The titanic 2009 Bulls overwhelmed the 1999 Stormers for a 42-12 victory in Game 12 of the interactive Greatest Super Rugby Team tournament.
SA Rugby magazine readers dived into Game 12 of the 32-team knockout tournament, with the home side claiming the victory after 71% of voters backed them to win by more than 11 points at ‘Fortress Loftus’.
The result eliminates the 1999 Stormers from the tournament, while the 2009 Bulls advance to the round of 16, where they will face the winner of Warren Whiteley’s 2017 Lions team.
The 2009 Victor Matfield-led Bulls, who set several records on their way to being crowned champions, proved their quality in a rather one-sided match in which the Stormers did not lack for effort, but just did not have the quality to match their opponents.
Bulls talisman Bryan Habana scored a first-half hat-trick to set the Bulls on their way, with the Stormers momentarily firing back through Breyton Paulse to make it 21-7 to the home side at the break.
The Bulls, however, continued their momentum as Pierre Spies made a midfield break around the halfway line and sprinted clear of the Stormers defenders to score. Hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle then scored from a driving maul, before Akona Ndungane all but wrapped up the result with an excellent finish in the corner from a Fourie du Preez cross-field kick.
The Stormers did, however, have the final say in the match as Robbie Fleck intercepted from a Bulls attack and scored a consolation try.
2009 Bulls – Tries: Bryan Habana (3), Pierre Spies, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Akhona Ndungane. Conversions: Morne Steyn (6).
1999 Stormers – Tries: Breyton Paulse, Robbie Fleck. Conversion: Braam van Straaten.
2009 Bulls – 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Jaco Pretorius, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Dewaldt Potgieter, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Victor Matfield (c), 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Derick Kuhn, 1 Gurthro Steenkamp.
Subs: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Rayno Gerber, 18 Danie Rossouw, 19 Pedrie Wannenburg, 20 Heini Adams, 21 Burton Francis, 22 Marius Delport.
1999 Stormers –15 Percy Montgomery, 14 Breyton Paulse, 13 Robbie Fleck, 12 De Wet Barry, 11 Pieter Rossouw, 10 Braam van Straaten, 9 Dan van Zyl, 8 Bobby Skinstad (c), 7 Robbie Brink, 6 Corne Krige, 5 Johnny Trytsman, 4 Selborne Boome, 3 Cobus Visagie, 2 Charl Marais, 1 Robbie Kempson.
Subs: Manie du Toit, Louis Koen, Joggie Viljoen, Anton Leonard, Hottie Louw, Toks van der Linde, Tommy Webb.
