A MATT DUFFIE DOUBLE HELPED THE BLUES SCORE 31 SECOND HALF POINTS TO BAG A BONUS POINT 38-14 VICTORY OVER A TIRED-LOOKING BULLS AT EDEN PARK ON SATURDAY.
Both sides needed a confidence-boosting second win for the season and with the scores locked at 7-7 after a messy first half it could have gone either way.
But once Duffie lit up the scoreboard with his first try five minutes into the second spell, the Blues found a previously unrealised composure to shut the Bulls down.
By the final whistle they had scored six tries to two to gain a valuable bonus point as well and captain James Parsons put the improvement down to lessons learned in last week’s 24-33 loss to the Canterbury Crusaders.
“People spoke poorly about our forward pack and we knew what was coming tonight and we stood up. But it’s a stepping stone. Just like last week gave us some confidence this will give us a little bit more,” he said.
The Blues did not help themselves in the first half with a high error rate and blowing two penalty chances. The first penalty they kicked for the corner to challenge the Bulls at a lineout and lost. The second time they went for the points but Piers Francis missed from close range.
But it was a different look in the second half which started when fullback Michael Collins created the space for Duffie to score his first try by the posts.
Collins was also a central figure in the Blues’ first try, three minutes into the game, when he handled twice in a passing spree down the left touchline which ended with Augustine Pulu touching down.
The Bulls gained huge amounts of territory for 50 minutes from the pinpoint accuracy of Handre Pollard’s boot. One 60-metre effort in the first half led to a five-metre lineout which produced their first try to prop Lizo Gqoboka.
But as the Bulls began to tire the spaces opened up for Duffie to add his second try, followed by Ihaia West, Matt Moulds, Melani Nanai, before Rudy Paige scored the Bulls second try on the full-time.
“In the second half, we couldn’t build pressure at all. We just lost the ball after one or two phases. Against these guys, they run you all over the park and you can’t hold up that wall for 80 minutes,” Bulls captain Adriaan Strauss said.
Man of the match: Ruan Steenkamp tackled his heart out while Trevor Nyakane and Lizo Gqoboka will be more than pleased with their time on the park as they make their presence known in all facets. Handre Pollard’s tactical kicking kept the Bulls in the game during the first half. Augustine Pulu controlled the tempo brilliantly in the match while Matt Duffie displayed his strength and speed to grab two well-deserved tries. The Blues team centred around the performance of one player, Jerome Kaino. The No.8 carried strongly and put in his fair share of tackles to provide his side with some much-needed impetus.
Scorers:
For the Blues:
Tries: Pulu, Duffie 2, West, Moulds, Nanai
Cons: Francis 2, West
For the Bulls:
Tries: Gqoboka, Paige
Cons: Pollard, T Schoeman
Yellow card: Jimmy Tupou (Blues, 59 – neck roll)
Teams:
Blues: 15 Michael Collins, 14 Matt Duffie, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 George Moala, 11 Melani Nanai, 10 Piers Francis, 9 Augustine Pulu, 8 Jerome Kaino, 7 Blake Gibson, 6 Jimmy Tupou, 5 Patrick Tuipulotu, 4 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 3 Charlie Faumuina, 2 James Parsons (captain), 1 Pauliasi Manu.
Replacements: 16 Matt Moulds, 17 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18 Sione Mafileo, 19 Akira Ioane, 20 Murphy Taramai, 21 Billy Guyton, 22 Ihaia West, 23 TJ Faiane.
Bulls: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Jamba Ulengo, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Piet van Zyl, 8 Hanro Liebenberg, 7 Nick de Jager, 6 Ruan Steenkamp, 5 Lodewyk de Jager, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Lizo Gqoboka.
Replacements: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Pierre Schoeman, 18 John-Roy Jenkinson, 19 Rudolph Snyman, 20 Jannes Kirsten, 21 Rudy Paige, 22 Tian Schoeman, 23 Burger Odendaal.
Referee: Nicholas Berry (Australia)
Assistant referees: William Houston (Australia), Nick Briant (New Zealand)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
Agence France-Presse
The Blues have finally delivered an 80-minute effort, running in five second- half tries to outplay the Bulls 38-14 in their Super Rugby clash at Eden Park.
The South Africans offered little resistance in the second 40 minutes on Saturday after matching the Blues 7-7 at halftime. Only an 80th-minute try to replacement halfback Rudy Paige restored respectability to the scoreline.
The Blues had desperately needed a win after successive losses to the Chiefs, Crusaders and Highlanders, and started on the right note with a try inside three minutes.
The attack came off a solid lineout, gathered momentum with good support play and sharp handling down the left touchline and was finished in style by halfback Augustine Pulu.
Piers Francis’s conversion gave the Blues a 7-0 lead, but the Bulls hit back in traditional style after a superb Handre Pollard kick found touch just five metres out from the try-line.
The South African rolling maul rumbled into action from the attacking line-out as the visitors showed patience and control before prop Lizo Gqoboka reached out an arm to touch down near the posts.
Pollard’s conversion levelled the scores, but although the Blues continued to secure plenty of possession, a series of handling errors and ill-timed turnovers around the ruck meant they couldn’t capitalise.
The 7-7 halftime scoreline lasted just five minutes after the restart.
Fullback Michael Collins attacked the line, offloaded to winger Matt Duffie who showed quick feet and a solid fend before racing clear to touch down and give the Blues a 14-7 lead.
Duffie extended the lead 10 minutes later, timing his run to latch onto a perfectly weighted Francis cross-field kick to dot down in the corner.
Ahead 19-7, the Blues looked well in control until flanker Jimmy Tupou’s yellow card for a neck-hold tackle set them back on edge as the hour mark approached.
The Bulls couldn’t find the field position to take advantage, however, and the Blues struck a telling blow while still a man down when replacement first-five eighth Ihaia West dived over for the bonus point try.
They finished with a hiss and roar and Matt Moulds and Melani Nanai both crossed as the Blues ran with increasing confidence.
LikeLike