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This might sound a bit funny, but the fewer tries the Vodacom Bulls score against the DHL Stormers, the better their chances of winning.
That certainly has been the case since 2007, the last time the team from Pretoria recorded a big win over their southern counterparts.
In 11 Vodacom Super Rugby matches since, the Vodacom Bulls have scored 12 tries – one in each match and two in one of their matches in 2012, which they ended up losing.
During this time, the DHL Stormers were outscored by the Vodacom Bulls only twice.
In the nine matches where the Capetonians scored the same amount of tries or more than the team from Pretoria, the men in blue won five, including the 2010 Final in Soweto, where the visitors scored two tries to one.
Earlier this year in Pretoria, the DHL Stormers scored two tries to the Vodacom Bulls’ one, but still lost by 28-12 in a hard-fought match.
Allister Coetzee, head coach of the DHL Stormers, said he is not expecting anything different this weekend.
“Matches between the Stormers and the Bulls are always hard-fought and memorable encounters and this will be no different,” said Coetzee.
“Both teams have come off a break and both sides have had players playing for the Springboks, but you don’t have to ask any player twice to get himself up for a game of this nature.”
Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke said his team aims to keep their slim play-off hopes alive and need to play positive rugby at DHL Newlands.
“We all know the maths – we need to go to Cape Town and get the full haul,” said Ludeke.
“It is a massive challenge but we feel that we can do it. Making the play-offs was one of our clear targets and we need a very positive performance at Newlands to make it happen.”
Vodacom Bulls captain Victor Matfield said: “The Stormers are playing without any pressure at the moment and with their new confidence on attack, will test our defence. I believe defence is all about attitude, so we will have to look at ourselves first and decide how much we really want this.”
The teams are:
DHL Stormers: Jaco Taute, Gio Aplon, Sailosi Tagicakibau, Juan de Jongh, Cheslin Kolbe, Kurt Coleman, Nic Groom, Duane Vermeulen, Schalk Burger (captain), Nizaam Carr, Ruan Botha, Michael Rhodes, Pat Cilliers, Deon Fourie, Alistair Vermaak. Replacements: Tiaan Liebenberg, Sti Sithole, Martin Dreyer, Manuel Carizza, Siya Kolisi, Louis Schreuder, Peter Grant, Seabelo Senatla.
Vodacom Bulls: Jurgen Visser, Akona Ndungane, JJ Engelbrecht, Jan Serfontein, Bjorn Basson, Handré Pollard, Francois Hougaard, Grant Hattingh, Jacques Engelbrecht, Jono Ross, Victor Matfield (captain), Paul Willemse, Werner Kruger, Callie Visagie, Dean Greyling. Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Morné Mellett, Marcel van der Merwe, Marvin Orie, Roelof Smit, Piet van Zyl, Jacques-Louis Potgieter, William Small-Smith.
Head to head (since 1998)
Vodacom Bulls Won 9, Lost 11, 1 Drawn
Points for 502; Points against 460
Tries scored 47; Tries conceded 43
Average score 24-22
Go Bulls, sien julle op Newlands.
HOU BY DIE BLOU MY VOLK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Die Bulle se hakers is vir dekdes al daarvoor bekend dat hulle baljagters is, en Strauss se rugbymondering beskik nie oor daardie eienskap nie. Sy werkstempo is baie laag en hy duik net op as sy span naby aan
die doellyn is. Verlede Saterdag nadat Bismarck du Plessis die veld verlaat het en Strauss as haker oorgeneem het, het die Bokke baie minder balbesit gekry. Ek dink Chiliboy, Schalk Britz, Kyle Cooper, Craig Burden en selfs Scarra van die Stormers werk baie harder as Strauss en verdien veel eerder die naasbeste posisie in die Bokspan na Bismarck du Plessis.
Bie Bulle se rugbybase gaan 'n "cheetah" in die sak koop as hulle sy dienste gaan bekom.
Nou die spelers. Waar is die commitment. Hoekom word spelers nie meer terug geduik nie. Het ons ooit 'n bal gesteel. Die eerste helfte was dit net die stormers. Ons moet die bal beskerm as ons dit kry en solank as moontlik behou, Hetnie die wedstryd klaar gekyk nie maar dit is darem swak spel deur my geliefde Bulls. Van Craig Joubert wil ek liewers niks se nie. Matfield het hom seker kwaad gemaak want hy straf die Bulle vir sekere goed maar die stormers kom met dieselfde goed weg. Hulle vertraag die bal en le net daar of prober baaaaie stadig wegrol. As hulle skrum onder druk is en hul dop uit word hulle nie gestraf nie. Wonder maar net of al die strafskoppe in die eerste helfte in die skrums wel ons fout was - ongeag wat mr Mallet se. Het Pat Cilliers altyd reguit geskrum. Hy het verseker ;n paar keer binne toe geskrum. Nou genoeg gekla.
Ek wil baie van die "foute" op die afrigting span plaas met die keuses wat gemaak word en ook die tydsberekening van plaasvervangers. Het nie die wedstrydklaar gekyk nie maar het WSS speelkans gekry.
Dit sal beste wees vir hom en die Bulle.
Bul coaches hou van JJ se manier van speel. Sy vaart, gemiddelde balvaardighede en aan gename persoonlikheid maak van hom die nr 1 nr 13 by die Bulle en gelukkig het ons hom nog in 2015. Teen die tyd dat hy ons verlaat sal Wylon dalk beter speel of dalk Dan Kriel. So as WSS ontevrede is met 70 minute speel tyd in die super reeks en nie wil aanvaar dat JJ die nr 1 is nie, moet hy gaan.
Dis geen wonder die Bulls kan nie wen in groen cammo nie, weg daarmee, laas jaar selfde storie in pienk, as dit moet anders as blou wees, dan sal wit ook werk.
Daars geen trots meer oor in die weg wedstryde nie, dis n ander span wat dan speel.
"Onthou nou ons het n nuwe span." Dit is n kak storie
Hougaard- Springbok. Uiters swak game
Vic- Springbok. As die ref verkeerd is dink jy dit help as jy jou m...r strip.
STUTE- As jy nou nog nie die f......n skrum wette ken nie my ou maat hoort jy nie daar nie. Elke skrum is n strafskop. Is julle f......n onosel.
Bayers of wat jou naam ook al is vat vir Visser saam dan raak julle weg. Gaan oorsee asseblief.
Ross jy moet nie eers toegelaat word om op grass te loop nie wat nog van rugby speel. Jy en Vissagie is eintlik die kwotas spelers in die span want julle is breindood.
Almal vertel elke week wat is vout maar Ludike en sy span is mos die enigste mense hier rond wat weet wat hulle doen. Word wakker my vriend . Ongelukig vir jou het ons ondersteuners ook al n game of twee gespeel en gekyk in die afgelope 40 jaar. Ons ken k.k as ons k.k sien.