[2017 Super Rugby] Round 11: Bulls vs. Crusaders (06/05/2017)

[TRF_heineken]

Venue: Loftus Versfeld
Time: 17:15 CAT (SA, GMT+2)​

Teams

Bulls: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Jamba Ulengo, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Piet van Zyl, 8 Hanro Liebenberg, 7 Jacques Potgieter, 6 Nick de Jager, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Pierre Schoeman

Substitutes: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Lizo Gqoboka, 18 Jacobie Adriaanse, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Jannes Kirsten, 21 Rudy Paige, 22 Francois Brummer, 23 Jan Serfontein

Crusaders: TBA

 

[SomeOke]

That's a really strong Bulls team, makes me want to back the Bulls for an upset but then I remember just how big the gap between us and the Kiwi teams is. I'd also drop Schoeman for Gqoboka and Lood for Snyman to really make it full stregnth.
Hopefully this means Gelant has officially made the starting 15 for good, I'd rather have him than Serf or Odendaal if that's the choice.

 

[TRF_heineken]

That's a really strong Bulls team, makes me want to back the Bulls for an upset but then I remember just how big the gap between us and the Kiwi teams is. I'd also drop Schoeman for Gqoboka and Lood for Snyman to really make it full stregnth.
Hopefully this means Gelant has officially made the starting 15 for good, I'd rather have him than Serf or Odendaal if that's the choice.

Well, To be honest, Odendaal, even with his flaws is the best we have at 12 at the moment. Jan Serfontein is returning from injury, so it's wise to play him off the bench. And Gelant is improving and getting back to that explosiveness he had before the injury, so good on him for being a regular starter.

As for the forwards, I can understand the choice in starting Schoeman ahead of Gqoboka, in that Schoeman is a little bit better at scrummaging than Gqoboka. Happy to see Trevor back at 3 and hoping he can continue his fine form since his performance against the Cheetahs.

I am starting to think that the Bulls might actually have a chance in this game. The Crusaders are without Read and Whitelock, which will have an impact on their leadership structure. And Loftus hasn't been a happy hunting ground for the 'Saders in the past. Their last win at Loftus was in 2011...

Here's hoping the Bulls put up a better performance than what the Cheetahs and the Stormers did against the Saders

 

[galumay]

WOW! How good are the Saders this season?! What an amazing exhibition of dazzling ball skills. I know the Bulls were awful, but the stats were surprisingly similar - its the skills and accuracy that make such a difference. Scrum was super impressive, demolishing a Bulls pack comprehensively.

Really just in another league, again its not good for the health of our game, but what a joy to watch such a clinical performance. Who would want to be an AB selector??!!

 

[smartcooky]

Missing key players such as Read, Whitelock and Dagg didn't seem to make any difference to the Crusaders, they just steamrollered on with a clinical demolition of the Bulls. Their scrum absolutely butchered the Bulls pack. It will be interesting to see what happens when they come up against other NZ teams; so far they have only played the bottom two.

Richie Mo'unga its turning into a brilliant 10, and IMO, he has passed the Highlanders Lima Sopo'aga ans the No. 3 first five in NZ.

One player who has really impressed me this season is David Havili. He's not the brilliant fullback that Jordie Barrett or Ben Smith are, but he is ultra-reliable, makes very few mistakes and always seems to take the right options with the ball in hand. IMO, he is severely underrated by fans and underestimated by opponents.

 

[mania]

One player who has really impressed me this season is David Havili.

agree. reminds me off mils. whilst not a great athlete nor has oodles of xFactor he makes up for that by playing error free rugby and making really good decisions.

 

[SomeOke]

Richie Mo'unga its turning into a brilliant 10, and IMO, he has passed the Highlanders Lima Sopo'aga ans the No. 3 first five in NZ.

One player who has really impressed me this season is David Havili. He's not the brilliant fullback that Jordie Barrett or Ben Smith are, but he is ultra-reliable, makes very few mistakes and always seems to take the right options with the ball in hand. IMO, he is severely underrated by fans and underestimated by opponents.

