The Currie Cup round robin stage comes to an end, and considering the evenly matched tournament to date, it is rather disappointing that the final match is set up to be a one sided affair.
The Lions are assured of second spot on the log, and with the Sharks winning last night, have absolutely nothing to play for. The decision to rest their big name players could work in their favour, in keeping them fresh ahead of the more important games, or against them by taking any momentum they had going into this time of the season, and chucking it out the window.
The Bulls’ task is simple – win and they are almost guaranteed a spot in the play-offs. Obviously a loss is not negotiable and could even leave the Bulls with the slight matter of a promotion/relegation match against the Kings. Pine Pienaar has gone all out in selecting all his Springboks, and with the Lions selecting their weakened team, has made the job easier.
Lions: 15 Ruan Combrinck, 14 Deon Helberg, 13 Deon van Rensburg, 12 Alwyn Hollenbach, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Butch James (captain), 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Willie Britz, 7 Derick Minnie, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Michael Rhodes, 3 Pat Cilliers, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 CJ van der Linde.
Replacements: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Jacobie Adriaanse, 18 Paul Willemse, 19 Warren Whiteley, 20 Whestley Moolman, 21 Elton Jantjies, 22 Lionel Mapoe.
Blue Bulls: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Francois Venter, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Arno Botha, 7 Jacques Potgieter, 6 Dewald Potgieter (captain), 5 Flip van der Merwe, 4 Juandré Kruger, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Willie Wepener, 1 Morné Mellett.
Replacements: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Frik Kirsten, 18 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 19 CJ Stander, 20 Francois Hougaard, 21 Louis Fouché, 22 Dean Greyling.
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I was so looking forward to a Bulls’ relegation match. Bloody Ackers! 😈
Shame… Have Elton’s two caps tired him out so completely he has to sit on the bench? 😈
If the Bulls lose the game by 6 points they play in the promotion/relegation game
OK… Who’s taking bets on how many Morne will miss? 😆
@Shaz (Comment 4) : I’ll do. 2 misses.
c’mon Lions!!!
Kick off
Penalty Steyn
Bulls 3
Lions 0
5min
Penalty James
Lions 3
Bulls 3
7min
Penalty James
Lions 6
Bulls 3
12min
Try Micheal Rhodes
Conversion over
Lions 13
Bulls 3
14min
Drop goal Steyn
Bulls 6
Lions 13
15min
Penalty James
Lions 16
Bulls 6
17min
Three most brain dead players in RSA, flippie, Jacques and Dean. Common denominator Bulls………..
Penalty Steyn but misses
Bulls 6
Lions 16
19min
Penalty Steyn
Bulls 9
Lions 16
23min
Must say that this is not the score I wast expecting.
@JarsonX (Comment 18) : Still early though.
Penalty Steyn
Bulls 12
Lions 16
28min
Try Basson
Converted
Bulls 19
Lions 16
33min
Penalty Steyn
Bulls 22
Lions 16
Halftime
2nd half starts
Jantjies on
Penalty Butch
Lions 19
Bulls 22
43min
Lions need to win by 6 or more to send the Bulls to the bottom.
Penalty James
Lions 22
Bulls 22
47min
Correct me if I’m wrong, Here be dragons, but if the Bulls only lose by 6, they get a bonuspoint for finishing within 7 and they end with 1 point more than the Cheetahs.
Try Vermaak.
@Here be dragons (Comment 27) : Nope. Would have to be more than 7. If they finish within 7 then they get a BP and stay ahead of Cheetahs.
Converted
Bulls 29
Lions 22
50min
How many tries to the Bulls atm?
another shocking TMO decision
Ah, forgot about that. Make that 8.
😳
@byron (Comment 34) : fking mindblowing. When will it stop?
How was that pass backwards?!
Try Anotonie Volmink
Try Volmink right behind the posts.
29 all.
Converted
Lions 29
Bulls 29
54min
Bulls get a kick able penalty and go for the line out, TMO decision. No try, but they get another penalty for the Bulls and again go for the line out and again go for the TMO and given
Converted
Bulls 36
Lions 29
60min
@Here be dragons (Comment 35) : No. 7 will be enough cos that will tie them on points and points difference. I imagine it then goes to BPs, which the Cheetahs are way ahead on.
Try Dewald Potgieter
Converted
Bulls 43
Lions 29
65min
Doesn’t matter, Four try BP for the Bulls, and I can’t see the Lions catching up.
Intercept try for Ndungane
What was THAT?
Shocking handling gifts Akona an interception try.
Converted
Bulls 50
Lions 29
75min
K. So it’s Sharks/Bulls and Lions/Province.
Full Time
Bulls 50
Lions 29
Anybody else thinking “match fixing” here? Lions playing pretty decent rugby and completely in the picture when, all of a sudden, a ridiculous quick throw-in in the Lions 22 (Potgieter try), rubbish tap-on by James when he would normally have gone for the re-gather (Ndungane try) and an unexplicable turnaround in scrum domination near the Bulls 22 when just minutes before the Lions got killed in a scrum near their tryline.
I´m not even going to mention the nutcase of a TMO´s decision on Vermaak´s try. That´s a whole different can of maggots.
How’s about Victor Matfield’s awarding of MOTM to Morné Steyn ?! 😯 🙄
@FireTheLooser (Comment 53) : Shame, you can´t blame the outjie for wanting to give his old buddy a bit of a nudge after his fall from Heyneke´s grace. 😐
@Bayshark (Comment 15) : Frightening observation – takes one to know one??
I,,,flippin,,,idiots! Give credit where due.
@diablo (Comment 56) : Thought to myself after the game that the Bulls supporters will once again be their obnoxious selves – never really saw you around here giving credit to all the teams that managed to beat the Bulls. 😉
Bit rich coming on here now – but not surprising from a Bulls supporter though. 🙄
@diablo (Comment 56) : You,,, also,,,, celebrate quite well by the sounds of it.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 53) : Why are you surprised ,they will always take care of their own .Sickens me .
@Talent (Comment 59) : Of course Morne had to be Victor’s man of the match… Otherwise it would have been patently obvious to all concerned that Patrick Lambie was the best performing flyhalf of the weekend and we can’t possibly have that happening or a certain Springbok coach might have to concede that the best hope for the Bok Number 10 shirt has been sitting on his bench as a fullback. Whatever next? 🙄
@Shaz (Comment 60) :My friend put it well ;you cant drop your mates 😆 Wonder if Morne’s wife has had a deep meaningful with Heyneke yet? I’m sure she has.
The best flyhalf of the weekend ,but possibly the worst inside center at the same time ,was Butch. That guy will always remain one of my favorite players of all time
@Talent (Comment 61) : Nah – Butch was too staid. Lambie varied his game and kept the Griquas guessing. Butch at 10 is a brick wall you need to avoid. That’s his strength. His kicking too is another. But I prefer Lambie there’s more options.
How’s Joel Stransky – decrying the Bull’s kicking game as old and tested and failing then crowing about it in the second half? He did mitigate his comments once with it’s working but he doesnt like it but really – !!
Yes bulls kicking game worked agains lions that could not catch a cold – lets see how it works against Ludik, JP, Keegan, Lambie, etc. Looking forward to see Lambie against steyn. Go Sharks!!!!!