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As it happened: Bulls v Blues

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Commentary by Sport24's Garrin Lambley


19:00 - Hope you enjoyed the coverage.

Be sure to switch over to Live Updates from the Sharks v Lions clash in Durban!


18:58 - In next weekend's Round 5 action, the Bulls have a bye while the Blues travel to Johannesburg to face the Lions (Saturday, March 15 at 15:00).


18:58 - FULL-TIME at Loftus Versfeld.

The Bulls win 38-22


18:56 - Anyway... it's in the record books now.

The try went to Marcel van der Merwe with Handre Pollard adding the conversion


18:56 - Commentators say NO try, TMO says no try - after he was consulted - but referee Lees gives it anyway...


18:55 - Controversial decision by the referee.

God, I await the day the IRB rewrite the law book


18:55 - TRY!


18:51 - And the Bulls turn defence into attack in the blink of an eye as the come very close to scoring. The Blues are forced to carry the ball over their own tryline.

5m scrum for the Bulls. Their last chance to pick up the five-pointer.


18:50 - The Blues are finishing strong, but the Bulls' defence remains equally so...


18:49 - Bulls skipper Flip van der Merwe leaves the field with 3.30 minutes to play - as the rain starts falling again.


18:48 - The Bulls have kept the dangerous Blues runners in check - so far.


18:46 - Time ticking away for the Blues. As things currently stand, they won't pick up a bonus point for losing by seven or fewer points


18:42 - The Blues are really growing annoyed with referee Lees


18:40 - And we're in to the final 10 minutes at Loftus


18:40 - PICTURE

Jono Ross storms up field (via the
Blue Bulls' Facebook page)


18:37 - And Potgieter cashes in as the Bulls' buffer is restored to nine points - 31-22 after 67 minutes


18:35 - Oh my word!

Another ref shocker. Referee Lees says play on, but then penalises Weepu.

As commentator Joel Stransky corrected points out, there are times - too many in fact - where Lees appears to wait for a call from his assistants


18:34 - The Bulls have a chance to stretch their lead again after the Blues are caught offsides, but Pogieter misses...


18:32 - And that man Simon Hickey continues to chip away at the Bulls' lead with his fifth penalty as the Blues are back within one score.

Bulls lead 28-22 after 62 minutes.

Interesting...


18:27 - And Hickey remains flawless as he adds the conversion.

Blues back within nine points...

Bulls 28-19 after 58 minutes


18:26 - Someone has scored for the Blues. It could have been awarded to replacement Pita Ahki


18:25 - TRY!


18:25 - Or have they... ?

The referee consults his TMO


18:24 - Oh dear, the Blues botch a certain try after a grubber from Hickey


18:22 - Centurion Akona Ndungane leaves the field after 55 minutes


18:21 - PICTURE

JJ Engelbrecht in action (via the
Blue Bulls' Facebook page)


18:21 - A number of substitutes enter the fray as the altitude starts to play a role


18:17 - Bulls centre pairing Jan Serfontein and JJ Engelbrecht have been superb tonight. And No 9 Francois Hougaard has certainly stepped up his game after a couple of iffy performances earlier this tournament.

Bodes well for the remainder of the Bulls' campaign


18:16 - Talking about rain, it has just started falling from the sky...


18:15 - Raining penalties in Pretoria now.

The Bulls kick for touch once again as they go in search of that all-important fourth try


18:12 - PICTURE

Potgieter celebrates his first-half try (via the
Blue Bulls' Facebook page)


18:11 - Potgieter lands the three-pointer and the Bulls are out to a 28-12 lead after 47 minutes


18:11 - They do clear, but the Bulls coming storming back (not like th Stormers), and win a penalty


18:09 - But they knock on. Provided this scrum isn't penalised for some reason, the Blues ought to be able to clear their lines.


18:09 - Penalty to the Bulls who opt to set up the lineout on the Blues' 5m line as they go in search of their bonus-point try.


18:06 - The mess at scrum time continues. No one turned up to watch every single scrum blown up.

Former front rankers must be tearing out their hair. I know of one in particular...


18:05 - Bulls boss Frans Ludeke seems happy enough with the 'composure' shown to date.


18:04 - Harsh words no doubt spoken in the Blues' changing room by coach John Kirwan and assistant Graham Henry


18:04 - AND WE'RE BACK!