Absolutely I didn't realize Havili was so young either, it feels like he's been around for ages but he's 22! He's really suffering from the fact that the NZ fullbacks are so good that he isn't really a solid starter, he'd certainly walk into most SA teams, as for Mounga he's another freakish kiwi talent, it's not a stretch to say he'd walk into any international team other than the All Blacks. The Saders have been winning games handily with heavy injuries but the youngsters have really stepped up (even Jack Goodhue looks great).

Needless to say I'm green with envy at the talent NZ has coming through.

That said Nollis needs to go for me, 5 years ago it would be inconceivable for any team to come to Loftus and put 60 points on the Bulls, it makes me very sad, I like all the SA teams but I've always had a soft spot for the Bulls - I can't shake the notion that they tend to be a yardstick for SA rugby in general, they certainly have a great team on paper.

 

[mania]

as for Mounga he's another freakish kiwi talent

i know i'm gonna get lynched for this but with cruden signing overseas i would get mounga in as backup 1st5.

 

[TRF_heineken]

I also think Nollis Marais' time is up. I was willing to give him a chance, but it seems like we're going backwards. He keeps on picking players in wrong positions and there is no plan. We just pitch and try to play but there is no real effort in actually trying to best the opponents...

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

Richie Mo'unga its turning into a brilliant 10, and IMO, he has passed the Highlanders Lima Sopo'aga ans the No. 3 first five in NZ.

It's a bit hard for someone to be overtaken while they're injured... to relegate someone down the pecking while they don't have the opportunity to prove themselves seems a bit harsh and unfair, and the ABs have made it clear that this is the way they feel too.
But..... I actually agree with you on this one. Mo'unga is living up to his promise and now looks to have taken his game to another level... in some ways he actually reminds me of DC, with the all-round skillset he has and ability to seemingly do everything right.
I also think Sopoaga's game has dropped a bit... in the little game time he did have this year we wasn't great.
So it will be interesting to see who does end up getting that 3rd 1st 5 spot, or whether they veto that spot completely and pick perhaps Jordie Barrett instead. Knowing the ABs you'd think Sopoaga will get the nod, and a lot will depend on how he goes in whatever game time he manages when he comes back, but Mo'unga is practically demanding selection at this point and, if he keeps it up, may be too hard to ignore.

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

i know i'm gonna get lynched for this but with cruden signing overseas i would get mounga in as backup 1st5.

hmmm... yea... strongly disagree lol. I don't think the fact that Cruden is going overseas should have anything to do with it. He's still our 2nd best 1st 5 (though Mo'unga is admittedly gaining on him) and his leadership and experience are very valuable to the side (no to mention he's still a quality player and in good form), and could be crucial coming off the bench if Barrett's having an off day or it's a tight game.
As for next year though... It'll be a shootout between Mo'unga and Sopoaga for the back up spot, and at this point it's probably fair to say that Mo'unga has got his name slightly in front. I do hope they find room for him on the end of year tour this year.

 

[smartcooky]

hmmm... yea... strongly disagree lol. I don't think the fact that Cruden is going overseas should have anything to do with it. He's still our 2nd best 1st 5 (though Mo'unga is admittedly gaining on him) and his leadership and experience are very valuable to the side (no to mention he's still a quality player and in good form), and could be crucial coming off the bench if Barrett's having an off day or it's a tight game.
As for next year though... It'll be a shootout between Mo'unga and Sopoaga for the back up spot, and at this point it's probably fair to say that Mo'unga has got his name slightly in front. I do hope they find room for him on the end of year tour this year.

Yep, and anyone thinks that "an eye to the future" will be part of Shag's thinking for the Lions Tour, forget it... you're wrong. "An eye to the future" is for EOYT and the mid-year tests.

The Lions Tour is not for blooding new players or for player development.... IT IS FOR WINNING... we should be putting the best available/eligible team on the park. New blood will only be used if the circumstances arise where we have no choice!