Good to see Lentjes back. Actually looking forward to seeing how F Smith goes at fullback.
Bulls
Match thread
Highlanders
Fark me penalty try and YC ! FFS stupidity - just as I was about to talk up Fletcher Smith too
Don't know whose pass was intercepted, but this was a very easy try they gave away to the Bulls. 14 - 7 after 31 minutes.
Aside from the solitary try, there's been some pretty dumb decisions made and penalties given away by the Landers this half
@shadowtrooper Yeah, disappointing. Lucky not to concede another try just before the break.
@shadowtrooper said in Bulls v Highlanders:
Aside from the solitary try, there's been some pretty dumb decisions made and penalties given away by the Bulls this half
Fixed
@stargazer since when is having Jesse Kriel in the opposing team "luck"
2nd half starts Pretty much like the 1st...A Smith & F Smith combine for a brilliant run in under the sticks
@sidbarret wow, no talk even
Pollard was never going to miss that kick. Bulls lead 28 - 26 with less than 4 minutes to play.
@stargazer poor option from the HL prop to come in
Landers showed some good goal line defence but they were very lucky not to concede a yellow card when the ball was right on their line and they weren't letting go
Surprised they didn't hook Lomax earlier. He was being dominated by his opposite at scrum time for most of the game and doesn't look to be Super Rugby quality just yet. Really don't see what all the hype about him was about.
Sopoaga played well apart from kicking the ball away with 3 minutes to go when his team was 2 points behind.
Pollard was outstanding. Controlled that game beautifully and was easily the best player on the field. He's definitely world class.
nice try by the SMith trio.
Fletcher Smith looks handy, shame NOrthland managed to buggar that one up.
@sidbarret said in Bulls v Highlanders:
Jackson is a fucken cheat
@sidbarret said in Bulls v Highlanders:
@sidbarret wow, no talk even
Bit surprised their hasn't been comment on Hometown Jacko giving the penalty try.
Looked yellow and penalty for sure, but "probable try"? He still had to off load to a supporting player with two defenders there from memory. Always a dubious call so can see why there aren't any complaints but I wouldn't have given it.
Oh, and Sid, the problem with Jackson is that he really isn't very good.
@taniwharugby have been keeping an eye on Darmacena at the Rebels,I wonder if we have missed a trick after watching Fletcher Smith
Was Northland after Fletcher Smith?
I think Waikato will be happy with his signing as the starting 1st 5.
@bovidae word is, he came up, spent some time looking at facilities, spoke with coaches, players etc...was ready to sign on dotted line but heard Dale MacLeod (who had got him up here) was being pushed out the door, he chose not to...
So him alongside Solomon Alaimalo (who MacLeod got up here) Northland lost due to them pushing MacLeod out...which given all the good I had heard he was doing devlopment-wise and getting our players in front of Super coaches and from anyone who dealt with Macleod, sounded like a big mistake letting him go.
@snowy Jackson had the option not to call that a PT, but it was flagrant that very few people would complain about that one.
In the second half a number of 50-50 s went the Highlander's way, with very wide gates being allowed in defence and a number fortuatious could not roll away quicker calls going their way.
But the second last penalty the Highlanders kicked was one of the worst calls you'll see this season. The bulls loose head (who was fantastic in this game) counter rucked perfectly coming straight over the ball from right behind the ruck. Jackson pulled a bs penalty right out of his ass, which ultimately decided the game.
Your last comment is both true and partly the reason for my annoyance. Jackson is a very poor ref, inaccurate with his calls and inconsistent with what he expects from the players. Yet despite that he has moved up the ranks to find himself on the elite panel where he simply doesn't belong.
@taniwharugby Dale McLeod has signed with Southland as part of their coaching staff,wishing him all the best..hope it does not come back to bite us.
@sidbarret Yeah but it's still a penalty to the Highlanders. Hands in the ruck. Ball never moved so half back can't pick it up. Right result wrong offence
That penalty v the Bulls loosehead was indeed dire. One of those exasperating 'aren't defenders allowed to play rugby?' moments.
@sidbarret I think you are missing snowy's point.
Had the Bulls held on and won, everybody on this side would be up in arms about the penalty try. I've no complaints, but it certainly wasn't as cut and dry as you are making out.
To say a number of 50-50's went the highlanders way is probably as silly as my view that SA hometown video refs are blatant biased cheats. Neither are accurate, but you can only see what you see. Certainly plenty of evidence, but nobody ever remembers correct decisons.
@majorrage I was wrong to call Jackson a cheat, but I stand with what I've said since, the games he referees are frustrating to watch and he detracts from the spectacle.
re the penalty try. Funnily enough, live I would probably not have called the pt, but upon seeing the replay (posted on this thread) it a stone cold PT. Last defender is beaten and all Gellant had to do was catch the ball to score.
But let's move on from the refereeing (which wasn't the main issue in the game and only mentionable because the game ended up being close)
The bulls should have won handedly with the opportunities they had. Sure the HL defended well, but this bulls side is lacking penetration. They have two good carriers playing at lock, but that's it and without big strike weapons you need to be faultless, which the bulls failed to be.
@sidbarret only watched on highlights but on viewing I only saw it as being a PT, for me it was an easy call.
@taniwharugby said in Bulls v Highlanders:
@sidbarret only watched on highlights but on viewing I only saw it as being a PT, for me it was an easy call.
Same.