Bulls Smash Sarries China Shop

  Although the Blue Bulls claimed a comfortable victory to earn the Sanlam Shield in a match they largely controlled, Saracens will be pleased with their productive use of the possession they did have, as they claimed four tries against the powerful Pretoria outfit.  

With the Saracens squad stretched to the limit, given the crucial LV= Cup match at London Welsh tomorrow, there was an element of overlap in the 23, although some of the replacements didn't enter the fray, so would be expected to start tomorrow. Ben Ransom started this match at full back, with Jack Wilson and David Strettle on the wings, and a centre partnership of Tim Streather and Chris Wyles, whilst the half back combination featured Charlie Hodgson and Neil de Kock. In the forwards, Rhys Gill, Brett Sharman and Petrus du Plessis made up the front row, whilst the second row consisted of Jim Hamilton and Valentin Poparlan, the Romanian international from partner club Timisoara Saracens. Jackson Wray, on his 100th club appearance, formed the back row with captain Kelly Brown and Ernst Joubert. The Blue Bulls named no fewer than 29 players in their matchday squad, although kept the starting side in place for the whole of the first half. This comprised of Jurgen Visser at full back, with South Africa 7s player Jamba Ulengo on the right wing and Bjorn Basson, with eleven SA Test appearances, on the opposite wing. In the centres, powerful SA international centre Jan Serfontein, was at 12 with JJ Englebrecht alongside him. In the half-backs, Jacques-Louis Potgieter was at fly half, alongside Francois Hougaard. Into the forwards, and the front row consisted of international prop Trevor Nyakane at loosehead, hooker Callie Visagie, and tighthead prop Werner Kruger. The lock combination featured Jacques du Plessis and Grant Hattingh. Completing the line up, in the second row are captain Deon Stegmann and Pieter Labuschagne at flanker, with Hanro Liebenberg at number 8.

Despite the eventual scoreline, Saracens had the better of the opening stages, but, critically, failed to put any points on the board. Winning a penalty inside the opening two minutes, Saracens pushed towards the line only for the Bulls to force the turnover from the rolling maul. After a succession of scrum penalties, the home side had three scrums inside the 15 metre zone in a row but couldn't break through. They continued to enjoy all of the early possession, with Charlie Hodgson at the heart of some promising moves with some customary intelligent kicking throughout. One particularly testing kick in the ninth minute was frantically scrambled away for a lineout inside the 22, but, again, the visitors secured a vital turnover to thwart the hosts. Twelve minutes in, they finally had some possession of their own, although could have conceded an interception try, only for Wilson narrowly failing to gather. Englebrecht and Visser then combined well after a quick scrum, but Ulengo was hauled into touch. Coming into the game now, a "garryowen" by Liebenberg instigated a move with Steggmann and Hougaard, only for Serfontein's final pass to be wayward. Their pressure eventually told as Saracens conceded a penalty on 20 minutes, which was kicked to touch. Hattingh just about held onto the consequent lineout, setting up a rolling maul from 15 yards out and finished off by Steggmann's score wide on the right, but Potgieter dragged his conversion wide. The hosts missed out on an opportunity to respond quickly as Blue Bulls pinched a lineout in their own 22. Saracens continued to run the ball when they had it, although the South African side's forward power was beginning to tell now. On 25 minutes, an excellent long distance kick from Potgieter put them into the heart of the Sarries' 22, and another penalty set up a rolling maul of the left side, completed when scrum half Hougaard muscled over, but again, the extras were not added. The hosts were starting to struggle at the breakdown and conceded turnovers to their opponents when well-placed territorially, in particular when a fine break by Ransom set up Streather down the left wing. The Bulls stretched their lead in the final action of the half as the home side failed to roll away and Potgieter added the three points from 40 metres.

