reffed in 30 plus Deg C at 16:30 in the afternoon and coming home last night the temp showed 34Deg C at 19:00ish.
Donnerswarm hier. 😳
@KSA Shark © (Comment 10) : That IS hot!
Leaving work not so signing out..maybe catch you after the match….
@Me2 (Comment 11) :
Cool.
Here is our temps for today.
Currently At 2:15PM 47°C
RealFeel® 49°C
4pm
43°C
Sunny
6pm
38°C
Sunny
8pm
34°C
Clear
10pm
31°C
Clear
12am
29°C
Clear
2am
28°C
Clear
Have a look at this.
Here
CHIEFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 12) : Dubai is a little cooler than here. 😆
Currently At 3:26PM 42°C
RealFeel® 42°C
5pm
37°C
Sunny
7pm
34°C
Sunny
9pm
32°C
Clear
11pm
31°C
Clear
1am
30°C
Clear
3am
29°C
Clear
@Morné (Comment 14) :
You are a day late 😆
Dubai over the next few days. 😳
Saturday, May 23
Blazing sunshine and very warm
Low: 29 °C
High: 44 °C
Sunday, May 24
Blazing sunshine
Low: 28 °C
High: 44 °C
Monday, May 25
Sunny and very warm
Low: 30 °C
High: 39 °C
Tuesday, May 26
Sunny and hot
Low: 29 °C
High: 40 °C
Wednesday, May 27
Sunny and very warm
Low: 31 °C
High: 39 °C
Thursday, May 28
Sunny and hot
Low: 28 °C
High: 42 °C
Friday, May 29
Bright sunshine and hot
Low: 28 °C
High: 42 °C
Saturday, May 30
Hot with plenty of sunshine
Low: 29 °C
High: 41 °C
Sunday, May 31
Sunny and very warm
Low: 29 °C
High: 40 °C
@KSA Shark © (Comment 16) :
I am still celebrating!!!
Finally my Chiefs came good!!!
@Morné (Comment 18) :
I thought maybe you were shouting for next week. 🙂
Yesterday at the Bahrain Rugby club I see this big dude wearing a Chiefs Jersey, So I walk over and say to him and say; “Did the Chiefs win this morning?”
He looks at me and says: “Chiefs?” and then he realised he was wearing the jersey. “Oh This? No I don’t know mate, just like the Jersey.” 😀
@KSA Shark © (Comment 19) :
HAHA
Yeah well I will be shouting the same next week regardless!
I back many teams to win at different stages and different years depending on many factors, I only ever supported two in the Super 14 – Stormers and Chiefs!!!
Off Rugby365 comments
My raad aan al julle grootbek bul ondersteuners is om more vroeg al te gaan kop seer pille koop, vir Sondag se hangover. Want julle gaan mos weer julle sorge try weg suip terwyl julle die ref blameer. Asb moet nou nie julle 3lt ford bakkies die strate vol spin nie, en ook nie julle vrouens weer slaan soos elke keer as julle verloor nie. Los hulle rustig in die karavaan en beplan eerder hoe julle volgende jaar weer gaan probeer. . martin
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA
@klempie (Comment 21) : Ek’s ook ‘n Saders ondersteuner hierdie week… 😉
KSA….WAAR IS MY GELD?? Jy het tot Woensdag ou pel. Dan moet ek hulle op bidorbuy sit.
Super 14 SA semi and it’s dead quiet in here. Love how much we love the Bulls. 🙂
HAHA! The Bulls got Bryce Lawrence. Awesome. 🙂
0-3 Saders for scrum infringement. 🙂
Habana try. 🙁
10-3
Sorry my maths is out. 😛
7-3
Try Saders 🙂
7-10
“Ruck” infringement. 🙂
7-13.
Ndungane just showed that he is NO fullback!!
Try Reid! 🙂
7-20
Crusaders outthinking the Bulls and playing “clever” rugby. Bulls trying to smash them, but Saders making their tackles!
Try Ngungane. 🙁
14-20
Seems i shoulda got home earlier.
Maybe i’m the goodluck charm for the Bulls.
Sheez and they almost scored again!!!
Have they been playing like this the whole game or just suddenly?
17-20 DG Steyn
DG Steyn 🙁
17-20
Come on Saders!
Steyn DG!!!!!!!!
Bulls 17 – 20 Saders
36min
Bulls are exciting to watch when they play like this…no doubt about it!
2nd DG by Steyn!!!!!!!!!!!
Bulls 20 – 20 Saders
38min
Also..if there is one thing that the Sharks REALLY need it’s a GOOD SONG. Someone needs to compose a good one. We have tried for YEARS and all attempts have been ultra kak!
Spies TRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bryce Lawrence having a SUPERB game…KSA…you got to admit it!!
Conversion slotted
Bulls 27 – 20 Crusaders
HALF TIME
@Villie (Comment 44) :
The 9minutes I have seen have been good yes.
I reckon they need to reduce the value of a drop kick to 2 points.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 46) : THEN LEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAVE!!!! 👿
Bulls have scored 20 points in 8 minutes. 😯
That would be a death blow to most teams and i think it might just be the case for the Crusaders.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 46) : He is allowing the game to flow. I must admit that last season he was awful…but this season he has made massive improvements. I think the major change is that he has lost his attitude and no longer wants to be the centre of attention!
@klempie (Comment 48) :
Bulls by MORE than my SB margin of 16 at this rate. 😎
@Villie (Comment 50) :
Now if only his Balls would drop so that his voice can be a little deeper. 😉
@klempie (Comment 21) : 😆 😆 😆
@KSA Shark © (Comment 52) :
Definitely.
