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Blue Bulls torture Force
Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 17:24
A Vodacom Blue Bulls XV made short work of the Western Force touring team at Loftus Versfeld on Friday and their 54-0 victory signalled a warning to the other provinces that the Pretorians will be strong contenders in this year’s Currie Cup, even without their Springboks.
The Blue Bulls’ victory was more convincing than the Force’s previous two opponents on the tour, the Wildebeest and the Lions. What made the victory even sweeter was the fact that the Blue Bulls were without 28 of their players due to injuries and call-ups from the Springboks and SA under-21 side.
Even with a team that has not played together, the Blue Bulls played clinical rugby and although the score suggests one-way traffic, the Force made the home side work for their tries and all these scores were the result of good interplay. Even when all twelve the Blue Bulls’ reserves were on the field, the game did not become loose.
If a Man of the Match was appointed, Tim Dlulane would lead the queue. He had a busy game and his two tries were well-deserved. His flank partner, Derick Kuün, also crossed the whitewash twice.
Morné Steyn got the backs going well, althoug his tactical kicking did not always hit the mark. Goal kicks were a different story, however, with six from six.
Heinie Adams also used his chances well and the newcomer, Rayno Gerber, scrummed well and also enjoyed a few good runs, but the Blue Bulls will consider the match as a strong fifteen-man performance. Their Currie Cup onslaught starts next week against the Valke on the same field.
Points:
Vodacom Blue Bulls XV: Tries: Tim Dlulane (2), Derick Kuün (2), Akona Ndungane, Frikkie Welsh, Adriaan Fondse, Riaan van der Bergh.
Conversions: Morné Steyn (6), Jacques-Louis Potgieter.
The tour should still be seen as a success though at this early stage of our Clubs development.
Plenty of local fellas exposed to touring and the demands of professional athletes, great personal development and PR with the clinic in SOWETO and also great experience for our next layer of coaching staff below Mitch.
With this extra exposure (including our Under 21 fellas) we are in good stead for the APC with only a handful in the Wallabies Squad.
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
That's gonna make for a long flight home Sunday morning... Character building none-the-less I 'spose.
Good work in Soweto guys! (pics in InnFORCEr's Gallery)
Too many Nedlands players...
Blue Bulls Too Strong For Western Force Gold
Saturday, 17 June 2006
RugbyWA
Western Force Gold have been taught a lesson in physical and mistake-free rugby, going down 52-0 to the Blue Bulls in Pretoria.
The South African side - which included eight members of the Bulls Super 14 team - was far too strong for the visitors, running in eight tries, six of which were converted.
Western Force Gold coach John Mulvihill said the young development squad was taught a lesson in what was needed to play at the next level.
He said Luke Doherty, Haig Sare and Chris O'Young put in solid performances - as they had all tour - but needed more support from those players experiencing the intensity of Super 14-standard rugby for the first time.
"If they were unsure before this game, some of the younger fellas now have a much better appreciation of what is required to compete at the next level."
Luke Doherty, captain of the development tour, said those members of the squad with ambitions of playing Super 14 needed to make some big improvements to their game.
"You can't make silly mistakes at this standard - you will just get punished and that's exactly what happened."
Western Force Gold return to Perth on Sunday.
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
What these results show is that SA, like NZ, has fantastic depth. This squad had 28 players unavailable. The Force had maybe 10 missing, not sure. Yet they and the other two teams the boys played were far superior. Hard to see why they can't make a fist of S14.
Steep learning curve for the Perth boys. Still, this is the reason for The Force's entry, (apart from giving us a team to suport) , to develop depth.
Just havng a look at an SARugby.com article HERE in relation to the Force clinic in Soweto (same article as was on the RugbyWA Site HERE).
One user comment on the article stood out:
oborne01 on Friday, June 16, 2006 (05:04:37)As an employee of the Western Force, i can assure you that this was no "popularity stunt"... or was just for "show". When the western force gold was being put together, they had always intended on running rugby clinics. However, they were not going to do it in soweto. When the boys were on their three week tour of south africa, David Pocock suggested that they run a clinic in soweto. david being African knows a lot about that particular area. They couldnt run a clinic during the super14 and it was decided that instead of running the western force gold clinic's in durban, they would have one in soweto...
its not for show... it was always in the plan to spread the game of rugby, and the only reason why it took place there was due to david.
John Mitchell is very big on promoting the game where ever his team goes, whether it be all blacks or force.
It was a great thing that they did... pitty people have to shoot it down.
Onya Davidand onya RugbyWA/Mitchell too!
Well done Bam-Bam!
The comments are pretty much supportive although there are always going to be a few hairybacks with an axe to grind re SOWETO etc.
The description of the ground "a dry, dusty training track riddled with prickles and broken glass!" sounds a bit like most grounds in Western Australia's NW, I wonder when we will see some training clinics in the likes of Wiluna, Halls Creek or Jiggalong?
Get on the phone Principal Sharpe!
Last edited by Burgs; 18-06-06 at 11:30.
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
As a remote School Principal, I would welcome any visits by our State or National team members to expose our student's to the game played in heaven. I can't guarantee that the grass will be green, the recent sub zero temperatures have taken it's toll, but I can guarentee untapped potential in the form of our Aboriginal students!!! Bring on the visit