The Vodacom Bulls lost their 2nd successive home match when the Hurricanes caused a minor upset by winning 17 / 13 at Loftus Versfeld on Friday evening.
The last time the 3-time champions lost consecutive matches at home was in Rounds 2 and 3 in 2008. Incidentally, that was also the last year the Hurricanes won in Pretoria before this weekend.
The home team could not get into gear and were heavily penalised by referee Andre Lees. These and other errors proved very costly in the end.
Springbok flyhalf Handré Pollard scored all the Vodacom Bulls’ points through a try, conversion and 2 penalty goals.
In the aftermath to the match, the Bulls and Hurricanes Press Conferences were a sight to behold!
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke, wide-eyed as ever, seemed more strained than usual and once again underlined what he perceived as positives to be taken from the game. Captain Pierre Spies could not hide the shame and it appeared that he was deliberately looking down to avoid eye-contact with menbers of the Media.
On the other hand, Hurricanes Coach Chris Boys was in a juvial mode, making an early joke during the Press Conference, yet also stating that although they achieved to come “take Points” in South Africa, that he was not yet satisfied and felt that the Hurricans should improve.
Here are the Audio streams of the After Match Press Conferences:
Bulls after match Press Conference:
Hurricanes after match Press Conference:
Scorers:
Vodacom Bull:
- Tries: Handré Pollard (1)
- Conversions: Handré Pollard (1)
- Penalties: Handré Pollard (2)
Hurricanes:
- Tries: Julian Savea (1)
- Penalties: Beauden Barrett (4)
At this stage I’m sure even Snor would be better than Ludeke
http://www.sarugbymag.co.za/blog/details/pdv-nobody-wants-me
1 @ Victoriabok:
Coaches wat ek nie NABY die Bulls wil sien nie, sluit in die volgende:
1. Jake White
2. Peter “Snorre” de Villiers
3. Frans Ludeke
4. John Mitchell (hy het nie menseverhoudinge nie)
Coaches wat ek graag wel in aksie sou wou sien:
1. Jimmy Stonehouse
2. Robert du Preez snr (Pukke coach, ex N-Tvl en Sharks en Springbok Scrummie)
3. Nick Mallett
4. Pote Human… effe huiwerig maar veel eerder hy as Ludeke
5. Nollis Marais… effe huiwerig maar veel eerder hy as Ludeke
Die hoofsaak is dat daar NOU vernuwing nodig is…
Ek praat met iemand wat naby ou Barend van Graan bly en vandag met hom gepraat het toe hy verbyry… hy sê die Bulle en ook Top-bestuur is onder geweldige druk, van oral af, insluitend Sponsors…
Ek is darem bly die druk begin nou toeneem, want so kan dit nie aangaan nie!
grootblousmile wrote:
Wat ek gehoor het is sy menseverhoudinge is uitstekend, hulle sê hy’s ‘n lekkergoed verpakker*
@ Victoriabok:
Fudge packer
grootblousmile wrote:
Ons het ‘n coach nodig vir ten miste die hele seisoen, Jake se selfopgestelde ses maande tydperk is nou ook al te lank vir hom 😛
Snorre sal goed wees vir O20’s maar niks ernstiger nie
@ grootblousmile@2:
As coach soek ek Robbie Deans met Todd loaden as assistant. Bring ook Basil terug as krag coach. Mens kan maar seker droom.
6 @ leon:
Todd Louden issie ‘n sleg roep nie… maar hy is nou weer diep gewortel by die Melbourne Rebels in Aussie… glo nie hy sal weer SA toe kom nie.
Mens het ‘n Charismatiese coach nodig, wat spelers heeltemal kan inspireer en hulle heelwat bo hul vermoeë kan laat optree.
In die Bulls se geval was Heyneke Meyer daai man… die spelers het aan sy lippe gehang en sou vir hom en mede-spanlede oorlog toe gaan!
Jake White het tot ‘n mate daai tipe vermoeë, enigste verskil is, hy word baie vinnig deursigtig en hy dink net aan homself, al om sy eie gat soos ‘n passer… selfsugtige huursoldaat van formaat.
Jimmy Stonehouse het daai volging deur sy spelers… ek dink Johan Ackermann het tot ‘n mate daardie invloed (Lions is ‘n passievolle span wat vir mekaar speel).
Nick Mallett is nogal charismaties en sy rugbybrein is ongetwyfeld van die beste daarbuite… hy het egter ‘n outoriteitsprobleem en sy bek plaas hom maklik in die moeilikheid omdat hy nie bereid is om stil te bly nie..
