Victor Matfield’s world best Half Back pair lets Bulls suffer against the Crusaders – Rugby news
Recently, Bulls captain Bull captain Victor Matfield hailed his half back pair of Fourie du Preez and Morne Steyn as the World’s best and a week later, the World’s Best half back pair and looking to be world best fly half failed to score for their team.
Even more unfortunate is the fact that the team i.e. Bulls were unable to score a point against their encounter with the Crusaders at AMI stadium played earlier today.
Crusaders overcame the challenge of the super rugby champions in style as they deliver probably their best performance of the season in the match. The performance was very clinical and methodological as Crusaders delivers the best to turn the contest one
sided.
For Bulls, this was their third consecutive loss in the Super XV and has slipped to 7th place in the combined table of the Super XV while the Crusaders have to wait for the result of Stormers Vs Reds game to confirm their first position in the
Super XV.
Crusaders have dominated the both halves and after overcoming the initial resistance of the Bulls. They did not allow any free scoring opportunities to the Bulls and the penalties they won are the closest they get to scoring. Crusaders started the game on
the positive note and kept both ball and territory possession as team settled after initial kicking phase.
Crusaders take the lead during the 10th minute of the game as their Fly Half successfully kicked his second penalty of the match to take the score 3-0. During 12th minute due to Crusaders line out, Bulls opted for Scrum allowing Crusaders to win the scrum
through their Centre Sonny Bill Williams who drove himself through the Bulls midfield to score the first try of the game.
Berquist missed the following conversion however scored penalty in the 22nd minute to take the score to 14 – 0. Crusaders continued to control the game with increase ball possession and finished the first half with Berquist scoring his third penalty of the
game to finish the first half at 14 – 0.
Crusaders carried the momentum in the second half also and scored through their Full Back Israel Dagg. Israel Dagg drove the Bulls Number 8 Pierre Spies over the try line to score the second try for Crusaders in the 42nd minute. Crusaders lead was further
extended when Berquist scored his last penalty of the match during the 68th minute. Crusaders were quick to recover from the ball if it ever goes to any of the Bulls player. Crusaders while remain solid while defending were phenomenal with their attack also.
Tom Marshall who substituted the Israel Dagg at Full Back position scored the third try for Crusaders in the 72nd minute to take the score to 27 – 0 that remained the same until the end of the game.
Crusaders played the game with such dominance that they only allowed a single opportunity to Bulls to have a shot at the goal, which came through the Morne Steyn. Crusaders will also be happy with Matt Berquist efforts who scored 12 points in the match.
Berquist was playing in absence of Dan Carter. Crusaders will take on the Chiefs for their round 9 game at Waikato Stadium, Hamilton.
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