Steyn boots Bulls to Super 14 title May 30, 2010 - 6:45AM


Morne Steyn breaks the Stormers defensive line and broke their fans' hearts with six penalties and one conversion. Photo: Getty Images

Springbok fly-half Morne Steyn bagged 20 points as Northern Bulls defeated Western Stormers 25-17 at Orlando Stadium early this morning (Australian time) to win a third Super 14 title in four seasons.

Trailing 16-0 during the first half of only the second all-South African final, Stormers clawed back within six points midway through the second half only for Steyn to kick three penalties.

A late Ricky Januarie try gave the scoreline a flattering look as the Bulls always appeared likely winners of the southern hemisphere championship climax watched by a sell-out 36,500 crowd.

Click for more photos Bulls triumph in Super 14 final
Dewald Potgieter of the Bulls gets his pass away in the tackle from Gio Aplon of the Stormers. Photo: Getty Images


Bulls started favourites at their adopted home ground in the black township of Soweto with Pretoria fortress Loftus Versfeld being readied for the FIFA World Cup that kicks off next month.

The defending champions made one change from the team that finished 15 points ahead of Canterbury Crusaders in a semi-final last weekend with Gerhard van den Heever returning to the right wing after serving a two-match ban.

But the scorer of eight Super 14 tries this season lasted just 10 minutes before an injury forced him to retire and be replaced by veteran former Springbok Jaco van der Westhuyzen.

Appearing in their first Super final, Stormers kept faith with the starting line-up from the 19-point triumph over New South Wales Waratahs at Newlands in Cape Town seven days ago.

Bulls shrugged off the Van den Heever blow to lead 16-3 at half-time with the usual suspect contributing most of the points as top 2010 Super 14 scorer Steyn kicked three penalties and converted a Francois Hougaard try.

Guest of honour President Jacob Zuma said he wanted to see tries and his wish came true on 24 minutes as scrum-half Fourie du Preez set up Hougaard from a ruck and the wing rounded fullback Joe Pietersen to dot down.

Stormers pack was struggling to assert itself, regularly being turned over, but they got on the scoreboard nine minutes before half-time when fly-half Peter Grant succeeded with his first penalty attempt.

A more even but scrappy second half came to life on 54 minutes when 2007 Rugby Player of the Year Bryan Habana intercepted a pass just inside Bulls territory and raced unchallenged to the line for a try Grant converted.

Steyn widened the Bulls lead to nine points with his fourth penalty, but failed for the first time in the match when another attempt from near the touchline just missed the target.

Not that it affected his confidence as two more penalty chances presented themselves in the closing stages and Steyn struck both between the posts to give the Bulls a 25-10 advantage.

With time ticking away on a cool, overcast evening, Stormers got a second try through Januarie and Grant converted.

BULLS 25 (Francois Hougaard try Morne Steyn con 6 pens) bt STORMERS 17 (Bryan Habana, Enrico Januarie tries Peter Grant 2 cons pen) at Orlando Stadium. Referee: Craig Joubert (RSA).

AFP