Morne Steyn's kicking boot, his 21-point haul including four dropped goals, powered the Bulls into a home Super 14 final after a 36-23 win over the Crusaders at Pretoria's Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Sunday.
It was his last dropped goal from 50 metres that finally shut the Crusaders out of the game in the 70th minute and his ultimate reward may prove to be winning the No.10 jersey for the Springboks in the forthcoming series against the British and Irish Lions.
His effort drummed out a warning to the Chiefs who will face the Bulls in next week's final. The Crusaders were wary of giving Steyn goal-kicking chances from penalties, but they could do nothing to contain his opportunism in field play.
It was a 22-point haul in the eight minutes by the Bulls before half-time that spelled the difference after the Crusaders had stormed to a 20-7 lead after 23 minutes. Neither side could score a try in the second half.
Negating the Bulls' lineout power, and putting the pressure on with their heavier scrum, the Crusaders made all the running in the first 32 minutes, but the Bulls responded superbly to show why they finished the regular season at the top of the points table.
No.8 Pierre Spies exemplified the Bulls spirit in a powerful running display while flanker Dewald Potgieter and halfback Fourie du Preez were the hub of the Bulls effort which ultimately wore down the game effort of the New Zealanders.
They also punished the Crusaders who lost No.8 Thomas Waldrom to the sin-bin with five minutes of the half left, and it was during this period that the Bulls ran amok.
Achieving the start they wanted, the Crusaders made an early scrummaging impression to cap a fine blindside break by wing Adam Whitelock. Colin Slade, having come onto the ground as a blood bin replacement for Leon MacDonald, featured twice in the action.
He secured a high ball, then, in the resulting play, he combined with halfback Andrew Ellis and created room for Whitelock to break down the touchline and in-pass to flanker Kieran Read. But the move broke down when No.8 Waldrom had his take blocked by a Bulls hand.
However, in the resulting play, the Crusaders won a free kick and used the scrum option resulting in a series of reset scrums which ultimately resulted in a fifth-minute penalty goal chance which first five-eighths Stephen Brett converted.
But the Crusaders' inability to secure lineout ball allowed Bulls flanker Potgieter to charge onto the ball, and while the initial assault was contained, the Bulls charged back and as the ball was moved to the left, first five-eighths Morne Steyn was tackled.
However, in returning to the right a space opened up for left wing Bryan Habana and he raced through untouched to score. Steyn added the conversion.
There was no time for the Bulls to savour the moment, however, as the Crusaders charged back into attack with Ellis flicking a superb ball to left and right. And it was in a blindside move where quick hands found room, and time, for Whitelock to get over in the corner where the TMO advised the try had been scored. MacDonald, who had returned from the blood bin, landed a fine sideline conversion.
MacDonald was able to punish an off-side play by Bulls hooker Derick Kuun by landing a