that made the Bulls look second best for the first time this season. It was a The stats do not always tell the full story, but if a team is going to miss 25 tackles, get less possession and territory and get repeatedly trodden at the breakdown it does tells a story of a team that was completely outplayed as the Blues controlled all the important facets of the game. Matfield in the post match had to concede that the Blues, “dominated the contact points and they beat us at the breakdown…on the night we just didn’t perform.”
Strength Has Become a Weakness?
Perhaps one would have to say that the Bulls lost to what has been one of their strengths thus far this season. Owning some of the best tactical kickers in the world in the form of Morne Steyn and Fourie du Preez they have always opted to kick first and run later. Today they were slack on their kick and chase as this tactic came horribly undone. The Blues had done their homework and decided to run the gifted possession back on every occasion. Armed with some brilliant counter attackers in their back three the Blues chose to play the phases, build confidence and momentum as Rudi Wulf and Rokocoko ran at the Bulls at will. The Bull’s other major strength is their lineouts, why not kick the ball but kick it out high up into the stands so the opposition don’t have a chance for the quick lineout?
Of course the Bulls have the luxury of still topping the table and will not lose too much sleep over the result but they will have to do some searching and reanalyze a game plan that might just need an overall.
This result has had the effect of compressing the table and bringing more teams into the competition as it gets a little bunched at the top now. We are in for a great second half of Super 14 2010. SEE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MATCH HERE.
