2014 Super Rugby: Bulls v Blues (Round 4)

[Draggs]

Awful decision to not let Benii play ITM. I am willing to bet he simply hasn't gotten to grips with Rugby yet.

 

[steblin]

Wow, dropped Benji for Noakes...thats tough!! He can't be that bad can he!?!

Beastly front row, which is what we will need, although would have preferred Tuipolotu instead of Moli, unless he's dinged up after last week.

 

[Darwin]

Pretty predictable Blues side. I would have preferred to see Tuipolotu starting again, but he is young so I can understand resting him. Woodcock and Mealamu add a massive amount of experience to the Blues pack, which will be vital against the Bulls.

I'm actually a bit more confident of the Blues chances looking at the two lineups. I'm going to pick the Bulls to win a close match, but it wouldn't surprise me if the Blues snuck a win.

 

[Patchey]

Awful decision to not let Benii play ITM. I am willing to bet he simply hasn't gotten to grips with Rugby yet.

Saw an interview with him the other day when he said he literally had to learn from scratch in pre-season. Apparently his first few training sessions he couldn't even pass straight.

Still, I'd rather have Marshal than Chris 'swinging arm' Noakes...

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Saw an interview with him the other day when he said he literally had to learn from scratch in pre-season. Apparently his first few training sessions he couldn't even pass straight.

Still, I'd rather have Marshal than Chris 'swinging arm' Noakes...

I call BS on Marshall's comments. How hard can it be to swop from RL to RU for a back other than for positioning in defence and a few finer things? Surely a league 'legend' shouldn't find it all that hard to adapt, at least not to the extent being protrayed by Marshall?

 

[Jaguares]

Hey afrikaners, do u think that Dean Greyling could be selected for the Boks again? After so many months out on selections.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Hey afrikaners, do u think that Dean Greyling could be selected for the Boks again? After so many months out on selections.

I doubt it. He isn't even particularly good so why why pick such a complete knuckle-brain. There are better props even at the Bulls. I think the Bulls are only picking Greyling to bolster 'experience in the pack' which they are a little light on so it comes at no surprise and the Bulls tend towards conservative.

 

[Gena_ZA]

Hey afrikaners, do u think that Dean Greyling could be selected for the Boks again? After so many months out on selections.

No

1) He is not the best in the country in his position, not even the best at his province
2) He committed a deliberate foul against McCaw by playing dirty - Heyneke Meyer does not tolerate such bull****

 

[Gena_ZA]

Saw an interview with him the other day when he said he literally had to learn from scratch in pre-season. Apparently his first few training sessions he couldn't even pass straight.

Still, I'd rather have Marshal than Chris 'swinging arm' Noakes...

Crap, do they pass different in league then?
Israel Folau must be a god then in comparrison

 

[Bull]

Dean Greyling is a good mobile prop not so much at scrumming. I still feel Dawie Steyn needs to used.

PS. Looks like the rain is back today!

 

[austingtir]

Crap, do they pass different in league then?
Israel Folau must be a god then in comparrison

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xHWBX2y7RQ

Basically unless its a behind the back pass im not that suprised his passing is below par. The backline in union especially from a restart is a totally different thing to how league arranges defence and attack.

Without doubt though if Benji can be put into a position against forwards or tiring players his footwork is going to win almost every time.

Against the Bulls i think they are just going for a more tactical game and as its going to rain he would get less chances.

I still think the guy has alot of potential at 10. The blues certainly havent seen anything like him since Carlos and they need a guy like him imo.

 

[TRF_heineken]

What a win! 4 tries and JLP scoring in all 4 ways. Our forwards smashed them! Very happy chappy right now!

 

[germanbullsfan]

Your not the only one!
If the bulls do what they can do best they win ! Bravo to the blue men group !!!

 

[Muzzy]

The decision for that last try from the Bulls was just strange. The video ref sounded like he thought it was a double movement. Just as he was about to tell the ref his decision, the referee said he thought the ball was grounded and thinks its a try and asked the video ref if he thought he same. The video ref said 'yes it was grounded, but are you sure it wasn't a double movement?'. The only reason the video ref would ask 'are you sure it wasn't a double movement' is if he thought it was a double movement. The main ref said it wasn't so the video ref says 'okay then try'. But unless the video ref says he can't make a call, its supposed to be his decision to make not the refs, so wtf was happening there. The replay shows it was a double movement and even the south african commentators thought it was a double movement. That dialogue between the referee's was just odd, its like the video ref let the main ref change his opinion

 

[austingtir]

What a win! 4 tries and JLP scoring in all 4 ways. Our forwards smashed them! Very happy chappy right now!

Im not suprised at all that the bulls smashed them in the forwards. After the Crusaders game it was pretty clear the Crusaders dominated in that area.

Honestly the top NZ sides are looking weak and unconvincing at this stage in the comp. I can see most of the SA sides and the Waratahs and Brumbies getting more than a few wins off us.

 

[Darwin]

The decision for that last try from the Bulls was just strange. The video ref sounded like he thought it was a double movement. Just as he was about to tell the ref his decision, the referee said he thought the ball was grounded and thinks its a try and asked the video ref if he thought he same. The video ref said 'yes it was grounded, but are you sure it wasn't a double movement?'. The only reason the video ref would ask 'are you sure it wasn't a double movement' is if he thought it was a double movement. The main ref said it wasn't so the video ref says 'okay then try'. But unless the video ref says he can't make a call, its supposed to be his decision to make not the refs, so wtf was happening there. The replay shows it was a double movement and even the south african commentators thought it was a double movement. That dialogue between the referee's was just odd, its like the video ref let the main ref change his opinion

I agree, it was a shockingly poor decision by the referee. It was blatantly obvious that Bulls player crawled along the ground once after he was tackled - how the ref couldn't not see that is beyond me....

Anyways, the refs poor decision didn't look like it had a big impact on the game, as the Bulls won pretty comprehensively. It is not that surprising that the Blues got soundly beaten - as I mentioned before the game they are a very young team, so consistency will be a major challenge for them this season. I didn't see much of the match, but it sounds like Hickey had another solid game at 10 (barring the missed tackle that lead to Serfontein's try).

 

[FlukeArtist]

That last try may have been BS, but the Blues didn't deserve to be that close to the Bulls IMO.

Great defence from the Bulls.

Simply awful all around from the Blues.

Biggest concerns for me (once again) if the apparent lack of a game plan.
Check out how the Blues attack. It is just like they pass the ball to the person next to them and say "here you have a go".
No plan whatsoever that I can see.

Also of a major concern was watching interviews with Kirwan, Donelley and Hickey this morning.
Suprisingly the youngest of them was the only one who didn't draw any positives from the match (as Kirwan and Donnelly seemed to be able to find positives!)
JK needs to get a game plan working and pronto.
Because what the Blues are serving up at the moment is utter crap. There is no other term for it.