OK enough pussy footing and hooh hah about elbows, baby's, and dare I say, Karma.
This is a huge match for my beloved Bully Boys. Pull this off and they are in very good shape for a semi and with a bit of luck, a home semi.
If we look at the two games they have won on tour so far, it has been largely because they have reverted to the age old tight game plan (very well I might add), backed by pretty good kicking (well better than the opposition at least).
With Big Vic and Bakkies out of the picture, the Bulls cannot play quite this game plan. Expect them to still contest the breakdown like lunatics, but they won't easily dominate it by brute force without the right personnel and up against G Smith and co it won't be easy. (Actually, Kimlin's work in this area against the Stormers impressed me. )
Replacement lock Steenkamp is a more mobile player, with Rossouw able to more play a more tight game, although it's not his forte. Steenkamp actually doesn't offer a whole lot except very good lineout work (he is 2m tall and ran the Bulls lineout well last year - unfortunately I never saw him do much else.).
I expect the Bulls to move it a bit more as they did with good success early on in the season. They will target the 10/12 channel all night with their big runners and this is where they have an opportunity as both Spies and Olivier (bulls 12) have a good offload. Olivier has suddenly developed a great long pass to both sides, opening opportunities the Bulls haven't had for a few years (Hougaard never had a good long pass, especially to his left, and Steyn actually does). I've always liked Fairbanks, but we'll see how he holds up with Spies, Olivier and Rossouw running at his inside channel all night.
Scrums and lineouts I think will be more or less even.
For the Brumbies they key is going to be the midfield defense. If they can absorb early pressure in this area things will get a lot easier as the game goes on.
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) doesn't have much of a kicking game in my opinion. His kicking and especially his high kick and chase wasn't far short of comical last year when he played 15 for the Wallabies. Where I do think there is great opportunity is for AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to run it back into a wide channel, forcing JP Nel into one of his obligatory defensive lapses per game that inevitably leads to a try. If AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) elects to kick it back and does so as poorly as the Tahs did, Steyn and Kirchner should punish the Brumbies.
This is actually quite an intriguing game and I have mulled over it for days but canlt decide a winner. Until I saw Gerard was injured that is.
So with that said I think the Bulls will scrape home. I have to believe. It is just so.