@klempie (Comment 23) :
Dude can’t i just give you the cash IN SA? or are you worried i am going to run away?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 51) : Nah..Crusaders are made of stern stuff. I reckon they will come back into this
@Villie (Comment 56) :
just when they come back the altitude will hit them.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 57) : Yeah…I don’t reckon they will win the game. My prediction is that they will stay within range until about 65-70 minutes and then will get hit with a Bulls blast and lose by about 14 or so
@Villie (Comment 58) :
If they give away another yellow it will be a HUGE score.
8 phases and the Crusaders are inside the bulls 22.
Cheeky drop kick from the base of the ruck by Ellis. 😎
27-23
1 phases PK advantage to the Crusaders and Ellis takes a DG shot to win the PK but not needed, HE Slots it!!!!! 😯
Bulls 27 – 23 Crusaders
51min
How can Victoria protest being FKd for the Bulls going off their feet there????????? WAKE up Drol!!!!!!!!!
how much time left?
@robdylan (Comment 64) :
Bulls 27 – 23 Crusaders
58min
GEEZ i’m glad the TJ called that it was a MILE forward.
screw sb! Go the Cru!
@robdylan (Comment 64) : Enough for the Saders to pull a win out of the hat.
Nice little punt by Steyn and the ball bounces JUSt inside the field of play.
Crusaders defencive LO in their 22.
Jeez Werner Kruger goes for the line with a TERRIBLE body position. Surely our guys get taught the basics at a young age?
Drop goals really are shit…it’s such an anticlimax.
this game may be good but it isn’t a patch on these Chicken wings. 😎
DG # 4!!!!!!!!!!!!1
70min
Bulls 36 – 23 Crusaders
Klempie?!?!?!?!?
talk to me?
@klempie (Comment 71) : Exactly…see my point earlier…..think they should be reduced to 2 points or even 1 point
Another one…YAAAAAAAAAAAWN.
One more drop goal will let me be SPOT on with my SB prediction.
Pity i don’t have Steyn in my FL team 🙁
@klempie (Comment 77) :
Kette has set you up as a recipient.
How much? How many do you have left?
75min
Bulls 36 – 23 Crusaders
@KSA Shark © (Comment 75) : What up dawg? 😎
Steyn DG hits the upright. 🙁
I need 3 more points!!!!!!!!!!!
77min
LO in the Bulls half
@Villie (Comment 76) : Yup!
78min
scrum on the halfway, Bulls put in.
And i have just lost my DSTV signal. 🙁
Will never come back before the end of the game. 👿
@KSA Shark © (Comment 79) :
R280 man. R230 for the ticket and R50 for the braai. Got 4 spots left but that could go down to 3 on Monday. TT also hasn’t got back to me. Is it ok to get his addy off you?
Shit. Guess I’m a Chief next week.
@klempie (Comment 87) :
Okay I want a total of 2 tickets.
Will transfer the money (R560) within the next few minutes and send you the confirmation by Email.
Someone post the Fullt ime score please i am blind. 👿
Scotland have just beaten Fiji in the Sevens. 😯
36-23 FT
@KSA Shark © (Comment 89) : Awesome. 😎
FULL TIME
Bulls 36 – 23 Crusaders
Log updated 😉
Bulls go top,
Saders go home.
@klempie (Comment 92) :
Confirmation email sent. 😉
@KSA Shark © (Comment 95) : Shot. 🙂
Ok I am outta here.
Go Chiefs!!
The buLLs reaLLy played weLL!
Congrats to aLL the BuLLs players, coaches and suPPorters!
Great stuFF
You okes have done us aLL proud!
Now for the BIG one
The Chiefs aint going to be easy
GO BULLS!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 90) :
SCOTLAND THE BRAVE!
😀
@wiLLem (Comment 97) :
You okes have done us aLL proud!
Ag thanks man, would not have expected that coming from you. : 😛 😛
well done bulls, had you for a win by 7, but well done anyways 😛
I guess Robdylan is a very happy man today 😉
@JarsonX (Comment 100) :
No Margin point then. 😉
@JarsonX (Comment 101) :
He is all torn up emotionally. Wants to celebrate the SB victory but wants to kill becasue the Saders lost. 😛
@KSA Shark © (Comment 102) : how do the margin points work, aint it within 7 aswell
@KSA Shark © (Comment 103) : im picking the bulls again for next week 😛 go bulle!
@JarsonX (Comment 104) :
within 5.
I had them by 16. 😎
SB standings after this round.
1 round to go that offers 3 points for a win with a total of 4,5 points on offer.
1 robdylan 90.59
2 Jay 89.69
3 Nick 87.71
4 Jen 87.43
5 Highwayman 87.34
6 geraas 86.87
7 SauronShark 86.50
8 Western Sauce 86.28
9 Carel 85.69
10 Slak 85.19
@KSA Shark © (Comment 106) : why not 7 🙁 got a margin point for the chiefs game 😀
@KSA Shark © (Comment 107) : and me?
@JarsonX (Comment 109) :
38 Sandshark 77.78
39 superviv 77.50
40 Dragonfly 77.41
41 jarsonx 77.00
42 Uncle Kev 76.85
😉
morne steyn slowly erasing all those question marks around his temperament? Match winner!
@robdylan (Comment 111) : u want Steyn in Durban, dont you? 😆
bulls kinda deserve it this year, I guess. Still supporting the Chiefs, though
@robdylan (Comment 113) : i think they deserve it too, they didnt in 07, go bulle! 😉
@JarsonX (Comment 114) :
So can we HAVE it this year, seeing as we don’t deserve it this year? 😛
@JarsonX (Comment 112) : would swap him for our Steyn 🙂
@KSA Shark © (Comment 115) : sure, no problem 😆 @robdylan (Comment 116) : might just work 😛 nah i dont want any former bulls in the sharks team