Cheetahs run gains more momentum
THE Cheetahs yesterday ventured into territory they’ve only set foot in once before, writes Liam Del Carme in Bloemfontein.
They recorded a fourth consecutive win, which equals their best sequence, in 2011.
While they never looked in danger of losing this contest, they were by some distance off the standards they set in their last three matches on tour.
The allure of playing the hapless Rebels had a paralysing effect on the hosts. They were afflicted by the indecent haste of a team in relentless pursuit of a bonus point without having completed the hard yards.
They were sure enough in the scrum with Trevor Nyakane, Adriaan Strauss and Lourens Adriaanse in the vanguard, while their performance at the ruck and in the collision in general did not want for intensity. Heinrich Brussow remains a ruck man of some force, while Lappies Labuschagne fits the description Mr Perpetual Motion.
However, once the ball emerged from the protected blanket of the forwards, they were plagued by poor passing.
With the touchline as a trusted ally, their lateral running was easy to defend, while on the occasions they made clean line breaks, impatience resulted in more errors.
Just after Raymond Rhule’s exuberance got the better of him with the try line at his mercy, the Cheetahs put together an attack of sustained pressure which ultimately resulted in a try for fullback Hennie Daniller in the left corner.
James O’Connor was impressive in the last line of the Rebels’ defence. Scott Higginbotham didn’t quite have the block-busting impact he used to have when he represented the Reds but, overall, the Rebels were combative enough to make a nuisance of themselves.
The halftime whistle provided a timely intervention. The Cheetahs emerged from the break having been re-read their tactical blue print and possibly some chapters of the riot act.
They displayed greater diligence when in possession, which meant their attacking play had a sharper edge.
Live-wire scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius, centre Robert Ebersohn and wings Willie le Roux and Rhule were able to put their stamp on proceedings.
What they so impatiently sought in the opening half suddenly became reality.
It took a bit of magic to get the ball rolling but when Ebersohn’s back pass found a speeding Rhule, it was just the spark the Cheetahs were looking for.
Three more tries, by Le Roux, Johann Sadie and Ryno Benjamin, were added to hand the Cheetahs a victory they may not savour, but will be relieved they achieved nonetheless.
The Cheetahs play the Stormers next week. T WAS AC Parker, respected rugby writer of The Argus who, after yet another defeat for his beloved Western Province, best summed up the aura that surrounds Loftus Versfeld rugby stadium.
Northern Transvaal had smashed Western Province 39-9 in the 1980 Currie Cup final. Parker put down the telephone after having dictated his report and said: “Coming to this place is like attending a funeral.”
“Ace ” Parker ’ s dejection was a perfect illustration of how sport generates the full gamut of emotions, for in the stands the Bulle fans were still celebrating one of their team’s greatest performances.
Loftus represents a shrine to the good folk north of the Jukskei (and many places elsewhere in the country), but to those teams who visit it is an impenetrable fortress.
It is a South African success story that germinated more than a century ago when a young lawyer from the Cape, destined to become the key founding father of Northern Transvaal or Blue Bulls rugby, settled in Pretoria.
The young man would be instrumental in the foundation of the Pretoria Rugby Club that, joined by others, would evolve to become the Pretoria rugby sub-union, under the Transvaal Rugby Union.
Robert Loftus Owen Versfeld was determined that rugby in Pretoria should have its own headquarters and was influential in persuading the city council in 1914 to set aside a tract of land, known as the Eastern Sports Grounds, with an area for the exclusive use of rugby.
It was on this site that subsequent administrations would build on the foundations laid by Versfeld and where today one of the great cathedrals of the game is to be found.
Versfeld, who went by his middle name, died in 1932 and it was decided to honour his memory by renaming the Eastern Sports Ground … Loftus Versfeld.
IRugby was a game made for the hard men of the north and it did not take long for Pretoria to become a compelling force and for the desire for independence to take hold.
Another key figure was Professor HB “Dave ” Davel of Tukkies who petitioned the SA Rugby Board to agree to a selfstanding union being formed.
His efforts proved successful and on March 25, 1938, 75 years ago this week, the formation of the Northern Transvaal Rugby Union was officially approved.
Since then Northern Transvaal, or the Blue Bulls as they are now known, have produced 123 Springboks; six
Legendary players have worn the famous blue jersey
Bok captains (Salty du Rand, Theuns Stofberg, Naas Botha, Adriaan Richter, Joost van der Westhuizen and Victor Matfield); 198 Super Rugby players; 31 centurions; 23 Currie Cup final victories (plus four drawn finals); three Super Rugby victories; two national coaches, and 12 victories against international touring sides.
Some of the country’s legendary players — Lucas Strachan, Hansie Brewis, Tom van Vollenhoven, Frik du Preez, Mof Myburgh, Mannetjies Roux, Thys Lourens, Botha, Louis Moolman, Ray Mordt, Matfield, Van der Westhuizen, Ruben Kruger, Johan Heunis, Louis and Uli Schmidt, Bryan Habana and Fourie du Preez, to name but a few — have worn the famous blue jersey.
If there is a lesson to be learnt it is that subsequent generations have stayed true to the dedication and vision of the pioneers and ensured that in every aspect Loftus Versfeld would remain a centre for excellence.
Administrators such as the wise Prof Fritz Eloff and the visionary marketer Robert Denton made sure the Bulls were trend-setters and succeeding managers have ensured that sound management and “staying ahead of the game” have been entrenched.
Most of all, the Bulls have always understood that the only way to build a winning sports brand is to have a winning team — which explains why a province often derided for its style of rugby turned out some of the game’s most prolific flyhalves in Brewis, Botha, Derick Hougaard and Morne Steyn.
There have been bad times but always the Bulls have come back and Pierre Spies and his men will know what is expected of them — some silverware to celebrate the union’s 75th birthday.