The Bulls Currie Cup side have a lengthy breather as they are next in action on March 5 against Griquas in Kimberley.
THE BULLS may have to rethink their strategy of using all their players in both the United Rugby Championship and the Currie Cup, following Wednesday night’s 38-25 defeat to the Cheetahs at Loftus Versfeld.
The lack of cohesion was evident in the Bulls’ performance as they conceded six tries, and while they scored three themselves, they wasted a number of attacking opportunities.
The problems for Gert Smal’s team started at the line-outs, where hooker Schalk Erasmus and locks Reinhardt Ludwig and Janko Swanepoel didn’t click, with several throws either skew or not finding the intended target as Cheetahs second-rowers Aidon Davis and Victor Sekekete contested well in the air and stopped mauls.
ALSO READ: Composed Cheetahs dismantle Bulls at Loftus
It was clear to see that the enterprising Cheetahs – with the likes of Springbok veterans Ruan Pienaar and Frans Steyn, as well as young flyhalf Siya Masuku, calling the shots – were more in sync with each other compared to the Bulls, who have been using many of their URC bench players in the Currie Cup starting line-up.
It didn’t prove a problem in the first two games against the Pumas and WP, where they produced bonus-point wins. But the loss to a stronger Cheetahs side might make director of rugby Jake White consider utilising two separate squads in future.
The Bulls Currie Cup side have a lengthy breather, though, as they are next in action on March 5 against Griquas in Kimberley, while the URC outfit are getting ready for tomorrow’s clash against the Lions at Loftus Versfeld (3pm kick-off).
ALSO READ: Griquas rely on Zander’s boot to pummel Pumas
“That (more continuity in the team) would’ve been ideal, but that is the nature of the competition – that we have the two groups. On the contrary, if you bring in guys who played on the Saturday, then you have just one practice on a Monday that can be of quality, and then the Tuesday is usually the captain’s run, and then you play on the Wednesday,” Smal said in the post-match press conference.
“So, there isn’t really time to prepare, but that isn’t an excuse. I think we could’ve played much better and executed much better.”
Despite boasting proven performers such as Marco Jansen van Vuren, Chris Smith, Cornal Hendricks, Stedman Gans, Stravino Jacobs and David Kriel in the backline – with only right wing Sibongile Novuka a newcomer this season – the Bulls battled to find their rhythm on attack as well.
Many of the starters on Wednesday would’ve hoped to push their case for a URC start against the Lions tomorrow, but they didn’t do themselves any favours.
“One would’ve liked to have seen better performances, but I think the guys are very disappointed themselves. Those are things that we need to work on, and they know that it wasn’t good enough,” Smal said.
“(On attack) you first look at your set-piece, and then the launch in general, and if that’s not quality, then you’re always going to be under pressure. So, these are things we need to work on – get better first-phase and then build our momentum from there.
“On the (Cheetahs) line-speed (in defence), you look at your opposition, and we had enough time to look at our opposition. So, we just needed to execute much better than what we did today.
“On the day, they might bring a little bit more variation, but we have to adapt as quickly as we can. Teams like the Cheetahs, Griquas and Pumas don’t have the dynamics that we have (as they don’t play in the URC), so their rhythm is obviously better than ours, and we need to ensure that we get ours much quicker.”
