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Pretoria - Lock Juandre Kruger was the star of the show as the Vodacom Blue Bulls routed the Platinum Leopards 92-21 (halftime 35-21) in their Absa Currie Cup match at Loftus Versfeld on Friday.
The overwhelming 14-try victory sees the Bulls go into fourth place in the Currie Cup log, four points ahead of Western Province and with a 13-point lead in terms of points difference.
Western Province play the Pumas in Cape Town on Saturday and they need to either win with a bonus point, or win by 14 points or more to go through to the semi-finals at the expense of the Bulls.
The Bulls set out their stall to chase tries from early on, and it led to a first half where they did not quite put the Leopards away. The Bulls raced into a 21-0 lead midway through the first half, but the visitors were hard on their heels at the break as they scored two tries in the last two minutes to close the gap to 35-21.
The Leopards defensive line held well at close quarters, but they were vulnerable whenever the Bulls spread the ball wide and the greater pace, power, skill and conditioning of the home side eventually wore the North-West team down and they ended up on the receiving end of a proper pakslae.
Kruger has been one of the outstanding Bulls players in this edition of the Currie Cup, taking charge of the lineouts and keeping the Leopards forwards honest in the tight-loose. Don't understimate Kruger's pace and ball-skill either as he used those to good effect to run in two tries.
Flank Jacques Potgieter - most definitely the EP Kings' loss - was also hard to miss as he tirelessly and powerfully took the ball up, giving the Bulls fantastic front-foot ball.
The rout started in the 11th minute as flyhalf Louis Fouche' found an excellent touch from a penalty. The Bulls drove from the lineout, but were kept out by good Leopards defence at close quarters. So they spread the ball wide and wing Akona Ndungane was the extra man, crossing for the opening try.
Two minutes later, the marvellous Potgieter, second only to Kruger as man of the match, crashed through at pace, on the angle, the Bulls then quickly spreading the ball wide for eighthman CJ Stander to motor over the tryline.
In the 21st minute, Zane Kirchner, who served as a solid last line of defence for the Bulls, took an up-and-under and did well to get the ball back on the blue side. Scrumhalf Jano Vermaak then inspired a fine breakaway try as he spotted a three-on-one overlap on the blindside, passing to wing Bjorn Basson, who sped away and then passed back inside to Vermaak, who swerved past the cover defence to score.
Fouche' was having one of those good days with the boot - he succeeded with 11 of his 14 conversion attempts - and he made it 21-0 before the Leopards finally got going.
They looked to be making a match of it as flyhalf Wesley Dunlop, supporting scrumhalf Johann Laker's jinking run; centre Joubert Engelbrecht, dotting down Dunlop's clever stab through; and fullback Hoffman Maritz, bursting through from 65 metres out; all scored tries before halftime.
The Bulls also added two tries before the break. Centre Wynand Olivier made the break for midfield partner Francois Venter to come storming through and score, but the Springbok's day ended shortly afterwards as he was stretchered off with concussion after ramming his head into a hip in a tackle.
The Bulls final try of the first half was a fantastic effort as the Leopards defence lost track of an intricate move that involved a scissors between Fouche' and Potgieter, before Kruger showed his pace to win the race to the tryline.
The home team were inspired in the second half as they showed their hunger to remain in Currie Cup contention.
Kruger opened the second-half scoring in the 46th minute as he showed good vision in the backline, drawing defenders, throwing two dummies and then charging over for his second try.
The Leopards tried a sneaky tactic in pretending to kick for goal from a penalty; Dunlop instead hacking the ball wide in an attempt to find wing Wynand Willis, but Kirchner was alive to the danger and intervened, catching the ball and putting the Bulls straight back on attack.
It allowed the Bulls to show their sophistication and smarts on attack as a superb move saw Kirchner release Venter down the right. The stocky centre went on a storming run and, after lovely interplay with Basson, Kruger went on a strong run before passing back inside for Basson to score under the poles.
Fouche's conversion made it 47-21, but the Bulls were still a long way from putting pressure on Western Province. But a tremendous final quarter saw them pile on a further six tries, plus a penalty try.
The tiring Leopards were not helped by two yellow cards - to flank Luvuyiso Lusaseni for the deliberate knock-on that earned the penalty try, and veteran lock Bradley Mockford.
The pace and footwork of Basson proved too much for the defence as he completed his hat-trick with two more tries; replacement flank Arno Botha scored thanks to some powerful direct running; hooker and captain Gary Botha bustled over after taking a quick tap; Stander added to his first-half try by bursting from a ruck; and replacement centre Francois Brummer rounded off the flood of points in the 76th minute after Basson put himself in the Leopards backline to intercept a pass.
If the Bulls do find themselves in the semi-finals, they will certainly be a danger, especially with a few Springboks back in their ranks.
The overwhelming 14-try victory sees the Bulls go into fourth place in the Currie Cup log, four points ahead of Western Province and with a 13-point lead in terms of points difference.
