Bulls clinch first Currie Cup title in 11 years, but only after a lightning stoppage and extra-time
Replacement back row forward Arno Botha, a re-signing last year from Munster, scored two tries to lift the Bulls to a 26-19 extra-time victory over the visiting Sharks, securing a first South African Currie Cup title since 2009 in the final at Loftus Versfeld.
Botha’s second try from close-range came two minutes from the end of the second half of extra-time in a match that stretched almost three hours, having been interrupted in the first half due to lightning strikes close to the ground.
Experienced fly-half Morne Steyn also kicked three penalties for the home side who added another from his replacement Chris Smith, while the Sharks’ points came via a try for winger Sbu Nkosi, as well as four penalties and a conversion from fly-half Curwin Bosch.
Both teams missed kickable penalties in the game, with Bosch particularly wasteful as he sent five wide of the posts having had opportunities to wrap up the title in normal time. The game was halted in the first half by the lightning, but there was little in the way of electricity in the play in a stop-start, error-strewn contest.
There was one moment of magic as Sharks full-back Aphelele Fassi broke the Bulls line and fed Springboks wing Nkosi to cross over in the corner and give his side a 13-9 lead at the break.
🏆 Champions! The Vodacom Bulls lift the #CarlingCurrieCup after 100 min of nail-biting action against a gutsy Cell C Sharks in Pretoria
👉 Click here to see how it all unfolded: https://t.co/hCuBFZLbbU@blacklabelsa @BlueBullsRugby @TheSharksZA #TheChampionWithin #ReachForGold pic.twitter.com/qaUXGj1olo— The Currie Cup (@TheCurrieCup) January 30, 2021
The game opened up in the second period with the Bulls largely dominating possession and finally getting reward as Botha burrowed over the try-line from close range to close the gap to three points. A penalty by Smith drew the home side level with a minute to play.
However, he spurned the chance to claim the win when he missed a kickable penalty after the hooter at the end of the game, only for Botha to spare his blushes. Both clubs will next compete in the Rainbow Cup, with the South African franchises hoping their participation in the Guinness PRO16 will pave the way towards Champions Cup involvement.
Great to see Arno Botha, re-signed last year from Munster, come off bench and score winning try in extra-time. He was a Bulls fans as a kid, even camping overnight outside Loftus to buy tickets for Super Rugby knockout games 12 years ago! 👌#BULvSHA #BullsFamily24 #CurrieCup
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 30, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Andy Goode cant kick to 12
161 Go to commentsDoxed himself. Great work Johnny. You are well suited to the Saders
1 Go to comments_Best game players _
1 Go to commentsWho's Jarrad Hohepa?
1 Go to commentsSo let me get this straight. Say you have the dominant scrum. You are 99% sure you can go for a scrum pushover try on the line to win the game. The opposition knows it too. They give away a silly tap kick instead. You are now not allowed to scrum. This is ridiculous! *%@ing the game up as usual! The fact that the attacking teams are not allowed to scrum from a held up over the line is just as ridiculous. Really world rugby? Careful people might start a rebel league called True Rugby or Real Rugby.
76 Go to comments12 subs during a game? How has that been allowed to happen NB? I hate when the game goes in this monopolistic direction closing up shop, it just becomes non sport. Btw have you seen anything of how Liam Coltman was tracking for Lyon? He has just signed to return to Otago though we have a couple of young hookers developing here. He was a popular gentle natured character down here and I’m glad to see him back but maybe he will be a mentor primarily?
4 Go to commentsGreat breakdown and the global politics always confuses me a little. The southern hemisphere seems to be left out a bit but I wouldn’t even know where to start with fixing it. Club challenge could be a step in the right direction
4 Go to commentsSince he coached Free state, from that time onwards, I maintained he was the coach for the Boks. A nice, no nonsense guy with an excellent brain, who gets results.
11 Go to commentswell - they only played against 14 men and had the TMO team on their side - and still should have lost… so actually that makes sense.
33 Go to commentsSouthern hemisphere Rugby is exactly that, boring. Northern Hemisphere Rugby is soooo much more entertaining and better with better players.
2 Go to commentsIf he was to be cited for a dangerous behavior, then it’s natural that he should be. Then NTamack too, yes? And I’ll add a good whataboutism - Yeandle eye-gouging on Richie Arnold: not cited. Eye-gouging. Not high tackle. Eye-gouging. It was on French TV, with French TV directors.
5 Go to commentsReally poorly written rambling piece ..
4 Go to commentsIt was so boring
2 Go to commentspersonally I’d go with : 1. France 2. NZ 3. England 4. Ireland 5. Scotland
33 Go to commentsAndy everything becomes easier with experience therefor counting etc straight after a match becomes easier when you have 100+ caps vs 17 which is the experience you speak from.
161 Go to commentsGetting rid of the Dupont Law is a good thing and ought to have been done months ago! Officially getting rid of the croc roll is a good thing. The law about no scrums from a short arm is well intended in terms of speeding the game up but it’s an overreaction to a clever yet calculated gamble that could have blow up in South Africa’s face if they conceded a penalty from the scrum that was set after Willemse took claimed the mark in the World Cup QF.
76 Go to commentsRassie The GOAT
11 Go to commentsOf their 5 big matches in RWC Scotland and NZ were the easiest. They took a 12-3 lead against NZ and after the red decided it was best to hold the lead and take chances that came. None came and it was tight but they dug a lot deeper in the other two knock out matches. They had trounced NZ in Twickenham in a fixture that NZ must now regret. Psychology was clearly with SA in the final as a result.
33 Go to commentsMy favourite line/exchanges from Chasing the Sun 2. News headline: “SA. The last hurdle in ABs World Cup glory”. Something like that. “You’re all just a hurdle. A hop, skip and a jump”. Coming from Rassie and Jacque. Basically - nobody thinks you’re going to win. You’re just a pushover team. Nobody respects you. When the camera shows the players faces, you can see the effect. You can see the rev meters (die moer metertjies) firing up. Mitchell said he felt it prior to the 19 final. He said to Eddie watching the teams warming up that it was going to be a tough day at the office. Wave a red flag in front of South African, and you can expect a reaction. This is not unique - many teams rev themselves. And Bok teams in particular. With horrific consequences (discipline, poor thinking under pressure) because that’s the drawback to using emotion right? But what this Bok team does better than many since 2007 is channel the emotion and stay on task. Despite the emotion. Why, because while Rassie might play mind games - he talks about creating a safe environment. Listen to his recent honorary doctorate acceptance speech. While he uses psychology he creates psychological safety. He’s a damn fine coach. Can’t wait for Pretoria. It’s going to be a hummer.
11 Go to commentsWhat Rassie does for SA is big. It has helped people to unite and see we can win with the right people in place.
11 Go to comments