Ken Borland

Flyhalf Chris Noakes scored 17 points in 20 minutes as the Otago Highlanders’ replacement players snatched a dramatic 36-33 (half-time 9-23) victory over the Free State Cheetahs in their SuperRugby match in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

Noakes, who replaced regular flyhalf Mike Delany midway through the second half, scored a try and kicked three conversions and three penalties, including an angled, long-distance match-winning effort in the 79th minute.

The Highlanders rebounded from a 9-30 deficit and the yellow-carding of hooker Andrew Hore and flank James Haskell to record their seventh win in nine matches and stay five points behind leaders and New Zealand Conference pace-setters, the Waikato Chiefs.

The Cheetahs seemed to have the match sown up when flyhalf Johan Goosen, rapidly becoming one of the legends of Free State rugby, scored a jinking try from 70 metres out to stretch their lead to 28-9. But the 19-year-old injured his shoulder in the process of scoring the try and had to leave the field, the Cheetahs suffering a spectacular meltdown thereafter.

The Highlanders began throwing the ball around and attacked like a Sevens side and were rewarded with three tries in six minutes, two by replacement scrumhalf Jimmy Cowan, as they ripped the stunned Cheetahs apart.

The home side had used strong driving play and the boot of Goosen to put themselves in a powerful position through tries by prop Coenie Oosthuizen and lock Andries Ferreira, as well as Goosen’s fine solo effort early in the second half.

Goosen was replaced by Sias Ebersohn, who missed three penalties, including an easy effort from in line with the right upright that could have made his team the victors.

Scorers

Cheetahs – Tries: Coenie Oosthuizen, Andries Ferreira, Johan Goosen. Conversions: Goosen (2), Sias Ebersohn. Penalties: Goosen (3), Ebersohn.

Highlanders – Tries: Chris Noakes, Jimmy Cowan (2). Conversions: Noakes (3). Penalties: Mike Delany (3), Noakes (2).

Flyhalf Morne Steyn had to do the bulk of the scoring with his boot as the Northern Bulls were outscored by five tries to two but still beat the ACT Brumbies 36-34 in their Super Rugby match at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

Steyn kicked seven penalties, a conversion and a drop goal as the Bulls built a 33-13 lead heading into the final quarter.

But the young Brumbies side made the Bulls look vulnerable at home as they ran in three tries in the last 11 minutes to earn two bonus points.

Flyhalf JC Roos made the crucial kick in a match riddled with penalties as the Ford Pumas snatched a 19-19 (half-time 6-13) draw against the Blue Bulls in their Vodacom Cup match at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on Saturday.

Both Roos and Bulls flyhalf Wesley Dunlop kicked four penalties in a match strictly policed by referee Marius van der Westhuizen, who took great delight in thwarting every one of the players’ tricks at ruck-time.

Roos succeeded with a 71st-minute penalty, after a ruck infringement by the Bulls, to draw the Pumas level, with both teams leaving Nelspruit with two points.

Both teams were content to keep the ball with their forwards for most of the match, not leaving the fans with much to cheer about.

Dunlop and Roos each kicked two first-half penalties before the Bulls grabbed the opening try after an impressive rolling maul and slick directing of the traffic by halfbacks Ruan Snyman and Dunlop allowed centre Ulrich Beyers to cross the line.

It was the Pumas supporters who were cheering in the second half, however, as flank Renaldo Bothma, showing pace and power, crashed over for an early try and Roos converted.

Dunlop and Roos then exchanged penalties until the end of the contest.

The fullbacks on either side – Jurgen Visser for the Bulls and Coenie van Wyk for the Pumas – were authoritative figures, but it was the forwards who dominated, the two packs leaving little leeway for expansive play.

Halfbacks Dunlop, Snyman and Roos used what little ball they received well, but both teams will be unhappy with their discipline at the breakdown.

SCORERS:

Ford Pumas – Try: Renaldo Bothma. Conversion: JC Roos. Penalties: Roos (4).

Vodacom Blue Bulls – Try: Ulrich Beyers. Conversion: Wesley Dunlop. Penalties: Dunlop (4).

http://www.supersport.com/rugby/vodacom-cup/news/120317/Pumas_hold_Bulls_to_a_draw

Flyhalf Morne Steyn became the third player to score 1000 SuperRugby points as he converted all six of the Northern Bulls’ tries and added three penalties in their impressive 51-19 hammering of the Central Cheetahs at Free State Stadium on Saturday.

Steyn joined Canterbury Crusaders star Dan Carter (1,272 points) and Australian Stirling Mortlock (1,031) as he became the first South African to reach 1000 points. He has now scored 1012 points in 91 games, all for the Bulls.

The Bulls played with 14 men from the 64th minute after Francois Hougaard, who had moved from scrumhalf to wing, was harshly red-carded by referee Craig Joubert for a tip-tackle, and finished the match with 13 men as flank Jacques Potgieter was yellow-carded for a shoulder-charge in the 78th minute.

But it was the Cheetahs who ended the match in a distraught state as, try as they might, they could not get through a fierce Bulls defensive line, led by their highly-physical but mobile tight five.

Props Dean Greyling and Werner Kruger, both capped for the Springboks last year, scored the first two Bulls tries from close range, the visitors’ potency on attack being largely due to their ability to secure quick ruck ball.

Cheetahs flyhalf Johan Goosen again kicked immaculately, succeeding with three penalties to keep the home side in touch heading towards half-time at 9-17 down.

But tremendously aggressive defence by the Bulls led to turnover ball, which Hougaard kicked deep into Cheetahs territory. Wing Akona Ndungane then managed to win possession, before the ball was spread wide for the other wing, Bjorn Basson, to beat a prop on the outside for another try.

The Bulls then scored on the half-time hooter to open up a commanding 31-12 lead. Centre Wynand Olivier’s lovely step inside created space on the outside for Ndungane, who burst clear before passing inside for fullback Zane Kirchner to score.

The Cheetahs dominated in the opening minutes of the second half, but incredible defence saw the Bulls resist 16 phases close to their own line, before Steyn landed his second and third penalties to stretch the lead to 37-12 after 58 minutes.

“We’re very disappointed, but credit to the Bulls, tactically they were better than us and credit to their defence. We were on their line for a while, but we couldn’t get through,” Cheetahs captain Adriaan Strauss said.

Hougaard was then red-carded, despite centre Robert Ebersohn twisting around in the tackle and deliberately going to ground head-first, and concerted pressure inside Bulls territory eventually saw hooker and captain Adriaan Strauss cross for the Cheetahs’ only try.

But the inspired Bulls remained in control and scored two more tries in the last 10 minutes, replacement centre JJ Engelbrecht pouncing on an intercept inside the Cheetahs 22 and Kirchner scoring a fine individual try.

“It’s easy to play well when 15 players are so willing to work hard for each other,” outstanding Bulls hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle said, before adding “Morne Steyn is a special athlete, well done to him.”