An intercept try by replacement Bjorn Basson five minutes before the end of the pre-Super 14 season match handed the Cheetahs a 20 – 16 win over the Bulls in Polokwane on Saturday.

However, it was not just a warm-up. For that, the tackles were too fierce, and the rucks too hard. To a large extent, that made up for the many early season errors – on both sides and especially in the first half – in a match that came to light in the second half.

The Bulls had the better of the first half when they dominated up front and in this period showed good structure, while the Cheetahs came back after the break with some solid scrumming and some good interplay between forwards and backs.

The fact that Bulls fly-half Morne Steyn attempted a drop from far out, and then aimed a penalty for the posts to make it 16-13 with only five minutes remaining, tells the story of how seriously the two sides approached the game.

But that Steyn penalty was to no avail as Bulls centre Wynand Olivier flung out a long pass on attack for Bjorn Basson to intercept and run 60 metres for a try converted by Jacques-Louis Potgieter to put his team 20-16 ahead – a lead they held onto to the end.

A feature of the game was the good defence on both sides – and the Cheetahs in particular were under the cosh for 75 per cent of the match but still managed to keep the Bulls down to a single try.

Although there is much that the two coaches will be pleased with, there is also plenty for them to work on. The Cheetahs were disappointing in the line-outs in the first half, and the little ball they got from the breakdown wasn’t good.

The Cheetahs were better on the ground where Springbok Heinrich Brussow was outstanding.

They will also be concerned that the Cheetahs had the better of the scrums after the break.

The Bulls will also wonder whether the perennial breakdown woes will ever be resolved. Some of Marius Jonker’s decisions obviously surprised them.
Jonker was especially strict ion the breakdown where both sides were often penalised.

The Bulls had a surfeit of first-half ball. They cleaned out the lineouts with ease, and the Cheetahs only won their first line-out after 24 minutes.

There were a few Bulls turnovers, but the Free State side received their possession mainly on the back foot and little was seen of their backs in what was a very hard but initially somewhat disappointing first half for the near capacity crowd.

Much of that can be attributed to the Cheetahs defence.

Although the Bulls had most of the game and penetrated the Cheetahs midfield twice early on, the visitors’ defence held.

Despite the Bulls possession, Steyn only put them on the board after a full 33 minutes, and repeated the feat two minutes later when Cheetahs full-back Hennie Daniller was yellow-carded for slapping down a ruck ball won by the Bulls.

From a line-out turnover in Cheetahs territory the Bulls, who started hitting their straps at the back as the first half went on, took it wide and it was the silky hands of Zane Kirchner put Akona Ndungane over after 32 minutes for Steyn to convert (13-3).

After half-time the Cheetahs somewhat surprisingly took control, and despite some poor moments for Meyer Bosman who had a forgettable game, they scored when former Bulls wing Danwel Demas chipped ahead for a good try.

With Jacques-Louis Potgieter converting, it became 13-10 and then 13-all after a Potgieter penalty before Steyn’s penalty and Basson’s converted try.

The scorers:

For Bulls:
Try: Ndungane
Con: Steyn
Pens: Steyn 3

For Cheetahs:
Tries: Demas, Basson
Cons: Potgieter 2
Pens: De Bruyn, Potgieter

Yellow cards: Hennie Daniller, 32 min (Cheetahs – professional foul), Marius Delport, 40 min (Bulls – professional foul)

Bulls: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Marius Delport, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Victor Matfield (c), 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Derick Kuün, 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp.
Replacements (from): Chiliboy Ralepelle, Frik Kirsten, Dean Greyling, Danie Rossouw, Heini Adams, Burton Francis, Wayne Julies, Gerhard van den Heever, Braam Gerber/Jaco Pretorius, Jacques Burger, Wilhelm Steenkamp.

Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Danwel Demas, 13 Piet van Zyl, 12 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 11 Jongi Nokwe, 10 Meyer Bosman , 9 Tewis de Bruyn, 8 Frans Viljoen, 7 Juan Smith (c), 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 David de Villiers, 4 Nico Breedt, 3 Bees Roux, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Wian du Preez
Replacements (from): Richardt Strauss, Kobus Calldo, Wayne van Heerden, Hendro Scholtz, Kabamba Floors, Sarel Pretorius, Corné Uys, Fabian Juries, Björn Basson.

Referee: Marius Jonker

Source: sarugby.co.za

Tags: bulls, cheetahs, super 14 warmup