Western Province play the Pumas in Cape Town on Saturday and they need to either win with a bonus point, or win by 14 points or more to go through to the semi-finals at the expense of the Bulls.
The Bulls set out their stall to chase tries from early on, and it led to a first half where they did not quite put the Leopards away. The Bulls raced into a 21-0 lead midway through the first half, but the visitors were hard on their heels at the break as they scored two tries in the last two minutes to close the gap to 35-21.
The Leopards defensive line held well at close quarters, but they were vulnerable whenever the Bulls spread the ball wide and the greater pace, power, skill and conditioning of the home side eventually wore the North-West team down and they ended up on the receiving end of a proper pakslae.
Kruger has been one of the outstanding Bulls players in this edition of the Currie Cup, taking charge of the lineouts and keeping the Leopards forwards honest in the tight-loose. Don't understimate Kruger's pace and ball-skill either as he used those to good effect to run in two tries.
Flank Jacques Potgieter - most definitely the EP Kings' loss - was also hard to miss as he tirelessly and powerfully took the ball up, giving the Bulls fantastic front-foot ball.
The rout started in the 11th minute as flyhalf Louis Fouche' found an excellent touch from a penalty. The Bulls drove from the lineout, but were kept out by good Leopards defence at close quarters. So they spread the ball wide and wing Akona Ndungane was the extra man, crossing for the opening try.
Two minutes later, the marvellous Potgieter, second only to Kruger as man of the match, crashed through at pace, on the angle, the Bulls then quickly spreading the ball wide for eighthman CJ Stander to motor over the tryline.
In the 21st minute, Zane Kirchner, who served as a solid last line of defence for the Bulls, took an up-and-under and did well to get the ball back on the blue side. Scrumhalf Jano Vermaak then inspired a fine breakaway try as he spotted a three-on-one overlap on the blindside, passing to wing Bjorn Basson, who sped away and then passed back inside to Vermaak, who swerved past the cover defence to score.
Fouche' was having one of those good days with the boot - he succeeded with 11 of his 14 conversion attempts - and he made it 21-0 before the Leopards finally got going.
They looked to be making a match of it as flyhalf Wesley Dunlop, supporting scrumhalf Johann Laker's jinking run; centre Joubert Engelbrecht, dotting down Dunlop's clever stab through; and fullback Hoffman Maritz, bursting through from 65 metres out; all scored tries before halftime.
The Bulls also added two tries before the break. Centre Wynand Olivier made the break for midfield partner Francois Venter to come storming through and score, but the Springbok's day ended shortly afterwards as he was stretchered off with concussion after ramming his head into a hip in a tackle.
The Bulls final try of the first half was a fantastic effort as the Leopards defence lost track of an intricate move that involved a scissors between Fouche' and Potgieter, before Kruger showed his pace to win the race to the tryline.
The home team were inspired in the second half as they showed their hunger to remain in Currie Cup contention.
Kruger opened the second-half scoring in the 46th minute as he showed good vision in the backline, drawing defenders, throwing two dummies and then charging over for his second try.
The Leopards tried a sneaky tactic in pretending to kick for goal from a penalty; Dunlop instead hacking the ball wide in an attempt to find wing Wynand Willis, but Kirchner was alive to the danger and intervened, catching the ball and putting the Bulls straight back on attack.
It allowed the Bulls to show their sophistication and smarts on attack as a superb move saw Kirchner release Venter down the right. The stocky centre went on a storming run and, after lovely interplay with Basson, Kruger went on a strong run before passing back inside for Basson to score under the poles.
Fouche's conversion made it 47-21, but the Bulls were still a long way from putting pressure on Western Province. But a tremendous final quarter saw them pile on a further six tries, plus a penalty try.
The tiring Leopards were not helped by two yellow cards - to flank Luvuyiso Lusaseni for the deliberate knock-on that earned the penalty try, and veteran lock Bradley Mockford.
The pace and footwork of Basson proved too much for the defence as he completed his hat-trick with two more tries; replacement flank Arno Botha scored thanks to some powerful direct running; hooker and captain Gary Botha bustled over after taking a quick tap; Stander added to his first-half try by bursting from a ruck; and replacement centre Francois Brummer rounded off the flood of points in the 76th minute after Basson put himself in the Leopards backline to intercept a pass.
If the Bulls do find themselves in the semi-finals, they will certainly be a danger, especially with a few Springboks back in their ranks.
SCORERS:
Vodacom Blue Bulls - Tries: Akona Ndungane, CJ Stander (2), Jano Vermaak, Francois Venter, Juandre Kruger (2), Bjorn Basson (3), Penalty try, Arno Botha, Gary Botha, Francois Brummer. Conversions: Louis Fouche (11).
Platinum Leopards - Tries: Wesley Dunlop, Joubert Engelbrecht, Hoffman Maritz. Conversions: Dunlop (3).
