Respect for the Bulls and reward for the Stormers. This was the north v south derby all of South Africa has wanted for some time. Brutal, never brilliant, but so beautiful.
The Stormers won 13-8 after leading 8-5 at halftime.
For those who fancy a good time, music, plenty of tries and no defence, book your ticket for the Sevens in Cape Town in December.
For those who appreciate a game of rugby, between two heavyweights, this was power.
There were plenty of mistakes. It is called pressure. The very best looked mortal in a swirling wind. Handre Pollard kicked one from four. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu kicked one from three and missed two penalty kicks to the corner.
The two best No 10s in South Africa, and in the top four of world rugby, were reduced to mortals, if particularly talented ones, on a day when South African rugby won, by way of a 54 000-crowd attendance, and an unrelenting derby contest.
The Bulls started with 10 of the current Springboks squad. The Stormers had seven in their starting XV. This showcased the quality of the players on display, but even these giants of world rugby struggled against the wind that blew strong and hard from the heights of Table Mountain.
This was a proper South African derby rugby: rof en onbeskof [rough and rude]
The big rock in the back of the DHL Stadium was covered with what seemed like white candy floss, but there was nothing fluffy about the contest.
Rugby is a game won by defence, when the two giants throw legal hands for 81 minutes.
Credit to the Bulls, who finally looked like Johan Ackermann’s team. They played with desire, with discipline and they scrambled on defence. This was not the team that consistently leaked five tries a match in all competitions.
They will get stronger in the league and they will trouble teams, home and away.
The Stormers, now unbeaten in 10 successive matches in all competitions, got the result, and they got it when it mattered the most, in the closing stages of the match.
The hosts refused two successive penalty opportunities at posts in the final two minutes, and continued to search for a match-winning try. They got it in the 79th minute, and that is what defines the very best champion teams.
The Stormers know how to win, which is why they are eight from eight in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, and they proved this with their belief in those crucial final 120 seconds, both on attack and when defending their line with 30 seconds to play.
This was a proper South African derby rugby: rof en onbeskof (rough and rude).
Evan Roos and Andre-Hugo Venter were big for the Stormers. So too Bulls No 8 Jeandre Rudolph.
Salmaan Moerat and then Damian Willemse were strong in their leadership and Wilco Louw, at tighthead for the visitors, was such a Bull for 69 minutes.
Individuals, on both teams, had their moments, but when the big moment came for the Stormers, it was the collective that won the match.
Lions pip Sharks in Durban
Meanwhile, the Lions, in Durban, stunned the hosts with an 81st minute Haashim Pead’s try to win 23-22.
The Sharks, with a one player advantage for 30 minutes, led 22-18 for much of the second half, but refused several kickable penalties for posts in the final quarter and paid the ultimate price.
The Lions, with four wins from eight, joined the Stormers in the top eight.
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