News

Mametsa hat-trick wins it for Bulls

June 21 2008

Winger John Mametsa scored a hat-trick of tries in his 100th game to help the Blue Bulls to a 21-7 win over the Lions in the first round Currie Cup game at Ellis Park on Saturday.

Mametsa was absolutely superb on the day and he seized every opportunity that came his way to keep the visitors' points ticking.

The Bulls were only leading 6-0 at the break as a result of a penalty by Morné Steyn and a drop-goal by JP Joubert, but they unleashed fury in the second half thanks to a high tempo fifteen-man approach.

Lions' scrum-half Jano Vermaak took his side into the lead in the 54th minute when he scored under the poles, but the Bulls immediately retained the lead when Mametsa finished off brilliant work by the full-back Tiger Mangweni.

Mametsa scored his second try in the 66th minute and looked as if this touchdown broke the Lions' spirit. Six minutes later Mametsa went over for his hat-trick and the end result was a splendid away victory for coach Frans Ludeke and his troops.

What makes this victory more significant is the fact that the Blue Bulls managed to pull off the win without their inspiring captain Wikus van Heerden.

Van Heerden had to leave the field after 40 minutes due to a rib injury but Hilton Lobberts was back to his bulldozing best. Lobberts was struggling with his form earlier this year, but it seems the coaches' work with him behind the scenes is already paying dividends.

Lobberts, together with his loose trio partners, Deon Stegmann and Pedrie Wannenburg, had the better of the Lions in the loose and although the set pieces weren't faultless the Bulls secured more than enough ball for the back-line.

Joubert and Steyn did a sterling job as a half-back pairing and in the midfield Wynand Olivier and Marius Delport played like an experienced centre combination.

The star of the match was obviously Mametsa but his team-mates, Akona Ndungane and Tiger Mangweni had loads of work to do and the did it with a lot of heart and a lot of head.

The scorers:

For Lions:

Try: Vermaak

Con: Rose

For Blue Bulls:

Tries: Mametsa 3

Pen: Steyn

Drop-goal: Joubert

Lions: 15 Earl Rose, 14 Louis Ludik, 13 Jaco Pretorius, 12 Walter Venter, 11 Ryno Benjamin, 10 Jaco van Schalkwyk, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Willem Alberts, 7 Franco van der Merwe, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar (c), 5 Gerhard Mostert, 4 Dewald Senekal, 3 JC Janse van Rensburg, 2 Willie Wepener, 1 Heinke van der Merwe.

Replacements: 16 Ethienne Reynecke, 17 Gert Muller, 18 Anton van Zyl / Justin Wheeler, 19 Wilhelm Koch, 20 Chris Jonck, 21 Jannie Boshoff, 22 Dusty Noble.

Blue Bulls: 15 Tiger Mangweni, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Marius Delport, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 John Mametsa, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 JP Joubert, 8 Pedrie Wannenburg, 7 Wikus van Heerden (c), 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 4 Francois van Schouwenburg, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Derick Kuün, 1 Jaco Engels.

Replacements: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Rayno Gerber, 18 Fudge Mabeta, 19 Hilton Lobberts, 20 Ruan Snyman, 21 Burton Francis, 22 Dewald Potgieter.

Referee: Craig Joubert

Touch judges: Gareth Lloyd-Jones, Peter de Bruin

Assessor: Richard Nash