Half time saw the visitors make a quartet of changes, but it didn't affect their cohesion, as they added a third try within two minutes. Potgieter's looping pass was crisply taken by the supporting Hougaard wide on the left and he was able to advance down the wing to slip a snappy pass to Visser, but, again, the conversion was missed. Moments later, a fourth was added as Liebenburg barged over from close range, and, this time, Potgieter was able to convert for an ominous 25-0 lead with over 30 minutes left to play. Instead, though, Saracens narrowed the deficit with a finely worked try, instigated by some incisive passing from Ransom and Hodgson, as Wyles was set away along the left wing to score, and Hodgson converted from the touchline. However,the Blue Bulls eased further ahead just before the hour after they broke from their own half at pace and Engelbrecht was able to set up the returning Pierre Spies to mark his comeback from a year long injury with a try which was converted by substitute Handre Pollard. Sarries refused to lie down, though, and collected a second try thanks to a wonderful piece of invention from Neil de Kock. Collecting the ball from the scrum, he raced away and kicked forward twice to finish under the posts, making it an easy extra two points and 14-32 on the board. Three minutes later, they made it 21-32 with around 15 minutes still to play. After the visitors were penalised for holding down in the tackle, the hosts reached the Bulls' 22, and after another offence, Saracens chose the lineout again, allowing Joubert to claim the try for the resultant rolling maul, but it was from a similar source that the Blue Bulls made the game safe with seven minutes to go, through replacement Roelof Smith. Fittingly, though, it was Wray who had the last word, closing the match on 26-32 as he burst away from a close range scrum to stretch over the line for a try improved by Hodgson.

So, an entertaining game, in which Allianz Park was probably just a bit short of half full, in contrast to the much larger attendances at the Sharks game last season and the Western Province fixture earlier this campaign. Although the timing of this fixture was curious given the LV= Cup and what were always likely to be extensive England call ups. it would have been a great experience for a strong Saracens line up to test themselves against different opposition. Despite a modest attendance, the game was televised on BT Sport, so would have been financially beneficial, and it is this, as opposed to whether season ticket holders are suitably encouraged or incentivised to buy full price tickets, which will determine future variants of this fixture. As a test-bed for a more formal competition, which was certainly mooted when there seemed a possibility of no European competition at all. it was perhaps inconclusive. There was an impressive turnout of ex-pat Bulls supporters for what was effectively a friendly, but there was the element of novelty value, which could be lost if this became more regular. However, it was a good match against high-calibre opposition, and, vitally, Saracens kept going even when the match seemed to have gone. Most importantly of all, it meant another matchday ball to add to the burgeoning collection, although they'd sold out of half and half scarves by the time I got there (sob)

Saracens: 15. Ben Ransom; 14. Jack Wilson( rep Janney 76);13. Tim Streather, 12. Chris Wyles, 11. David Strettle; 10. Charlie Hodgson, 9. Neil de Kock(Barrett 76); 1.Rhys Gill(Barrington 51);2. Brett Sharman(Saunders 51);3. Petrus Du Plessis, 4. Jim Hamilton, 5. Valentin Poparlan, 6. Jackson Wray, 7. Kelly Brown ©( Burger 51), 8. Ernst Joubert( Barrell 80).

Blue Bulls: 15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Jamba Ulengo, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Hanro Liebenberg, 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Deon Stegmann (c). 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 Jacques du Plessis, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 Trevor Nyakane. Replacements: Jaco Visagie, Mornè Mellett, Marcel van der Merwe, Dayan vd Westhuizen, RG Snyman, Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, Roelof Smith, Pierre Spies, Piet van Zyl, Rudy Paige, Handrè Pollard, William Small-Smith, Duncan Matthews, Jesse Kriel.

Scores: 

SARACENS:    Tries: Wyles, De Kock, Joubert, Wray.  Conv: Hodgson (3)

BULLS: Tries: Stegman, Hougaard, Visser, Liebenburg , Spies, Smith.  Conv: Potgeiter,Pollard (2)     Pen: Potgeiter

Referee; Tim Wigglesworth