The Stormers have won nine of their last 12 Super Rugby games against the Bulls (L3), including a 13-0 win in their last encounter.
It was just the second time that either team had kept the other scoreless in the history of this fixture.
- The Bulls have won two of their three Super Rugby Unlocked fixtures, including a 27-point win over the Sharks in Round 3 – the biggest win of any team in the competition thus far.
- The Stormers have won each of their two Super Rugby Unlocked games thus far; though, both of their wins have come by margins of fewer than seven points on the day.
- The Bulls (23) and Stormers (20) have beaten more defenders per game than any other team in Super Rugby Unlocked.
- The Bulls’ RuanNortje has made 20 carries and 21 tackles throughout Super Rugby Unlocked, making him one of only two players (Wayne van der Bank) to have made 20+ in both categories.
Match detail
We are waiting for the kick-off.
1.00: PEEEEP! We are underway at Loftus Versveld, Pretoria.
3.00: Warrick Gelant overcooks his banana kick, which goes out on the full. The Bulls have the lineout inside the Stormers part of the field. The hosts win a penalty at the ruck. Morné Steyn calls for the tee.
4.00: PENALTY! Steyn opens the scoring from distance. 3-0
5.00: Stormers win a penalty. Damian Willemse calls for the tee.
6.00: PENALTY! Willemse, from in front, levels the scores. 3-3
9.00: Bulls are looking dangerous in the wide channels. Travis Ismaiel and Kurt-Lee Arendse call for the ball, but the passing is a bit behind the players. Eventually, after a series of attacks, Steyn kicks for territory.
11.00: Willemse, waiting for referee Jaco Peyper to tie his shoelaces, boots the ball deep into Bulls territory.
12.00: Another penalty goes to the visitors, this time they don’t kick at goal, opting for the attacking lineout instead.
13.00: Hands in the ruck, Willemse will get a crack from right in front of the sticks.
14.00: PENALTY! Willemse doubles his team’s lead. 3-6
16.00: Juarno Augustus deliberately knocks down Ivan van Zyl’s pass. Steyn has another chance to level.
16.00: PENALTY! Steyn draws his team level again. 6-6
18.00: The Bulls are pinned inside their 22, they try running out before Steyn clears. The ball is not out. Dan du Plessis pins the hosts back near their 22.
19.00: David Kriel and Cornal Hendricks both taken knocks during the last couple of plays, so play has slowed down.
21.00: JD Schickerling climbs on top of the maul for some reason, and concedes a needless penalty. Steyn boots the Bulls towards the opposition’s 22.
22.00: Bulls win another penalty for illegally sacking the driving maul; Steyn, this time to the corner.
23.00: TRY! Johan Grobbelaar crashes over the whitewash after a powerful second shove by the hosts. 11-6
24.00: CONVERSION! Steyn adds the extras. 13-6
27.00: Lots of reset scrums.
28.00: TRY! Stedman Gans finishes off a sublime move after Van Zyl broke off the scrum, and beats four defenders to set-up the try. The ball got recycled quickly to Steyn, whose audacious no-look out-the-back-door pass found Gans to score. 18-6
29.00: CONVERSION! Steyn adds the extras. 20-6
33.00: It’s all Bulls at the moment. coach Jake white will be happy with what he has seen, his team has all the momentum.
34.00: TRY! Van Zyl finishes off another attack. Gans took a tackle when he should have passed inside, but he got the offload to the supporting scrumhalf to run in for five. 25-6
35.00: MISS! Steyn’s kick bounces off the upright. 25-6
37.00: TRY! Ruan Nortje scores under the posts. Steyn collects his chip-kick and sends the lock away for the score. 30-6
39.00: CONVERSION! Steyn adds another two. 32-6
41.00: The visitors are shellshocked, they don’t know what to do, and Rikus Pretorius throws a forward pass into touch.
42.00: Steyn gets a chance to have a shot at goal from distance.
42.00: MISS! Steyn shaves the posts. 32-6
The halftime score was Bulls 32 Stormers 6
41.00: PEEEEP! We are back underway on the Highveld.
44.00: The Stormers go to their driving maul, looking to spark something. We go back for the penalty. Willemse will boot the ball to the Bulls 22.
46.00: The wind is starting to pick up, with a storm threatening later in the evening.
47.00: Bulls win the penalty, Steyn relieves the pressure.
48.00: Willemse’s penalty is not out, the flyhalf looked for distance, but the wind held up the ball. The Bulls clear to the opposition’s 22, and the Stormers clear. the clearance is to their 10m.
50.00: TRY! Gans latches onto Steyn’s deft chip-kick, breaks a tackle, gets up, and dives over for his second. 37-6
51.00: CONVERSION! The kick is good. 39-6
53.00: The players are having a quick water break while the medics see to an injured player.
56.00: Travis Ismaiel gives away a needless penalty at the breakdown. Willemse bangs the ball deep into the Bulls’ 22. A rare chance for the visitors to get their driving maul going.
58.00: The Bulls survive after the Stormers botch the attacking opportunity.
59.00: Rikus Pretorius knocks-on in contact – scrum to the Bulls inside their 10m. The benches are starting to empty as both teams look for fresh legs. The visitors will be going straight to the bus, never mind the change room.
62.00: Bulls are not back 10 metres, Willemse is down, getting checked by the medics.
64.00: GAME SUSPENDED DUE TO LIGHTNING! We will keep you updated on the match situation. The players head to the tunnel for a breather. 39-6
We are still waiting for word from the officials as to the situation regarding the thunderstorms in Pretoria.
After a delay of 35 minutes, the officials have decided to call the game off. The Bulls will be awarded a 39-6 bonus-point win.
Unfortunately, due to the Super Rugby tournament taking place during the late spring, early summer, thunderstorms can affect the Highveld.
Last week’s match against Griquas finished just a hail storm came teeming down as the players left the field.
FULL TIME
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The final score is Bulls 39 (32) Stormers 6 (6)
Scorers
Bulls
Tries – Grobbelaar, Gans (2), Van Zyl, Nortje
Pen – Steyn (2)
Con – Steyn (4)
Drop –
Cards –
Stormers
Tries –
Pen – Willemse (6)
Con –
Drop –
Cards –
Match Officials
Referee: AJ Jacobs
Assistant Ref 1: Aimee Barrett-Theron
Assistant Ref 2: Stuart Berry
TMO: Jaco Peyper
Teams
Bulls
15 David Kriel, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Cornal Hendricks, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Duane Vermuelen (captain), 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1. Jacques van Rooyen
Replacements: 16 Joe van Zyl, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Marcel van der Merwe, 19 Sintu Manjezi, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Chris Smith, 23 Marco Jansen van Vuren
Stormers
15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Leolin Zas, 13 Dan du Plessis, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Juarno Augustus, 7 Ernst van Rhyn, 6 Jaco Coetzee, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff (captain)
Replacements: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Leon Lyons, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Chris van Zyl, 20 Ben-Jason Dixon, 21 Marcel Theunissen, 22 Godlen Masimla, 23 Tim Swiel
