Rugby: Chasing the Bulls

Morne Steyn of the Bulls. Photo / Getty Images

The Bulls and the Crusaders faced off last night in a clash with World Cup portents. Regardless of the Crusaders' clear win, Gregor Paul says there are still things that can be learned from the Bulls.

1 Love the drop goal
New Zealanders have an aversion to drop goals - as if they are in some way a less worthy or less valid means to accumulate points. The Bulls and South Africans have no such hang-ups and don't get all artistic about where their points come from.

Against the Hurricanes last week, the Bulls worked the ball into position, then Morne Steyn would fall into the pocket and pull the trigger. He dropped two goals and probably laughed himself hoarse at the stupidity of the home crowd for booing each.

Drop goals are a way of keeping the scoreboard moving and building pressure and it is strange New Zealanders have no pedigree in what is a simple enough art.

It is particularly strange when the drop goal has been so influential in determining the outcome of critical World Cup games.

The finals of 1995 and 2003 were won with drop goals; the French comeback in the 1999 semifinal was built on two quick drop goals by Christophe Lamaison and Australia's victory in the other semifinal that year was... Clinched with a Stephen Larkham drop goal.

Lest anyone forget - the All Blacks exited the 2007 quarter-final because they steadfastly refused to drop a goal when they were trailing 20-18.

2 Kick and chase can still work
In 2009, the aerial bomb was lethal because referees were not policing offside lines and the defending team was penalised if caught in possession. The All Blacks were exposed under the high ball in 2009 and the second half of the year and first part of 2010 became all about improving basic catching.

By midway through 2010, the All Blacks were vastly improved in their aerial work and, with referees back on top of the offside line, the bombardment of the previous year ceased to be such an effective weapon.

But the Bulls have provided a sharp reminder that there is no room for complacency. If the execution of the kicking is good, a high ball strategy can still pay dividends if the defendingteam is sloppy.

The game has evolved, there ismore reward for pass and catch, butthat hasn't ruled kick and chase as obsolete.It can still work and New Zealand's players need to be conscious of the need for accuracy and security.

3 Fourie du Preez will transform the Boks
In 2009, Morne Steyn looked to be a limited but hugely effective first five. In 2010, he looked to be just a limited first five. The difference? In 2010 there was no Fourie du Preez at halfback for the Springboks. Du Preez is back and he has transformed the Bulls before last night, and most likely will do the same for the Boks.

His tactical organisation is exemplary. He runs the show, making sharp decisions. He kicks superbly and takes all the pressure off Steyn who is once again effective and damaging. Du Preez gives Steyn time and space in which to operate and that makes all the difference. The halfback never puts his partner under pressure. With du Preez back the Bulls are a better side and the Springboks will be too. He is the sort of player who inspires others, gives them a much needed confidence and belief.

4 Bakkies and Victor still have it
During the Tri Nations last year, there was a growing belief that Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha were a spent force. Botha earned a nine-week suspension for his senseless head-butt on Jimmy Cowan at Eden Park and he was being viewed, even by South Africans, as a liability. Matfield wasn't the presence he was in 2009 and at 33, there were plenty who felt he was in terminal decline.

Those views need to be thrown out. Matfield and Botha have one last big season left in them before they retire and head to Toulon. Mentally, they have cleared the decks; having already declared the World Cup as their last staging post. These two are still a huge force. They are still the best aerial locking combination in world rugby and still capable of dominating test matches.

5 Pierre Spies is a different player
When Kieran Read destroyed Pierre Spies at Eden Park and then again a week later in Wellington last year, the Springbok No 8 no longer convinced as the world leader in his position. He looked like a flat track bully; a gym bunny whose bench press was huge but heart not so. Those defeats to the All Blacks hurt Spies, as did being so obviously outclassed by Read.

The Springbok No 8 took some time to reassess before the Boks The UK last year and there were signs he was already a better player.

Against England at Twickenham he was bruising, involved and tough. He didn't disappear to the wing. It was a grinding game and he was in the thick of it, making big tackles and driving low and hard through bodies. Spies was overshadowed by Read and the Crusaders last night, but worked hard and was competitive.

