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JJ Harmse
Pretoria – Thank goodness for the Sharks. If there was any chance of the Blue Bulls being down and out following the weekend’s defeat in Nelspruit, it was quickly erased by the challenge awaiting them at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday night.
Not only are the Sharks topping the Currie Cup log, but they also know the feeling of winning on the Bulls’ home ground.
“Yes, the guys are definitely aware of the magnitude of the game, but also of our opponents. Matches between ourselves and the Sharks are always humdingers and the players are already enthusiastic about this one. I don’t have to motivate anyone,” Blue Bulls coach Frans Ludeke said Monday after the team had started its preparations.
Ludeke had to train without Wynand Olivier and Dewald Potgieter after both had to report for Bok duty, but the problems with the availability of players are reducing.
Gary Botha and Deon Stegmann may be back for the Sharks game, but Ludeke made it clear that he would not expose either of them to unnecessary risk.
Gerrit-Jan van Velze should be fit after being sidelined with a dead leg, while the experience of John Mametsa will also be a welcome option for the coach.
Jacques-Louis Potgieter will definitely be back at flyhalf and he owes the team a big one after an inconsistent run of performances.
A failed penalty against Western Province condemned the Bulls to defeat and Potgieter kicked poorly again on Friday. That is not good enough for a proven match-winner.
Ludeke said that the shock of the Pumas defeat had been shrugged off.
“It may have been a setback for our goals in the tournament, but fortunately other results helped us. The focus this week will be to eliminate the errors that cost us against the Pumas and focus on what we do well,” he said.
The Bulls are regularly caught out when they concede turnover possession on attack and that is something they will have to improve on if they want to avoid more losses.
Ludeke admits that his team’s inability to put away opponents is currently their downfall.
All their losses have been by less than seven points and the Bulls still led the Sharks, Pumas and Cheetahs until shortly before the end.
“We are definitely not good enough in that sense. It will probably improve as we get senior players back from the Springboks, but it’s a problem,” said Ludeke.
“On the other hand it says something about the players’ fighting spirit because we had to come back from deficits in many of those games.”
Pretoria – Thank goodness for the Sharks. If there was any chance of the Blue Bulls being down and out following the weekend’s defeat in Nelspruit, it was quickly erased by the challenge awaiting them at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday night.
Not only are the Sharks topping the Currie Cup log, but they also know the feeling of winning on the Bulls’ home ground.
“Yes, the guys are definitely aware of the magnitude of the game, but also of our opponents. Matches between ourselves and the Sharks are always humdingers and the players are already enthusiastic about this one. I don’t have to motivate anyone,” Blue Bulls coach Frans Ludeke said Monday after the team had started its preparations.
Ludeke had to train without Wynand Olivier and Dewald Potgieter after both had to report for Bok duty, but the problems with the availability of players are reducing.
Gary Botha and Deon Stegmann may be back for the Sharks game, but Ludeke made it clear that he would not expose either of them to unnecessary risk.
Gerrit-Jan van Velze should be fit after being sidelined with a dead leg, while the experience of John Mametsa will also be a welcome option for the coach.
Jacques-Louis Potgieter will definitely be back at flyhalf and he owes the team a big one after an inconsistent run of performances.
A failed penalty against Western Province condemned the Bulls to defeat and Potgieter kicked poorly again on Friday. That is not good enough for a proven match-winner.
Ludeke said that the shock of the Pumas defeat had been shrugged off.
“It may have been a setback for our goals in the tournament, but fortunately other results helped us. The focus this week will be to eliminate the errors that cost us against the Pumas and focus on what we do well,” he said.
The Bulls are regularly caught out when they concede turnover possession on attack and that is something they will have to improve on if they want to avoid more losses.
Ludeke admits that his team’s inability to put away opponents is currently their downfall.
All their losses have been by less than seven points and the Bulls still led the Sharks, Pumas and Cheetahs until shortly before the end.
“We are definitely not good enough in that sense. It will probably improve as we get senior players back from the Springboks, but it’s a problem,” said Ludeke.
“On the other hand it says something about the players’ fighting spirit because we had to come back from deficits in many of those games.”
