Ex Supersport
In any normal circumstances, a rugby union celebrating a proud history of 75 years on the field would want to mark their success with a season that stands out in their history as one of their best.
But, thanks to two decisions, the Blue Bulls' celebrations slipped by without too much fanfare, and without too much to celebrate for the proud Pretoria union.
And those two decisions – one on the field and one off the field – would have massive consequences for the Bulls as they ended the year with only the South African Super Rugby conference trophy to their name.
While they were the best team in Vodacom Super Rugby (ONLY BY DEFAULT AS BOTH THE STORMERS AND SHARKS HAD AN HORRENDOUS INJURY TOLL - MEANING WE COULD HAVE HAD THREE OF THE TOP 4), and their under-19 team did win their championship with ease, there was little else to shout about in 2013, and some deep soul searching will have to go on at Loftus Versfeld if they are to regain their heights as the top rugby union in the country.
The decision on the field was Dewald Potgieter’s choice in those crucial moments in the Vodacom Super Rugby semifinal against the Brumbies to send three consecutive penalties to the sideline, rather than take the points on offer with the competition’s most successful kicker.(HE IS TALKING ABOUT MORNE STEYN OAKS)
It was a decision that will be debated for years to come, a decision which ultimately backfired as the Brumbies scored a 78th- minute try to send them into the final and give coach Jake White a great second season in Brumbies rugby.
It was a decision that could easily be interpreted to be wrong – after all, the Bulls have always been a team that builds an innings, that takes the conservative option. It is in their blood, in their make-up, and the 38 000 who witnessed the game live and the rest who saw it on television would have expected the same decisions.
But Potgieter’s decision – while it backfired – was perhaps not the wrong one. There was obviously a sense on the field that the team was struggling to “exit” their half, and the Brumbies are excellent at keeping the ball in hand. He felt – and it is a feeling backed up by others in private conversations – that the Bulls' forwards would rumble over for a try, thereby extending the lead and making the victory safe.(I AGREE IT WAS UNFORTUNATE BUT A RATIONAL DECISION)
Unfortunately it didn’t happen that way, and Potgieter sat stunned after the game, and left Loftus shortly afterwards, as that decision ended a season where the team had outperformed their critics, had overcome a poor tour and won important games in Auckland, Durban, Bloemfontein and remained unbeaten at Loftus to get to the semifinal.
The other decision – and perhaps the more far-reaching one – was the decision by the Bulls’ management and Board of Directors to allow another mass exodus of players halfway during the season.(BUT THE BULLE HAVE BOUGHT A RAFT OF VERY TALENTED PLAYERS AND MADE A LONG TERM DECISION)
Whatever the arguments about not being able to compete with the lure of the Euro and the Yen and foreign clubs’ buying power, the Bulls could at least have ensured a stronger Absa Currie Cup bid, but decided not to.
The changeover from one management team to another was never going to be easy, and while the Bulls got things right on the field, some strange decisions were made off the field that almost prompted the exodus. Any cynic would wonder if the Board of Directors actually wanted it to happen that way.(PROBABLY OVER BOUGHT YOUNG PLAYERS AND HAD TO LET SENIOR PLAYERS GO TO MEET THE BILL?)
After all, when news broke on SuperSport that the Bulls had offered a number of their players half their contract value to stay, it was almost assured that the players would move on. Then a decision when they received offers that were more lucrative overseas to release them before the end of their contracts, made no sense at all.(wHY NOT PLAY YOUR YOUNGER PALYERS AND USE CURRIE CUP TO BUY SOME EXPEREINCE -THE DIE WAS CAST AND BULLE REAPID THE SERVICE OF SENIOR PLAYERS BY GENROULSY LETTING THEM GO - BEENO IN RARE BENIGH MOOD RE BULLE. MUST BY THE WONDER OF CHRISTMAS!)
The likes of Dewald and Jacques Potgieter, Willie Wepener, Chiliboy Ralepelle and Jano Vermaak would all have played a more prominent role in the Currie Cup campaign and were all contracted until the end of October, but all were released at the end of Super Rugby, thereby weakening the Currie Cup squad significantly.
Add to that the bungle over Juandre Kruger’s contract – the Bulls only picked up that he was leaving at the end of June about a month before and then stood firm on offering a contract extension until it was too late – and you could easily be forgiven for asking what the motivation was in the boardroom.
It all amounted to a poor Currie Cup campaign, and while many wanted to blame Pine Pienaar for the team’s struggle to stay out of the relegation zone, the decisions taken at the boardroom level left the coaching team with a bunch of young players who were never going to challenge for honours.
The youngsters will improve as they mature, but building from the bottom is often a painful and lengthy task. Super Rugby is an unforgiving competition at the best of times, and unless those players are fast-tracked take that step up, 2014 could start off as a poor year for the Bulls again.
All this as the Bulls celebrated their 75th year in existence. Not one that will be remembered by a long shot – not one that will be celebrated either. Two decisions could have made a huge difference to those in Pretoria, but a gamble, and short- sightedness killed them off for good.
SEASON IN A NUTSHELL
Super Rugby: 2nd on log, lost in semifinal (last season 7th)
Currie Cup: Finished fifth (last season 4th)
Man of the Super Rugby season: Morne Steyn (PLEADSE NOTE OU MAAIKIE AND SNAPSTER!!!)
Man of the Currie Cup season: Bongi Mbonambi (NICE MOBILE HOOKER -BIT SMALL SO LETS SEE HOW HE GOES)
Most valuable player all-round: Frik Kirsten (SNAPSTER GET IT RIGHT)
Quo Vadis: The string of departures means that 2014 will see a massive squad of youngsters who will have to navigate Super Rugby? Will they be good enough? (BULLE HAD A HOST OF YOUNGSTERS PLAYING LAST YEAR - SO WILL BE BETTER THIS YEAR)
Most exciting new find: Jan SerfonteiN (ALLOW HIM TO BE THE PLAYMAKER - DONT USE HIM AS A CRASH BALLER)
Most promising young player: Handre Pollard (VERY GOOD PLAYER THS IAND SOME ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON. DEFINTELY BOK MATERIAL)
The bulle had some narrow losses. Their pack looked good and will be even better. Back line should be fine. Cant see them not making top 6
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