The Bulls have done it again, confirming that they are most likely the best rugby team in the world by beating home-country rivals, the Stormers, on Saturday. Orlando Stadium was abuzz when the “home-ground” team went 16 – 0 in the first half, which would ultimately be the reason why the Stormers would lose the match.
You could put the 25 – 17 loss by the Stormers down to two things. The first being some estranged refereeing by match official Craig Joubert who missed an entire half of the Bulls’ preventing the Stormers from placing the ball, which raised the question if it was the game-breaker especially with Morne Steyn kicking for the Bulls. The next point, which was admitted by both the Bulls and the Stormers, is the lack of BMT (Big Match Temperament) which was nowhere in the first half and never really looked too threatening. All we know is that they were definitely not the team we have enjoyed watching throughout the season.
It must still be said, though, that the Bulls were by far the better team in the finals and throughout the season and will now go down as the champions of the last Super 14 ever. Good luck to the Melbourne Rebels or Southern Kings in next year’s Super 15.
Frans Steyn was also in the headlines. With him allegedly not being available for the Wales game, he has faced criticism that he is not committed to the Springboks. However, he met with Springbok coach Peter de Villiers on Friday where it was confirmed that he is both committed to the Springboks and also available to play next week.
News on the other side of the world was not so great for loose forward Phil Waugh, who may have already played his last game for the Wallabies. He was left out of the 30-man squad announced by coach Robbie Deans, for the June tests against Fiji, England and Ireland. There is also an interesting, and potentially problematic, situation brewing with all three of the country’s top flyhalves being selected. So who is going to wear the number 10 for the Wallabies: Quade Cooper, Berrick Barnes or Matt Giteau? Maybe Giteau at 10, Cooper at 12 and Barnes at 15; only time will tell.
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