Rugby: Bulls beat Crusaders to reach Super 14 final

Crusaders first-five Daniel Carter, center, is tackled by Bulls captain Victor Matfield, left,...
Crusaders first-five Daniel Carter, center, is tackled by Bulls captain Victor Matfield, left, and teammate Danie Rossouw, during the Super 14 semi-final at the Orlando stadium in Soweto, South Africa. The Bulls beat the Crusaders 39-24. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
The defending champion Bulls beat the Crusaders 39-24 in their semifinal in Soweto this morning (NZT) to edge closer to a third Super 14 rugby title in four years.

The Bulls' second successive home final next Saturday will be an all-South African derby as the Stormers downed the New South Wales Waratahs 25-6 at Newlands.

The Bulls will return to Soweto's Orlando Stadium as their Bulls' Loftus Versfeld was out of action because of the football World Cup.

The 40,000-seat Orlando Stadium had a near-capacity crowd for Soweto's first major rugby match, with many local fans wearing yellow South African football shirts alongside the blue-clad Bulls supporters from nearby Pretoria.

"To all the Bulls supporters who came out today, it's awesome to see you in Soweto," said captain Victor Matfield, who made his 100th Super rugby appearance for the Bulls.

"Thanks to Soweto for hosting us. I've played 100 games for the Bulls, this is one of the best experiences we have ever had. It's awesome to play here.

"Everyone's going to be back here next week. It's going to be huge."

Pierre Spies, Zane Kirchner and Fourie du Preez scored tries for the Bulls, and Springboks No. 10 Morne Steyn kicked 24 points.

The Crusaders also crossed the tryline three times, through captain Richie McCaw, Sean Maitland and Sam Whitelock, but Steyn proved the difference with six penalties and three conversions as he broke the record for the most points by a player in a Super 14 season.

No. 8 Spies burst through Maitland's tackle after just two minutes to touch down between the posts and put the Bulls in early control in Soweto, South Africa's most famous township on the southern outskirts of Johannesburg.

Steyn's ninth-minute penalty then took the Bulls scoring machine to 224 points in the season, breaking the former record by Canterbury flyhalf Dan Carter - who watched Steyn's record-breaking kick from between the posts.

McCaw emerged from a forward drive to score the New Zealand outfit's first try in the 11th. Carter converted, despite the hum of vuvuzelas around the stadium - the plastic trumpets that are famous with South African football fans.

Fullback Kirchner followed up his own kick, after it bounced off a Crusader's head, to touch down in the 15th.

Steyn was on target with five from six first-half kicks, including a massive effort from his own half, to push the Bulls 23-10 ahead at halftime.

Canterbury hit back with winger Maitland's try five minutes into the second half, after a slick Crusaders' move off a scrum, to bring the Crusaders within seven points.

But the on-form Steyn added another penalty then South Africa scrumhalf du Preez broke clear down the left wing and slid in for a crucial score. Steyn's conversion from the touchline made it 33-17 and put the game beyond Canterbury.

"It's going to be a great final next week, but credit to all the guys for making our third final in four years," man of the match du Preez said, one of 14 first-choice Bulls players who were controversially rested for the season's final league game a week ago.

"There's been a lot of talk about our rest last week. But it's a tough competition. I think the rest helped us perform today."

Steyn continued to kick the weary Crusaders out of the game, with penalties in the 69th and 73rd minutes to take his game tally to 24 points, and his season total to 243 in 14 matches.

Whitelock went over in the 79th in what was only a consolation try for the seven-time champion Crusaders.

"We came up against a very good Bulls team today," McCaw said. "We gave them a bit of a head start which you can't afford to do in this rugby."

"A few lapses let us down. That's the way it goes I guess. The Bulls certainly made us pay for our mistakes tonight."

The Bulls, champions in 2007 and 2009, will travel back to Soweto from their Pretoria base next weekend to host the last ever Super 14 final, with the competition expanded to 15 teams in 2011.

It will be the biggest sporting occasion so far for the township of just over 1 million people - until it hosts the football World Cup's opening game on June 11.

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Scores:

Bulls 39 (Pierre Spies, Zane Kirchner, Fourie du Preez tries, Morne Steyn 6 penalties, 3 conversions), Canterbury Crusaders 24 (Richie McCaw, Sean Maitland, Sam Whitelock tries; Dan Carter penalty, 3 conversions). HT: 23-10.

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