Nortje stands by Le Roux as Jones joins Bulls training

WILLIE Le Roux has always been a player that the fans tend to either love or hate, and it was the former emotion that pervaded Bulls supporters at the conclusion of last week's enthralling north-south derby in Cape Town.

- MIKE GREENAWAY

In the last movement of the game, with the Stormers leading 13-8 but with the Bulls in possession, the Springbok fullback chose not to keep the ball in hand. Instead, he sent a speculative kick to the open-side touchline, but it sailed over the head of chasing Bulls wing Stravino Jacobs and into touch. The final whistle went, that was that for the Bulls, and a groan erupted out of Pretoria, followed by the collective refrain, "Why the heck did he kick it?!"

Why indeed ...

After the match, Bulls coach Johan Ackermann lamented the fine margins that went against his team as they slid to a sixth consecutive defeat across all competitions. This was one of them. Shortly before, the Stormers' replacement prop Ntuthuko Mchunu had scored to break the 8-8 deadlock.