17:51 - The Bulls lead 25-12 at the break.

Join us in 15 minute for the second stanza


17:51 - Potgieter misses the conversion as the HALF-TIME hooter sounds


17:51 - Far better from the Bulls this match - my SuperBru pick is looking good!


17:50 - Jan Serfontein crashes over in the corner for the Bulls. It's his second try of the season and his fourth Super Rugby five-pointer


17:49 - TRY!


17:47 - Referee Andrew Lees goes upstairs to confirm the grounding - and he's happy it's a 22m drop out.


17:46 - Luke Braid breaks free in midfield and kicks ahead, but Jan Serfontein beats the Blues attacker to the ball in the in-goal area.


17:42 - Weepu's latest feed looks exactly the same as the previous ones that were penalised - but the referee turns a blind eye...


17:40 - Hickey remains perfect from the kicking tee as he adds the Blues' fourth penalty.

Bulls lead 20-12 after 32 minutes


17:38 - For those of you who missed it, Jono Ross sat down and chatted to Sport24 during the week

Click HERE for that Q&A...


17:37 - Potgieter adds the conversion and the Bulls lead 20-9 after 29 minutes


17:36 - Blues coach John Kirwan will be pulling his hair out. Careless from the Blues who allow Ross to boot ahead, collect and score.


17:36 - Jono Ross scores for the home side!


17:36 - TRY!


17:35 - Blues playing all the rugby, but it gets scrappy. Ndungane almost intercepts, after which Flip van der Merwe puts in a kick... one that leads to a lineout.


17:33 - Three things in life are certain: Death, taxes and that rugby scrums will forever remain a joke


17:33 - And this time it's the Bulls who don't feed straight


17:30 - The Blues bounce back through a Hickey penalty for off-sides.

It's now Potgieter 13 Hickey 9...


17:28 - The Bulls stretch their lead to 13-6 after 20 minutes


17:27 - OVER from Potgieter, who, in the first 20 minutes has scored a try, conversion, penalty and drop goal!


17:26 - And Piri Weepu feeds the next scrum skew again!

Short-arm now turns into a full penalty. Early shove by the Bulls though...


17:24 - The ridiculous 'not straight' feed strikes again!

Whatever happened to ALL those who used to say "why would you collapse a scrum on attack?"

So I ask, why would you put it in skew to a scrum?


17:23 - TWEET

Hoekom is my ou huis so leeg vanmiddag. Kom Bulle vat vas manne. Blessings - Bakkies Botha


17:23 - The Bulls lead 10-6 after 15 minutes at fortress Loftus Versfeld


17:22 - Another penalty to the Blues and Hickey is once again on target.

Oh, and Hickey is just 18 years old...


17:21 - TWEET

What's up small crowd at Loftus is Super Rugby loosing its appeal - Rob Louw


17:19 - DROP GOAL from Jacques-Louis Potgieter out of no where


17:17 - And it's over! The Blues narrow the gap to 7-3 after 11 minutes through flyhalf Simon Hickey


17:16 - Penalty to the Blues out in front.


17:15 - Potgieter adds the conversion and the Bulls lead 7-0 after 8 minutes


17:14 - Tight-head by the Bulls and Potgieter gets the ball, looks confused, runs, beats a few would-be tacklers and crashes over next to the poles!


17:14 - TRY!


17:12 - OH DEAR :(

The Bulls butcher a try through hooker Callie Visagie who knocks on over the line


17:11 - The Bulls turn defence into attack in a heart-beat. Some slip sliding going on, but the home site are in the Blues' 22m


17:08 - The Blues look good with ball in hand and promise to run everything back at the Bulls today.

The Bulls may well set a new tackle record...


17:06 - The Blues kick off. No rain at present, although it could play a role later.


17:05 - Akona Ndungane runs out for his 100th Super Rugby match


17:03 - CROWD? WHERE FOR ART THOU?

It may be wet in Pretoria, but literally nobody turned up for today's match.

Sad.


17:00 - Tom McCartney will replace James Parsons on the Blues' bench after Parsons received a last-minute call-up to replace veteran Keven Mealamu.


16:55 - NICK MALLETT AND CO. SAY IT'S THE BULLS!

Nick Mallett suggests the Bulls will be the more desperate team and can't afford to lose a third Super Rugby match out of four.

