Bulls’ rolling maul breaks Golden Lions’ hearts
KRUGERSDORP. – It was a match that had it all.
All the suspense, all the drama, the disappointment as well as the elation.
The Blue Bulls managed to upset the hosts of the annual Craven Week here, the Golden Lions, by 35-34 in an encounter that many are wondering how did they pull it off.
In the clash of the two flyhalves, Vusi Moyo (Golden Lions) and Ruben Pienaar (Blue Bulls), it will be difficult to adjudicate who won.
Pienaar probably had his worst day off the kicking tee in his life, but when it mattered he stepped up to give his side the edge with a penalty in this closely contested match.
Pienaar missed five conversion attempts before slotting his sixth attempt also to get the Bulls ahead. The last 15 minutes of the match saw the lead exchange between the two teams a couple of times.
Before Pienaar secured the victory with a penalty goal.
The free-running flanker Luann Olivier scored a hat-trick of tries all from rolling mauls from line-outs. This was the area where the foundation of the Bulls’ victory was laid. The home side had no answers to keep the Bulls pack at bay in this aspect of the game.
The Lions started off well to take a 21-5 lead early on thanks to a brace of tries by winger Khuthadzo Rasivhaga from interceptions. Both interceptions came from sustained pressure on defence by the Golden Lions.
The Golden Lions lost their main jumper in the line-out JP Lombaard (lock) due to a hit to the head in a tackle. This had a huge impact on their ability to counter the Bulls at line-out time.
The Bulls must be applauded for the fact that they never gave up. Although the Golden Lions have been favourites to come out on top, the Bulls took them to the trenches and emerged as victors.
The Bulls will face the Free State in their second match-up of the tournament on Thursday, while the Lions will face a tricky Western Province XV.
The Pumas proved to be too strong for the Limpopo Blue Bulls in their opening clash. Whipping them by 60-17 with outside centre, Ian Wood scoring a hat-trick of tries.
The Pumas will be hosting next year’s edition of the Craven Week in Middelburg. The side’s flyhalf, Matthew Abbey, could by then be one of the names on everybody’s lips if he keeps developing as a player. Abbey is without a doubt one of the players to watch out for in this Puma-squad.
He also combined well with his scrumhalf, Liam Pringle. The inside centre, Johnny dos Santos, was also dangerous on attack creating the space for Wood to cause havoc in the back.
In the pack of forwards the Pumas’ two locks, Bakkies Bezuidenhout and Zak Loock, impressed with their physical presence.
Scorers:
Blue Bulls 35 (15) – Tries: Luann Olivier (3), Junade Pasensie, Leskin Samuels, Hendré Schoeman. Conversion: Ruben Pienaar. Penalty: Pienaar. Golden Lions 34 (24) – Try: Khuthadzo Rasivhaga (2), André Poulton, McMillen Mongwana. Conversions: Vusi Moyo (4). Penalties: Moyo (2).
Pumas 60 (22) – Tries: Ian Wood (3), Prosper Chiloane (2), Ryan Erasmus, Stefan Bezuidenhout, Vaughn van Zyl, Penalty Try Conversion: Matthew Abbey (5). Penalty: Abbey. Limpopo Blue Bulls 17 (0) – Tries: Aza Mabe (2). Conversions: Byron Hendricks (2). Penalty: Hendricks.
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