2014 Super Rugby: Bulls vs Chiefs (Round 7)

[Jaguares]

 

[Amobokoboko]

Big game for both teams, I hope the Chiefs take it.

 

[admartian]

Gonna be tough playing in SA. Hopefully it's a good, tight but flowing game.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

I actually think the Chiefs have a greater hence of winning this now that they've lost to the Force. They'll be looking to make amends and hopefully will come out firing.

 

[Bull]

I see it's an afternoon game, temperature should be high 20's or maybe even 30C.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I'd have gone for the Chiefs by a landslide at the start of the tournament but with the Bulls seemingly getting together as a team much sooner than I'd have expected and the trend of massive advantages for the home teams so far this year I was tending towards a Bulls win..

BUT, with the refs having been dropped sending a big message I see some overcorrections on the cards favoring away sides (too bad my Stormers are at the end of their travels) so maybe 50/50..

BUT, Craig Joubert so Chiefs by a landslide.

 

[Gena_ZA]

Bulls will lift themselves for this game, as last year they are getting better as the tournament progresses.
I rate Craig Joubert, he is an honest ref

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Ugh Craig Joubert.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I think (or at least hope) the are all honest; the refs. For me its not so much a question of honesty as it is consistency which I am yet to see this season.

 

[Bull]

Bulls:

15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Dewald Potgieter, 7 Jacques du Plessis, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Victor Matfield (captain), 4 Paul Willemse, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 Dean Greyling

Substitutes: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Marcel vd Merwe, 18 Grant Hattingh, 19 Jono Ross, 20 Piet van Zyl, 21 Handré Pollard, 22 Ulrich Beyers, 23 Morné Mellet

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Chiefs: Mils Muliaina, Anton Lienert-Brown, Andrew Horrell, Tom Marshall, Asaeli Tikoirotuma, Aaron Cruden, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Kane Thompson, Tanerau Latimer, Liam Messam, Brodie Retallick, Matt Symons, Ben Tameifuna, Rhys Marshall, Pauliasi Manu. Reserves: Mahonri Schwalger, Jamie Mackintosh, Ben Afeaki, Michael Fitzgerald, Sam Cane, Augustine Pulu, Gareth Anscombe, Tim Nanai-Williams.

 

[Darwin]

Chiefs: Mils Muliaina, Anton Lienert-Brown, Andrew Horrell, Tom Marshall, Asaeli Tikoirotuma, Aaron Cruden, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Kane Thompson, Tanerau Latimer, Liam Messam, Brodie Retallick, Matt Symons, Ben Tameifuna, Rhys Marshall, Pauliasi Manu. Reserves: Mahonri Schwalger, Jamie Mackintosh, Ben Afeaki, Michael Fitzgerald, Sam Cane, Augustine Pulu, Gareth Anscombe, Tim Nanai-Williams.

Some more interesting changes by the Chiefs. Honestly I have no idea what the coaches are thinking, but I find it hard to criticize given the success they have had over the last two years! I think Manu is an upgrade over MacKintosh (as at least he can scrummage), and it is good to see Afeaki back on the bench (I would like to see him starting soon too). It is good to see Marshall given a go at hooker, though they will miss Schwalger physicality. I think Symons is slightly ahead of Fitzgerald at this stage so it is good to see him start. No surprise to see Cane back on the bench, or Thomson starting at 8 (as these have been successful moves in the past).

I'm somewhat surprised at the continued selection of Marshall at 12. Don't get me wrong he has done a good job, but they are now even moving rookie midfielders (Lienert-Brown) into positions they have little experience in (wing) so Marshall can keep playing 12 (12. Horrell, 13. Lienert-Brown, 14. Marshall would make much more sense to me!). It is good to see Horrell back (though I prefer him at 12 over 13), and I'm really interested to see how Lienert-Brown goes. I understand Nanai-Williams has a slight injury, which explains his demotion to the bench.

I'm picking this will be a close game, but I expect there will be a few tries scored. I will pick the Chiefs by 5, but wouldn't be surprised if the Bulls came away with a narrow victory, as they look to be hitting some form after a slow start.

 

[ruggabee]

Maybe they don't trust Lienert-Brown closer to the action. He's young and would probably be safer if he doesn't handle the ball as much. The Bulls may bombard him though. They probably prefer a solid midfield and one experienced wing rather than a shaky midfield.

Is 13. JJ Engelbrecht/12. Jan Serfontein the future Springbok midfield to replace De Villiers/Fourie?

 

[Darwin]

Maybe they don't trust Lienert-Brown closer to the action. He's young and would probably be safer if he doesn't handle the ball as much. The Bulls may bombard him though. They probably prefer a solid midfield and one experienced wing rather than a shaky midfield.

Is 13. JJ Engelbrecht/12. Jan Serfontein the future Springbok midfield to replace De Villiers/Fourie?

There could be something in that, but as far as I know Lienert-Brown has no experience on the wing. I haven't seen a Bulls game this season but in the past they have been very fond of using the bomb against opposition wings, so I would have though picking a debutant 18-year old midfield back out of position on the wing would have been a bit of a risk! Obviously the Chiefs coaches have a lot of faith in him though - if not they could easily have picked Anscombe at fullback and Muliaina on the wing.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

A Stuff article this morning provides a bit more info on the makeup of the backline: http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...een-set-for-his-Chiefs-debut-on-massive-stage

Specifically...

Smith admitted the coaching unit were tempted to play Lienert-Brown in the midfield and shift Tom Marshall back to his familiar spot of wing, but with the latter excelling at second five-eighth – winning the team's player of the day against the Stormers and the defence award against the Force – they have gone bold.

"We just felt that because he's trained a lot on the wing and he's played there a bit in our scenarios, that was probably the best way to introduce him," Smith said, adding that Lienert-Brown will make good decisions and retain the ball.

 

[ruggabee]

Mils still got some pace left in him. Chiefs tighthead looks huge.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Chiefs cutting up in the back and defending well, but as always they have no answer for the driving maul...

Cruden has missed 8 points from the boot so far too.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Chiefs almost score from a quick tap but Mils can't hold onto the ball. Bulls weren't back ten though, so Cruden kicks a penalty. 15-11 to the Chiefs.

Terrible call at the end of the half to give the Bulls an easy shot which leaves it at a one point ball game!

 

[Jaguares]

OMG! Now is: "Stade Francais-Racing Metro", I'm not sure what game to look.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Two easy tries to the Bulls, one due to poor refereeing, one due to an atrocious pass from Muliaina and some poor defence following.