John Mitchell says 'Bulls by 6'

Naas Botha says something about it 'depending on the style they play'.


16:55 - The field is rather damp due to the torrential rainfall on the highveld in the past week, the warm up watch was moved to the B fields in order to keep the Loftus pitch in prime condition but there is not any rainfall at the moment.


16:41 - LATE CHANGE!

Blues hooker Keven Mealamu has been ruled out of the match. He will be replaced by James Parsons.

No word yet on who will replace Parsons on the bench.


16:41 - Akona Ndungane will join twin brother, Odwa, and 21 other South Africans when he plays in his 100th Super Rugby match.

The full list of South African Vodacom Super Rugby centurions:

127: Victor Matfield (Cats 8, Bulls 119)
125: AJ Venter (Cats 19, Sharks 96, Stormers 10) and John Smit (Sharks)
123: Morné Steyn (Bulls)
122: Stefan Terblanche (Sharks)
118: Bryan Habana (Bulls 61, Stormers 57)
116: Danie Rossouw (Bulls), Jannie du Plessis (Cheetahs 26, Sharks 90)
114: Jacques Botes (Sharks)
113: Pedrie Wannenburg (Bulls), Adi Jacobs (Bulls 21, Cats 4, Sharks 88)
112: Fourie du Preez (Bulls)
110: Wynand Olivier (Bulls)
108: Ollie le Roux (Natal 24, Sharks 60, Cats 3, Cheetahs 21), Meyer Bosman (Cheetahs 61, Sharks 47)
107: Odwa Ndungane (Bulls 10, Sharks 97)
105: Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks)
104: Andries Bekker (Stormers), Jano Vermaak (Cats 11, Lions 62, Bulls 31)
103: Pierre Spies (Bulls)
102: Albert van den Berg (Cats 7, Sharks 95)
100: Bakkies Botha (Bulls)


16:27 - TWEET - VIA SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY

On last visit to Loftus, Gareth Anscombe scored all of the Blues’ points as they shocked the Vodacom Bulls by 29-23

Last year, the Bulls won in Auckland, try scored by Akona Ndungane, playing in his 100th VSR match today. Well done!

Bulls have 92% success rate at scrum time and 90% in the line-outs, which puts them in the upper echelons when it comes to set pieces.

Bulls have scored two tries in three matches and the Blues seven in two. Will this matter today or will weather, boot dictate? Who to win?




15:54 - BULLS TO SAVE SA FACE?

Can the Bulls do what the Cheetahs and Stormers have failed to do so this weekend - win against foreign opposition?

The Cheetahs went down 43-33 to the Reds in Brisbane, while the Stormers lost an agonising clash against the Crusaders, 14-13.


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OFFICIALS

Referee: Andrew Lees (Australia)

Assistant referees: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa), Sieg van Staden (South Africa)

TMO: Johan Greeff (South Africa)


RECENT RESULTS

2013: Bulls won 28-21, Auckland
2012: Blues won 29-23, Pretoria
2010: Blues won 32-17, Auckland
2009: Bulls won 59-26, Pretoria
2008: Blues won 23-21, Auckland
2007: Bulls won 40-19, Pretoria


TEAMS:

Bulls:

15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Jono Ross, 7 Jacques du Plessis, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Flip van der Merwe (captain), 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 Dean Greyling

Substitutes: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Morné Mellett, 18 Marcel van der Merwe, 19 Paul Willemse, 20 Jacques Engelbrecht, 21 Piet van Zyl, 22 Handré Pollard, 23 Ulrich Beyers.

Blues:

15 Charles Piutau, 14 Frank Halai, 13 George Moala, 12 Jackson Willison, 11 Tevita Li, 10 Simon Hickey, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Peter Saili, 7 Luke Braid (captain), 6 Steven Luatua, 5 Tom Donnelly, 4 Liaki Moli, 3 Charlie Faumuina, 2 James Parsons, 1 Tony Woodcock

Substitutes: 16 Tom McCartney, 17 Sam Prattley, 18 Angus Ta'avao, 19 Patrick Tuipulotu, 20 Brendon O'Connor, 21 Bryn Hall, 22 Chris Noakes, 23 Pita Ahki


Welcome to Sport24's LIVE scoring and interactive commentary on today's Super Rugby match between the Bulls and Blues in Pretoria!


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