Bulls don’t mind winning ugly

WYNONA LOUW

A match between the Stormers and the Bulls is a production that doesn’t need a massive trailer to grab interest, or any trailer at all. Today, when the Stormers host their old foes at Newlands in a Super Rugby showdown, there will be a number of subplots.

Stormers coach John Dobson has spoken at length this week about the big scrummaging contest he’s expecting, and that’s certainly going to be one of the most important battles.

While the Stormers schooled the Hurricanes at the scrum last week, Dobson made it clear that he’s well aware of the fact that the Bulls are going to be tougher competition when the two packs get into formation.

The Bulls have unleashed Springbok prop Trevor Nyakane for this clash after he came off the bench in their opener against the Sharks last week. While his presence alone will do a lot for the Bulls set-piece, it’s one the Stormers should still be able to win.

The Capetonians have major quality in their starting front row of Frans Malherbe, who will play his 100th game today, Steven Kitshoff and Scarra Ntubeni, but it’s their back-up on the powerful bench that should make the Faithful feel quite confident.

It was a thing of beauty for the Stormers last week, and we’ve seen many times that it’s a weapon that Dobson’s team can use to their advantage.

And do we need to touch on Morné Steyn? There can be no doubt that this guy will be a major feature in this encounter, his boot guarantees that. Dobson has said that they’re going to have to be pragmatic on attack, bearing in mind the threat of the former Bok’s kicking game. But it’s one the Stormers can survive.

They’ve been impressive in terms of their penalty count so far, and keeping those errors to a minimum today as well will go a long way in

It’s another instalment of the famous traditional North-south rugby rivalry at Newlands today. Rugby writers and

stick their necks out ...

ensuring that Steyn doesn’t have an abundance of opportunities to gain territorial advantage or three points courtesy of his pistol boot.

Also, the breakdown. The Stormers can boss that area for sure.

All those factors are big ones, major ones, but it’s in the nuances where I think the Stormers can win this one or, at least, pull the game out of reach of their rivals.

The Stormers backs are devastating, and it only takes one scoop of a loose ball or an intercept (just ask the Canes) for them to wreak havoc.

Sure, the Stormers’ pack is one of their most valuable assets given their pure quality and strong Springbok flavour, but let’s not forget about that brilliant backline.

IF last weekend provided any clues to how the season will unfold, it’s that the Bulls won’t mind winning ugly to achieve their goal to make the play-offs and roll the dice from there.

It’s this approach I reckon they’ll take in Cape Town, knowing full well the pressure is on the Stormers after they humiliated the Hurricanes last week. The Bulls love to hide beneath the surface as “underdogs”, when in fact there should be no such tag considering they are the most successful South African franchise.

But with all eyes – some watery and melancholy at the thought of saying goodbye to Newlands – on the Stormers, the Bulls can play the kind of conservative game that the modern world detests.

The Stormers are shedding some of their own conservative skin, which hardened over the past decade, in favour of the kind of rugby that won the Springboks the World Cup.

They want to move the ball quickly and hungrily to their outside backs but not before tenderising their opponents with some old-fashioned brawn up front. They have the tools for both jobs, too. Their flyhalf, Damien Willemse, oozes silk, satin and skill. They have an all-springbok front row that’s complemented by Pieter-steph du Toit’s dynamism.

There are few places where the Bulls can match the Stormers. But their goal is not to look good; it’s to win the contest, by any means.

Front-rowers Lizo Gqoboka and Trevor Nyakane showed last year they can match and even get the better of the more illustrious duo of Steven Kitshoff and Frans Malherbe. Bok lock Juandré

Kruger will fancy a steal or two at the line-out, while No 8 Josh Strauss can use his experience to bait young Johan du Toit into some rookie mistakes.

As we all know by now, Morné Steyn will punish any transgression within 40m to 50m range. The 35-year-old will lose plenty with age but never his kicking radar.

And if the Bulls can get to the 60-minute mark without conceding a try or at least frustrating the Stormers into errors on attack, they will get the Newlands crowd agitated and they could easily turn on their own team.

High expectations and the Stormers don’t gel. Much of it is due to the fans wanting them to win every game and win it playing “perfect rugby”. The Bulls know no such thing exists. The only perfect rugby is winning rugby.

It’s worth remembering, too, that a SA derby, this one in particular, is a marquee Super Rugby fixture – across all five nations represented. This game, not a NZ derby or trans-tasmanian rivalry, draws the most interest, in person and on television.