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Evans drop-kicks Bulls out of Auckland

Saturday 29th March 2008

Wam bam thank you ma'am: Nick Evans slots his drop-goal to win the game for the Blues

The Blues sneaked home 23-21 in a nail-biting Super 14 match over the Bulls thanks to a winning drop-goal by Nick Evans at Eden Park on Saturday.

It was a much better performance by the Bulls and the defending champions can feel hard done by with costly decisions that helped the Blues' cause.

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, momentarily 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, who's drive towards the line was initially held up by Bryan Habana.

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 put the ball down on the line.

Another closer look at the replay, and Flavell was guilty 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 weren't happy and rightly so after the 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 touch judge had initially run over to speak with referee James Leckie, but it came to nothing. Perhaps they were discussing the best watering-hole to visitit after the match.

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 exact repeat of their first try of the match.

Hougaard took his time with the touchline conversion, but it was worth the wait for the Bulls' fans in the stands after the ball sailed between the uprights and brought the scoreline 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 Ku�n crossed over following a scintillating take from Habana off 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 Ku�n, who dotted down underneath the posts.

Hougaard again added the extras and the South Africans took the lead for the first time in the match with the scores reading 21-20 in the 65th minute.

It was an Evans' drop-goal in the 73rd minute that once again saw the Blues take the lead but the 23-21 scoreline looked fragile with just seven minutes remaining.

Another Habana burst which put Zane Kirchner into space saw the Bulls' full-back chip and chase, only to be denied what would have been the match-winning try by a cruel bounce of the ball.

Wynand Olivier might be drinking beers alone post-match after ignoring a two-man overlap that could also have so nearly sealed the deal for the defending champs.

A desperate push for the line by the Bulls forwards resulted in Danie Rossouw getting blown up for not releasing - the referee once again quick on the whistle after the lock hit the deck.

Evans cleared and the Blues did enough to play out the stadium clock and hold on for a much-needed win and four points.

Man of the match: For the Bulls, Pierre Spies made a fantastic comeback to planet rugby after missing out on the game days before the World Cup kicked off last year. For the Blues, prop John Afoa is in the form of his career and the try-saving tackle on Bryan Habana would have left the winger blushing. While Nick Evans deserves praise for that match-winning drop-goal, it was the magic of Bryan Habana that reminded us why this classy winger was named the world's best player in 2007. He continues to leave opponents clutching at air with his furious pace that must have his shadow struggling to keep up!

Moment of the match: Evans' drop-goal changed the outcome of the match, but Habana's heroics in setting up Derick Ku�n's try was by far the highlight.

Villain of the match: In a nail-biting encounter such as this one, tempers would be expected from players feeling the pressure. Not so in this match. True proffesionals in a truly glorious game of rugby. Now if only the match officials could have been half as proffesional as the players were!

The scorers:

For Blues:
Tries: Flavell, Mealamu
Cons: Evans 2
Pens: Evans 2
Drop-goal: Evans

For Bulls:
Tries: Van Heerden 2, Kuun
Cons: Hougaard 3

The teams:

Blues: 15 George Pisi, 14 Joe Rokocoko, 13 Isaia Toeava, 12 Benson Stanley, 11 Rudi Wulf, 10 Nick Evans, 9 Danny Lee, 8 Jerome Kaino, 7 Daniel Braid, 6 Justin Collins, 5 Troy Flavell (c), 4 Kurtis Haiu, 3 John Afoa, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Nick White, 17 Bronson Murray, 18 Anthony Boric, 19 Nick Williams, 20 Taniela Moa, 21 Ben Atiga, 22 David Smith.

Bulls: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JP Nel, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Derick Hougaard, 9 Fourie du Preez (c), 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Wikus van Heerden (vice-captain), 6 Pedrie Wannenburg, 5 Danie Rossouw, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Ryno Gerber, 2 Derick Ku�n, 1 Guthro Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Werner Kruger, 18 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 19 Deon Stegmann, 20 Heinie Adams, 21 Morne Steyn, 22 Dewald Potgieter.

Referee: James Leckie (Australia)
Touch judges: Brett Bowden (Australia), Josh Noonan (New Zealand)
Television match official: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
Assessor: Stuart Beissel (New Zealand)

By Dave Morris