MATCH REPORT: All Blacks v Vodacom Bulls | Rugby's Greatest Rivalry
Revealing more of their intended game plan and extending the selection headaches for next weekend’s Test against South Africa, the All Blacks secured a 50-19 win over the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria to remain unbeaten on the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour.
Inspired by a Man of the Match performance from flanker Anton Segner, the All Blacks posted eight tries, as the intensity of their play ran the home team ragged.
However, if they had a fault, they did not make the most of the opportunities they created.
Segner leads a high-tempo All Blacks display
Segner topped the All Blacks’ tackle count with 13, made 12 carries and secured key turnovers to ensure a consistent supply of quality ball for the backs, where centre Rieko Ioane, wing Leroy Carter and second five-eighths Anton Lienert-Brown thrived in the free-flowing contest.
The All Blacks turned on the pressure by moving the ball, requiring the Bulls to make 159 tackles to 127 by the All Blacks, while the Bulls also missed 42 tackles to lead 24-0 at the turn.
Ioane relished being back and closer to the action, making 15 carries. Carter popped up all over the field to score two tries and make 16 carries and five line breaks. Lienert-Brown and fullback Beauden Barrett each made 12 carries. Capping the effort, wing Josh Moorby managed two tries and 13 carries.
Improvements in conceding fewer penalties (eight) and in unleashing a powerful All Blacks scrum five metres from their line broke an early impasse where both teams attempted to make the most of time in the opposition’s respective 22m areas. The Bulls had a try denied when the ball was short of the line.
But they had another chance from the scrum. The All Blacks drove them back, secured a penalty, and cleared the ball downfield; from the lineout, they worked it through the line, through the second wave, and Moorby scored in the 14th minute.
WATCH: Highlights from the All Blacks v Bulls clash (available in selected territories)
Moorby and Taylor build a commanding lead
The All Blacks ran the restart back at the Bulls with Ioane making 40m down the sideline, but the ball was lost inside and toed ahead by flanker Hanro Liebenberg, who toed the ball downfield and looked to have scored a try, two minutes later. However, a TMO check revealed Bulls fullback Willie le Roux knocked the ball on.
Then, a Bulls midfield kick was taken by Barrett, who was unchallenged and ran forward to lob a high kick to Carter, who took the ball on the full and linked with Ioane. The ball was moved wide to No8 Peter Lakai on the left flank. He passed inside for Moorby to score his second try.
Le Roux fired a hard pass at close quarters in a Bulls midfield play, and the All Blacks recovered to take the ball deep into Bulls territory. As they pounded the line, retreating Bulls tighthead Francois Klopper was unable to get out of the way of halfback Cortez Ratima’s pass. Klopper was sin-binned and from the resulting tap penalty hooker and captain Codie Taylor marked his return with a 31st-minute try.
The Bulls’ mistake rate and inability to make the most of chances resulted in Taylor scoring a second try when the All Blacks were under advantage, after the half-time hooter had blown. Lock Fabian Holland provided impetus for a ruck turnover, which the All Blacks quickly utilised.
When the ball was worked towards the line, it was Holland, standing off a ruck, who back-handed a pass that allowed Taylor to charge over for the try.
Bulls respond, but All Blacks strike back
The Bulls stunned the All Blacks in the first minute of the second half when they used a penalty lineout for lock Ruan Vermaak to get a full head of steam on and charge to the line. Referee Nika Amashukeli awarded a try, then overruled the TMO, who said there was no evidence the ball was grounded on the line.
The All Black response was instant as they secured the ball off a turnover and moved it across the field for Carter to somehow avoid contact with the sideline to score.
A Lakai turnover in the 48th minute saw impressive co-ordination between forwards and backs, resulting in Carter providing a return pass infield for Ioane to score.
The Bulls scored their second in the 53rd minute when No8 Jeandre Rudolph set sail at speed down the blindside from a scrum. Linking with first five-eighths Curwin Bosch, they got the ball in the hands of wing Stravino Jacobs, who crashed through Barrett’s tackle attempt to score.
All Blacks finish strongly at Loftus
Benefitting from the tired opposition, the All Blacks posted 40 in the 66th minute when the ball was released from a lineout maul. Ioane picked up a low pass from replacement halfback Kyle Preston, and while Barrett and first five-eighths Josh Jacomb were both pulled down short of the line, it was Carter who was on hand to take the support pass and score his second.
Bulls replacement fullback Hakeem Kunene had an immediate impact after the Bulls called for a scrum in front of the All Blacks posts. He received the ball from replacement halfback Paul de Wet at speed, and his pace took him just short before captain and flanker Marcell Coetzee secured the ball to score.
The All Blacks responded by using a penalty to kick to the corner, secure the lineout and launch replacement second five-eighths Timoci Tavatavanawai at the line. He set up clean ball, and the ball landed in replacement No8 Wallace Sititi’s hands for him to score beneath the crossbar.
Next up, the All Blacks head to Johannesburg to face South Africa in the opening Test of the series next weekend.
Scoring Summary: All Blacks v Vodacom Bulls
Bulls 19 (Ruan Vermaak, Stravino Jacobs, Marcel Coetzee tries; Curwin Bosch 2 con) All Blacks 50 (Josh Moorby 2, Codie Taylor 2, Leroy Carter 2, Rieko Ioane, Wallace Sititi tries; Beauden Barrett con; Josh Jacomb 4 con). HT: 0-24
