Late Habana try seals Bulls’ first Super 14 title

SPRINGBOK wing Bryan Habana scored a try two minutes into injury-time to lead the Northern Bulls to a thrilling win over the Coastal Sharks for their first Super 14 title.

Bulls flyhalf Derick Hougaard added the conversion to spoil the party for the 54,000 home fans who turned out to witness the first all-South African Super 14 final.

The Bulls triumphed 20-19 after trailing 10-14 at the break.

“I’m speechless,” said Habana. “I think it was a really gutsy performance from our guys — we showed that never say die spirit, something we’ve displayed all season.”

Habana received the ball on the right side of the field in the Sharks’ 22-metre area just two minutes after the home team had scored through replacement lock Albert van den Berg, but failed to convert it.

He noticed the Sharks’ defence in disarray, spotted the gap, cut inside and beat a few defenders to dive over the line. It was a gutsy performance for the men from Pretoria, who reached the semi-finals in the previous two years.

“They would have been worthy winners — they outplayed us for 79 minutes,” admitted Bulls skipper Victor Matfield.

A delighted Bulls coach Heyneke Meyer praised his players for their fighting spirit.

“All credit to the players, they were simply awesome. They showed a never say die attitude and with a minute to go I knew we could still do it,” he said. “I feel for the Sharks, they were very unlucky at the end — they were the better side on the day.”

Sharks captain John Smit called the match an “epic”.

“This last-second defeat has killed us — but well done to the Bulls, they stuck out till the very end.”

It was a topsy-turvy affair — the Sharks dominated the first period, but the second half probably just belonged to the Bulls. The Sharks were on the board after nine minutes with a Percy Montgomery penalty, but four minutes later the Bulls went into the lead with a converted try by No 8 Pierre Spies.

But the Sharks hit back almost immediately through winger JP Pietersen who intercepted a pass from Spies on the halfway line to run all of 50 metres to score his 12th try of the season.

Montgomery missed the conversion, but put his side back into the lead on the half-hour with his first penalty.

Bulls No 10 Hougaard edged his side closer with a three-pointer a few minutes later, but the home side finished the half the stronger outfit with a further three points from Montgomery.

Changing sides 14-10 up, the Sharks battled to find the rhythm that saw them dominate the first half, and it was no surprise when the Bulls won a penalty inside the home side’s 22 metre area on 60 minutes and Hougaard knocked the ball over to close the gap to just a point.

The visitors continued to pile on the pressure, but excellent tackling by the home side kept the men from Pretoria out and then with two minutes to go, van den Berg found a way through the Bulls defence for his team’s second try.

While Francois Steyn missed the conversion, the Sharks were just a stoppage away form being crowned South Africa’s first Super 14 rugby winners. It wasn’t to be.

With the last move of the game Habana went over next to the uprights after going on a sniping run, and the conversion by Hougaard sealed a one-point win for the visitors.

Sharks: Tries: Pietersen, van den Berg. Pens: Montgomery 3.

Bulls: Tries: Spies, Habana. Cons: Hougaard 2. Pens: Hougaard 2.

SHARKS: Montgomery, Steyn, Murray, Barritt, Pietersen, James, Pienaar, Kankowski, Venter, Botes, Muller, Ackermann, Botha, Smit, Carstens.

BULLS: Roets, Ndungane, Nel, Olivier, Habana, Hougaard, du Preez, Spies, van Heerden, Wannenberg, Matfield, G. Botha, Gerber, B. Botha, G. Steenkamp.

Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand).