The Bulls set up the first all-South African final in Vodacom Super 14 history by beating the Crusaders 27-12 in the second semi-final played at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday evening.

In match that produced no tries Derick Hougaard booted the Bulls into their first final, against the Sharks in Durban next Saturday, with eight penalties (equaling the Super Rugby record) and a dropped goal.

The Bulls struggled to re-kindle their awesome form of the week before when they pulverised the Reds by a record score, but they did manage to maintain good field position to allow Hougaard to open the scoring with two penalties.

It was soon evident that the match was going to have the tenor of a typical test match between the Springboks and the All Blacks with the Crusaders trying at every opportunity to put width on the ball and with the Bulls trying to establish forward superiority.

And gradually it went the way of the powerful blue bulldozer as the Crusaders, who had skipper Richie McCaw yellow-carded by Australian referee Matt Goddard in the 57th minute, started to commit a string of uncharacteristic errors.

Some of these turned over the ball and others led to penalties — penalties which were turned into points to the resounding echo of Gè Korsten’s “Liefling” as Hougaard slotted five penalties (including one from 55 metres right on the whistle) to the three of Dan Carter to have the Bulls 15-9 up at half time.

More after the jump

[Via: SuperSport]