Evans' boot denies Bulls
The Blues sneaked home 23-21 in an Eden Park thriller against the Bulls thanks to a winning drop-goal by Nick Evans.
Last Updated: 29/03/08 9:55am
The Blues sneaked home 23-21 in an Eden Park thriller against the Bulls thanks to a winning drop-goal by Nick Evans.
It was a much improved performance by the Bulls and the defending champions can feel hard done after a couple of key decisions went the way of the Blues.
The visitors managed to outscore their hosts by three tries to two, but ultimately it was the lethal boot of Evans that proved the difference between the two sides.
Evans stepped up and slotted the key three-pointer with seven minutes left in the match, putting his side into the lead for the final time. They then withstood a furious late Bulls charge to hang on for their fifth win of the season to put them, for now at least, into second on the table.
The Blues pivot made his presence felt as early as the third minute after he slotted a penalty from near the 40 metre line to open up the scoring and take a 3-0 lead.
Some brainless Bulls infringing on their own line then gave the Blues the opportunity to hit back through captain Troy Flavell, whose drive towards the line was initially held up by Bryan Habana.
Star
The Bulls' star winger did tremendously well to match the Blues' lock for strength in his attempt to hold Flavell out, but the TMO judged the attacking team to have got the ball down on the line.
Flavell appeared to be of two movements but the try was awarded and Evans again delivered the extras through a well-struck kick from the touchline that shaved the upright before bouncing over the crossbar.
At this stage of the match, the Blues were scoring a point a minute as the stadium clock approached the ten-minute mark.
The Bulls weren't to be tied down however as they immediately struck back with a try to openside flanker Wikus van Heerden that was converted by Hougaard to bring the score to 10-7.
It was just reward for the Bulls after captain Fourie du Preez opted for the line-out with an easy three points on offer. Springbok lock Bakkies Botha did the business with the ball in the air and an ensuing drive towards the line followed.
The Blues did well to stop the Bulls' stampede, but the visitors had far too much momentum on their side and Van Heerden crashed through Joe Rokocoko and Daniel Braid for a well-worked try.
The score remained the same throughout the rest of the half as attack after attack from each side was phased out by some impressive defence.
The Blues opened the second stanza in dubious style with Kevin Mealamu running around the blind side of a ruck on the Bulls line to score a try untouched before Evans again converted taking the score to 17-7.
The visitors were far from happy after the video replay showed that Blues' centre Isaia Toeava was guilty of blocking a Bulls' player from tackling Mealamu - no wonder the hooker went over without a single hand layed on him.
The Bulls replied back in fine fashion moments later though when a second try to Van Heerden got the men from Pretoria straight back into it.
The big Bulls' forward pack showed their strength as they drove over the line allowing the World Cup-winning flanker to pick up his second of the evening in what was an almost exact replica of their first try of the match.
Deficit
Hougaard took his time with the touchline conversion, but it was worth the wait for the Bulls' fans in the stands as the ball sailed between the uprights and brought the deficit again to just three points as they trailed the Blues 17-14.
Evans stretched the lead again in the 58th minute when he slotted a penalty kick from 25 metres out, taking the score to 20-14.
The Bulls again replied - this time in fine style - and had threatened a chance of a massive upset when hooker Derick Kuun crossed over following a scintillating take from Habana from an Evans' punt.
Habana slid into the kick, turned on the bunsen-burners and took off down the touchline showing his electric pace before running around Evans and flicking an inside pass to hooker Kuun who dotted down underneath the posts to put the South Africans into a 21-20 lead.
It was a magical moment but Evans' boot quickly brought the visitors back down to earth
