Ken Borland

The Bulls raised their intensity in the second half to beat struggling neighbours the Lions 37-20 and qualify for the playoffs in their SuperRugby match at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

The three-time champion Bulls struggled to shake off the bottom-of-the-log Lions in the first half, which ended with the scores level 20-20, but lifted their game to score two tries in the first 10 minutes of the second half to set up victory and clinch fifth place in the final standings.

The Bulls thus became the third South African team to qualify for the playoffs, joining the first-placed Stormers and the Sharks, who were edged into sixth position by the result in the country’s capital.

“We had some great moments in the first half, but they really came at us in the scrums and we had some unforced errors which broke our rhythm,” Bulls coach Frans Ludeke told a news conference after the game.

“But we were much more clinical in the second half, we didn’t allow the Lions to get into the game.”

The Lions, with relegation from SuperRugby hanging over their heads, came out roaring for their possible last appearance, dominating the Bulls in the scrums and breaking through tackles.

But they were once again frustrated by the errors that have characterised their campaign, Bulls wing Akona Ndungane taking advantage of flatfooted passing down the backline to intercept and score the opening try in the 16th minute.

Lions flyhalf Elton Jantjies kicked two penalties to keep the visitors in touch at 6-10 down until the half-hour, when their defence failed, two men going for Bulls scrumhalf Francois Hougaard as he darted from the base of a five-metre scrum, allowing wing Bjorn Basson to burst through a huge gap and score.

The Lions were trailing 6-17, but they bounced back superbly as tenacious scrumhalf Michael Bondesio ran straight through Bulls flyhalf Morne Steyn to score from a five-metre scrum and, although the visitors then presented Steyn with an easy penalty after a ruck infringement, an excellent dash down the left touchline by wing Anthony Volmink gave the Lions a lineout feed five metres from the tryline.

The Lions had struggled to secure their own lineout ball throughout the first half, but this time lock Hendrik Roodt took the ball at the front and eighthman and captain Josh Strauss was at the front of the drive over the line.

Jantjies converted the try from the touchline to draw the Lions level and leave the Bulls needing a much-improved second half to keep their campaign alive.

The Lions had an early reprieve in the second half when a Steyn penalty hit the upright, but the Bulls forwards stepped up their intensity and simply overwhelmed the Lions, who were unable to get out of their own territory for most of the second half.

Four minutes after the break, outside centre JJ Engelbrecht went on a superb, mazy run, while hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle punched the ball up well in midfield to set up a ruck, from which Hougaard broke and ran in a try from 25 metres out.

Four minutes later, the Lions were powerless to stop a succession of forward drives by the Bulls, with flank Jacques Potgieter having an easy run-in for the try.

“We need to address the first 10 minutes after half-time, last week it almost cost us the game, this week it did. It’s about concentration in defence. But up till then I was happy, especially with the forwards, the front row went very well,” Lions stand-in coach Johan Ackermann said.

Fullback Zane Kirchner, under pressure from front-rankers Martin Bezuidenhout and JC Janse van Rensburg, made a mess of dotting down for a fifth try in the 60th minute, but the Springbok then won an up-and-under to set up another penalty for Steyn that completed the scoring.

Loosehead prop Dean Greyling, who had been at the forefront of the Bulls’ driving play, was yellow-carded in the 79th minute for dangerous play, but it made no difference to the home side, who had already secured a trip to Christchurch to take on the Canterbury Crusaders, who finished fourth, in their playoff match.

Scorers

Bulls – Tries: Akona Ndungane, Bjorn Basson, Francois Hougaard, Jacques Potgieter. Conversions: Morne Steyn (4). Penalties: Steyn (3).

Lions – Tries: Michael Bondesio, Josh Strauss. Conversions: Elton Jantjies (2). Penalties: Jantjies (2).

Herschelle Gibbs returned to Indian Premier League action and the manner in which he did so suggests the South African veteran could have a key role to play for the Mumbai Indians as the playoffs rapidly approach.