6 South Africans know their minds
There was confusion in the Republic last year about how the Boks wanted to play.

The traditional, kick and chase, forward-based game that had served them so well was allegedly being disputed by some of the senior players as the right way to go. The more expansive, ball-in-hand game preferred by the Stormers and Sharks was being pushed by some. What the Boks ultimately produced was a mixed strategy that was neither one thing nor the other _ and they lost five of their Tri Nations games and even fell to defeat against Scotland.

But, come their last game of 2010, against England, they paid homage to tradition and built everything around the power of their set piece. The forwards carried the ball all game, drove tight and hard and Steyn stuck it in the air and everyone chased after it. England, themselves a hugely powerful team, couldn't cope with the relentless drive of the Boks. The Bulls have clearly decided they too should stick with what they know and the whole nation is united in their belief that this style of rugby works for South African teams - a point confirmedby national coach Peter de Villiers last week.

"We played against England last year, the same old conservative South African style of rugby and it was good to watch," he said. "It worked for us. The guys knew and there was no confusion amongst players, and game after game you can play that level of rugby. The one great thing about the England game last year was that it brought back the belief that what we are doing can work for us and that is what we are building on for the World Cup."

7 The rush defence will return
In fairness, the value of a watertight, aggressive defence is a lesson better learned from the Stormers than it is the Bulls.

The Bulls share the same philosophy as the Stormers, just not the same expertise in execution. They were, however, much tighter in Napier and faster off the line. The improved performance in that area suggests that the South Africans have remembered that New Zealand teams are still vulnerable when they are faced with a rush defence.

Look through All Black defeats to the Springboks in the last 10 years and, in most cases, it was the ability to shut down space and get in players' faces that won it for the South Africans.

Mentally, the All Blacks prefer playing the Wallabies as they share a desire to find space and focus on playing with the ball. The Boks have rattled All Black teams in the past by using defence as a weapon - by happily allowing New Zealand the ball then giving them no space to use it. The Stormers are particularly good at it an d the Bulls are trying to get better at it.

8 The South Africans are focused
It is obvious that the South Africans decided their World Cup campaign should begin on February 18 - the first round of Super Rugby. Whether it is the Sharks, Bulls or Stormers, the national coaches want a South African winner.

The players across all five teams have been urged to do what they can to win in New Zealand to help build the belief it is a country that holds no fear. The Bulls, a little unconvincing in the early rounds, came out in Napier with a renewed focus and an absolute determination to play their game and get the job done. They clearly stepped up the physical and mental intensity of their performance.

No country has ever won the World Cup back-to-back and that goal has been a massive driver for the likes of Matfield, John Smit, Schalk Burger, du Preez and Botha. They desperately want to sign off having made an indelible footprint in rugby history.

9 The value of multiple leaders
In 2007, the Boks needed the superb captaincy of John Smit to see them home. It was Smit who gathered his team round in the quarter-final when they were under pressure against Fiji and got his team back on track. It was Smit who led by example in the final and his easy rapport with referees, his tactical nous and diplomacy brought the best out of the Boks.

But the Bulls have shown there are enough natural leaders to dispense with Smit, who, given the form of Gary

Botha and Bismarck du Plessis, would struggle to justify his place in the national team at hooker. As a prop, he's just not good enough for test football. Matfield is an improving captain. Du Preez is another natural leader as is Spies.

Burger, Bryan Habana and Jean de Villiers will add to that weight of leadership in the Bok environment as will du Plessis and Juan Smith.

10 The value of patience
The Bulls are not a team to rush the kill. They are happy to take their time and grind and grind - and then strike a deadly blow. They don't play with any sense of panic or feeling that they most get the job done by 60 minutes.

They have confidence that if they keep the scoreboard ticking over, stick to their plan of putting opponents under relentless pressure, then tryscoring opportunities will come in the closing stages.

The Bulls showed that against the Hurricanes. They took no risks until the final eight minutes when they saw half a chance to keep it in the hands and worked Francois Hougaard in for the clinching try.