Snorre is effe charismaties, maar hy’s geslaan met die vloek van baie min verstand… wat van hom ‘n nar en openbare embarrassment maak! Daar’s nie pille vir hom nie… niks nie!
grootblousmile wrote:
Jy’s reg jy het ‘n motiveerder nodig en beide HM en JW is uitsonderlike motiveerders
Jake het ongelukkig net een game plan
grootblousmile wrote:
Jimmy se eingste probleem is dat hy nie by die Bulle kliek sal inpas nie, en Ackermann ook nie
Ek praat nie eers van Mallet nie, hy sal nie met Barend en sy gatgabbas kan werk nie
Mallet sal wel die pak voorpselers uitsort, hy het tot vir Italië geleer om te skrum
grootblousmile wrote:
‘n Oorsese coach sal nie werk by die Bulls nie, die “kultuur” daar sal te moeilik wees om te oorbrug
As ek sê “kultuur” bedoel ek die boetie-boetie Affies-Tuks-Broederbond kliek wat Barend om homself skaar
Dis hoekom Spies, Frans en kie “untouchable” is en hoekom useless coaches soos Pine Pienaar aangestel word terwyl beproefde afrigters Anthony oorgesien word
Daar was ook die goeie junior afrigter wat Lions toe is, ek kan nie sy naam nou onthou nie
grootblousmile wrote:
Dit sal ‘n goeie kombinasie wees met ‘n slim ou as hoof van afrigting
Wat van Dawie Theron met die twee as sy afrigters?
Dit sal ‘n meesterskuif wees want hy het lank met die jonges gewerk en groep spelers beskikbaar word al jonger en hy weet hoe om die beste uit hulle te kry
grootblousmile wrote:
Ek hoop die Sharks speel goed Saterdag, dit sal die moeite werd wees vir die Bulle op die langtermyn
As Barend moet kies tussen sy joppie of Frans s’n wie dink jy gaan hy kies?
In 7 completed seasons at the helm of the Bulls, Frans Ludeke led the Franchise to 2 Super Rugby titles & 1 losing semi-final appearance.
That makes him the most successful saffa Super Rugby coach in history …
Angostura wrote:
And his record from 2011 to now?
When he had to play with his own team, not the one HM built?
FL is doing an excellent job at the Bulls. Long may he stayband keep Spies as his captain.
Victoriabok wrote:
88
Inheriting HM’s team was a poisoned chalice …
By 2011 many of them had their eye on the RWC, not SR, & thereafter on mammon & retirement, having achieved most of what they set out to achieve in Bulls & Bok rugby.
Consequently FL’s Bulls lost about 40 players since 2011 (has any other franchise suffered similar decimation?), the most important of whom are arguably the following:
Bakkies Botha
Fourie du Preez
Victor Matfield
Chiliboy Ralepelle
Danie Rossouw
Gurthrö Steenkamp
Morné Steyn
Pierre Spies (lengthy injury)
CJ Stander
Gerrit-Jan van Velze
Johann Sadie
Willie Wepener
Wilhelm Steenkamp
Juandré Kruger
Jacques Potgieter
Jean Cook
Jano Vermaak
Wynand Olivier
Francois Venter
Lionel Mapoe
Zane Kirchner
Frik Kirsten (career ending injury)
Bongi Mbonambi
Paul Willemse
Dewald Potgieter
Sampie Mastriet
Ulrich Beyers
Clayton Blommetjies
Arno Botha (lengthy injury)
Can one be certain that any other coach would have done any better than FL in the face of such attrition? Why is (mostly) FL being blamed for this? Is it not rather due to a confluence of circumstance: a significant portion of accomplished senior players of mature age, nearing retirement, looking for new challenges & big pay packages in the twilight of their careers; Bulls institutional recruiting & contracting practices, & the resultant player bottlenecks & disillusionment & de-motivation?
Anyway, you mention the Bulls need a motivator of men. FL motivated the Bulls to 2 SR titles – no other saffa SR coach has done better than that.
And you specifically ask what about FL’s performance since 2011 – well, he took the Bulls to the SR semi finals in 2013. During this period (2011 – present) the Sharks managed 1 losing semi-final appearance plus 1 runner up placing, & the Stormers 2 losing semi-final appearances. Bearing in mind the player attrition at the Bulls the difference in performance between these 3 franchises during this period is not so wide as to justify the current hysteria amongst fans.
The Bulls remains SA’s pre-eminent SR franchise (with a track record of achievement that other SA franchises can only aspire to), and as most things in life/creation, sporting fortunes are also cyclical & the Bulls will again rise to the top.
PS:
1. That does not mean that one should turn a blind eye to areas of improvement.
2. I’m not a Frans Ludeke fan, & have no brief to speak for him – but at least be fair to the man.
Angostura wrote:
88
Sorry, I think that was GBS that raised the motivation issue.
@ Angostura:
I agree, we can get the best coach in the world, but it wont solve the underlying issues at the Bulls. and that should be a plan from u19 to senior rugby. There is simply no direction to bring the players through the ranks.