Gibbs played his first game of this year’s IPL competition last week, having sat out due to a combination of a broken finger and Mumbai preferring James Franklin and Richard Levi, but if people thought the 38-year-old’s T20 career was on the wane, he quickly disabused them of the notion with a well-considered 66 not off 58 balls against the high-flying Kolkata Knight Riders.

The Western Cape star played the perfect supporting role to Rohit Sharma, who made a sensational century, as they added 167 off 106 deliveries for the second wicket, the third highest partnership in IPL history.

With Gibbs back to form a dangerous opening partnership with Sachin Tendulkar, Mumbai now seem to have the batting to back up their powerful bowling attack and you would have to tip them as one of the favourites for the title.

It was another satisfactory week in terms of South African performances in the IPL, with lanky fast bowler Morne Morkel still top of the pole in terms of wickets taken.

Morkel locked down top spot by taking two wickets in three matches, although the Delhi Daredevils spearhead did go for more runs than he has previously, with figures of 1-35 against Kolkata, 1-32 against the Chargers and 0-31 against Chennai.

His brother Albie made an impressive return to action for the Super Kings after going home for Louis Vorster’s funeral, hitting two towering sixes as he lashed 18 not out off six balls as the defending champions beat the Rajasthan Royals in an exciting finish. He has also settled back nicely into his role of new-ball bowler, providing good support for Ben Hilfenhaus with figures of 0-19 in three overs against the Royals and 1-15 in four overs against the lethal Delhi Daredevils top-order.

Jacques Kallis continues to perform, without any airs or graces, for the Kolkata Knight Riders.

He starred with the bat in the loss to the Mumbai Indians, scoring 79 off 60 balls, although 40 runs would come off his four overs.

Kallis bowled superbly against the Delhi Daredevils, however, removing deadly openers David Warner and Virender Sehwag and conceding just 20 runs in his four overs, before scoring 30 off 27 balls in the succcessful run-chase and winning the man of the match award.

It would be an extremely frustrating week for South Africa’s other two major stars at the IPL – AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis.

Because he is inexplicably being batted so low by the Royal Challengers Bangalore, the marvellously in-form De Villiers would bat just once in his two matches and face just four balls, scoring nine not out.

Du Plessis did not play for the Super Kings last week due to illness and would like to climb back up the run-scorer’s table after initially holding the Orange Cap but now slipping down to 11th place.

Dale Steyn returned to action for the Deccan Chargers after a foot niggle and tried his best to deny the Punjab Kings XI victory in their thriller at Mohali, but his outstanding figures of 2-26 in four overs were not supported at the other end.

Off-spinner Johan Botha also returned to action and fine form for the Rajasthan Royals, bowling 12 overs for just 73 runs and taking three wickets, sending him into the top 15 of the most economical bowlers who have delivered at least 25 overs.

Other South African performances: Wayne Parnell – 2* & 2-0-12-1 Pune Warriors v Rajasthan Royals; David Miller – 28* off 18 balls Punjab Kings XI v Deccan Chargers; Juan Theron – 4-0-29-0 & 7* Deccan Chargers v Punjab Kings XI; JP Duminy – 13* off 9 balls Deccan Chargers v Delhi Daredevils; Alfonso Thomas – 4-0-46-0 & 7 Pune Warriors v Bangalore Royal Challengers; Roelof van der Merwe – 3-0-17-0 Delhi Daredevils v Chennai Super Kings.

Did not play: Marchant de Lange (KKR), Robin Peterson (MI), Faf du Plessis (CSK), Richard Levi (MI), Gulam Bodi (DD), Kyle Abbott (PK), Davey Jacobs (MI), Charl Langeveldt (BRC), Rilee Rossouw (BRC).

http://www.supersport.com/cricket/indian-premier-league/news/120514/A_week_for_the_veterans