'Nothing too big for Bulls'

2006-05-14 21:44

Morris Gilbert

Cape Town - The Bulls were, without doubt, the best South African team in the Super 14 series.

It is the Bulls who qualified for the semi-finals for the second consecutive year.

Bulls coach Heyneke Meyer says that, with their 43-10 victory over the Stormers at Newlands on Saturday, they showed that few occasions are too big for his team to handle.

"We recorded a unique achievement on Saturday, because we've beaten all four of our SA opponents in one season.

"The victory over the Stormers is very sweet - even sweeter than last year when we beat them (75-14) at Loftus Versfeld.

"We had already qualified for the semi-finals when we played our final match last year and the result would have meant the difference between third or fourth on the log.

"We had to climb Table Mountain (on Saturday) before we ensured our fourth place on the log."

It was the first time that the Bulls had beated the Stormers in a Super 14 match in Cape Town. The Bulls also beat the Stormers in a warm-up match earlier this season.

Huge support at Newlands

The coach said the Bulls had scored four or more tries in every one of their local derbies.

"It refutes the view that we have to depend on 10-man rugby for success. We win our matches by scoring tries," said Meyer.

He thanked the numerous Bulls supporters for their encouragement at Newlands. You could hear the chant of "Bulls, Bulls, Bulls," around the stadium in the second half.

The Bulls have left for Christchurch with 24 players.

They include the 22-man squad that played against the Stormers as well as prop Andries Human and centre Rudi Coetzee.

- Beeld