Case and point Dayan vd Westhuizen… SURELY they would have earmarked him for the super rugby squad during the Currie Cup. The problem is the selection policy by the union as a collective and simply not all Ludekes fault.
@ MacroBull:
meant to say, they would have earmarked him to play super rugby during the currie cup but now they are too scared to give him game time.
Angostura wrote:
Yes I did, and he’s not
We never looked if we believed in ourselves for two games
I don’t like losing but I don’t mind if we lose playing hard and going down fighting
That is where the coach comes into play
The same for the semi where Dewald kept kicking for lineouts instead of going for posts, Frans made him captain so why did he ignore him
As for losing players it is disruptive but they buy heaps of talent every year only for FRANS not to use them and rather play senior players out of position, like Hougie and Nyakane instead of Ulengo and Dayan
And Vleis never gets any gametime either
He persisted playing the utterly useless Jonno Ross as a fetcher for TWO Seasons and even made him captain while he’s no more than a Vodacom Cup player
He also must have had a hand in deciding which players to offer half their salaries as the coach would have a say too. So he picked Jano Vermaak and Jacques Potgieter, two players playing the best rugby of their lives.
No Frans needs to go, he ran out of ideas and he can’t get the results
MacroBull wrote:
Ludeke picks the team, it is his fault
They don’t have “keurkomitees” like in the old days anymore
He doesn’t trust youngsters
Angostura wrote:
I wish we could have turned rugby completely professional like in France where one guy owns the club
Do you think Boudjellal would have allowed Frans to carry on like this?
You saw what they did at Montpellier, they hired Jake to take over while the other guy is still there
Instead we have all these “elected” buddies, gatgabbas, Broeders and Strugglers at different unions running the show
Victoriabok wrote:
88
Good luck to Montpellier
Jake is a Mistake …
The “one man franchise” will still learn the hard lesson
Angostura wrote:
I agree Jake is a mistake
The “one man franchise” is not
Most of the English Football clubs are owned by individuals and the same with the North American sports like NFL, NBA and NHL
And it works because the owners want a return on their investment, players and coaches get paid a lot but they have to deliver
A coach like Frans would have been fired a long time ago, and a player like Spies would have been traded a long time ago
Look at the Lions when Louis Luyt took them over, they were in a financial mess and the team was bad. He turned them into the Golden Lions in a couple of years
And Louis basically ran it as his own
‘Matfield playing like old man’
http://www.sarugbymag.co.za/blog/details/matfields-legacy-under-threat
Former Springbok prop Ollie le Roux says Victor Matfield is no longer able to influence proceedings at Vodacom Super Rugby level. BRENTON CHELIN reports.
Matfield’s glittering career is in danger of ending with a whimper. The 2015 World Cup in England, much like the one four years prior, has been earmarked for the famed lock’s swansong.
But where there were question marks about whether Matfield still had more to offer following the event in New Zealand, the current crop of questions are far more ominous.
Le Roux, speaking to SARugbymag.co.za, is the latest to ask whether father time has finally caught up to the 37-year-old Bulls lock, and whether he can still contribute at Super Rugby level, let alone with the Boks later this year.
‘Victor Matfield is playing like an old man at the moment,’ said Le Roux. ‘He’s lost the presence he once had and even his lineout work is suffering.
‘He just doesn’t have it in him to provide a physical presence around the park anymore, and the longer he goes on, the more his legacy will be tainted.
‘He’s got a massive battle this weekend against Pieter-Steph du Toit, who is younger and hungrier. Matfield will always be able to compete at the lineouts, but matches aren’t won there, they’re won in open play. Will he be able to match Du Toit in the other aspects of play? I’m not so sure.’
Commenting on the past weekend’s matches, Le Roux said he was impressed with the Sharks’ bonus-point win against the Lions in difficult conditions. After failing to impose themselves against the Cheetahs in the first round, the Sharks rebounded with a dominant forward display in Durban.
‘Bismarck du Plessis made a massive difference, where he once again showed his class. The Sharks looked a much better unit with him in the front row. The Lions simply weren’t able to handle the weight of their pack.‘
‘I was also impressed by the young guns – Dale Chadwick and Thomas du Toit. The injury to Beast Mtawarira might be a blessing in disguise, allowing those two the time to develop at Super Rugby level.’
The two sides will meet on Saturday at Loftus, with the Bulls still seeking their first victory of the season. Having already lost to the Stormers at home this season, the match takes on an added dimension in the race for the South African conference title.
‘The Bulls are seriously underperforming when you look at the talent they have in their ranks,’ said Le Roux. ‘Yes, they only lost narrowly against the Hurricanes, but the good teams find a way to win by one or two points.’
‘Despite having so many experienced players, they seem to be lacking leadership on the field. Someone like Duane Vermeulen leads by example for the Stormers, but I don’t see anyone doing the same for the Bulls.’
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