Bulls end Vodacom Super 14 era in style |
The Vodacom Bulls are the Vodacom Super 14 champions for 2010 following their 25-17 win over the Vodacom Stormers at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto.
The victory for the Pretoria franchise ensured that they ended the final season of the Vodacom Super 14 as the last team to win the title. They have now achieved three Super Rugby titles in four years after winning their first trophy in 2007.
Springbok flyhalf Morne Steyn added 20 points with the boot after kicking six penalties. He also converted his side’s only try which was scored by winger Francois Hougaard.
The Vodacom Stormers though outscored their opponents with two tries to one. Winger Bryan Habana and scrumhalf Ricky Januarie were the try-scores for the visitors. The former Vodacom Bulls winger Habana scored an intercept try shortly after the break while the Bok scrumhalf Januarie crashed over the try line late in the second half.
Steyn kicked three penalties early in the match to steer the defending champions to a 9-0 lead. However the moment of the game came in the first half when Hougaard scored the final’s first try which occurred in the first half which stretched his side’s lead to 16-0.
The winger received a short pass by scrumhalf Fourie du Preez and pierced the Vodacom Stormers’ defensive line. Hougaard eventually side-stepped fullback Joe Pietersen before diving over to score the Vodacom Bulls’ only try of the match.
Vodacom Stormers flyhalf Peter Grant added his first and only penalty in the 30th minute of the game before Habana scored an intercept try shortly after the restart. Grant converted Habana’s five-pointer to breach the deficit to 16-10.
However Steyn kicked three further penalties to steer the defending champions to a 25-10 lead. Januarie scored a consolation try in the 73rd minute for the visitors (17-25), but at that stage it became inevitable that the Vodacom Bulls were going to claim their third Super Rugby title.
Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke who has now achieved two consecutive Vodacom Super 14 titles praised his team’s character and hailed his seniors players such as captain Victor Matfield and scrumhalf Fourie du Preez in particular, for their strong influence on the outcome of the game.
“The building of our success started a long time, before I arrived at the Vodacom Bulls,” said Ludeke.
“There’s such a great family culture in the side. Victor and Fourie are really special guys. The way they lead from the front were great. It’s really important to have them continue playing, not only for us but for South African rugby as well.
“The young guys look’s up to them (Matfield and Du Preez). They listen to what Victor says behind the poles whenever our side is under pressure. For Victor and Fourie to have such a presence in our side, is great.”
Matfield believed that the Soweto result was an important one for the Vodacom Bulls and for rugby in South Africa. He once again thanked the rugby supporters for making the final a special one for all 40 000 spectators that attended the Orlando Stadium spectacle.
“It’s an awesome day for us and it’s a great day for our country,” said the Vodacom Bulls skipper.
“It’s a special day that everyone will remember for a long, long time. We knew what was coming, but I am not sure what they (Vodacom Stormers) were expecting. Playing in front of a full house with vuvuzelas was absolutely amazing.”
Vodacom Stormers captain Schalk Burger said he was disappointed with the result. He believed that the lead his side conceded early in the first half resulted in them chasing the game which was always going to be difficult, especially against a franchise such as the Vodacom Bulls.
“From our side, it’s always a disappointment to lose in a final,” added Burger.
“We knew what was coming. We knew they were going to blitz us and it was disappointing that we managed to give them such a big lead start early in the game.
“But all credit for the guys who gave it their all right until the end. Hopefully we’ll learn some lessons from this.”
Vodacom Super 14 Final Result:
25 - 17
Scorers: Vodacom Bulls – Try: Francois Hougaard; Conversions: Morne Steyn; Penalties: Steyn (6). Vodacom Stormers – Tries: Bryan Habana, Ricky Januarie; Conversions: Peter Grant (2); Penalty: Grant.
Issued by SARU Communications |
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