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J.J. Harmse
Pretoria - The Bulls are a team with strong principles.
That is why their away victory against the Sharks won't change their approach preparing for Saturday's onslaught from Bloemfontein and the Cheetahs could expect the same recipe and treatment dished out to the Sharks.
That is the view of Bulls forwards coach Johann van Graan ahead of the Vodacom Super Rugby derby at Loftus Versfeld.
"It was good news for us on the log, but it's over now and the hard work has started again. The Cheetahs are one of the form teams in the competition and we'll have to be at our best again," said Van Graan.
The Bulls will nevertheless be delighted with the manner in which they stopped the Sharks' ball-carriers in their tracks.
Beast Mtawarira (6 carries for 24 metres), Bismarck du Plessis (7 for 22m), Willem Alberts (11 for 55m) and Jean Deysel (8 for 35m) never stopped attacking, but were regularly tackled before they could build steam and cross the advantage line.
Van Graan did not say it in so many words, but it's clear that the visiting Coenie Oosthuizen and Ashley Johnson could expect a good dose of the same medicine.
Oosthuizen's 5 carries against the Melbourne Rebels saw him gain 41m and Johnson progressed 91m with his 11 carries.
"Coenie is a very good carrier for them and Ashley has been playing very good rugby in recent weeks," said Van Graan.
"Then there is someone like Sarel Pretorius, who is not the leading try-scorer in the tournament without good reason.
"The Cheetahs are now the South African team to have scored the most tries in the tournament and are definitely a different team to the one that we played at the beginning of the tournament."
Van Graan also points to the Bulls being a different "animal" to the one that struggled in the first month or two of the competition.
"Every team has different challenges and games between us and the Cheetahs are always special. We struggled a little at the beginning of the tournament, but I think we are playing with a lot of confidence now.
"On Saturday we will focus on our own game and on ways that we could stamp down out authority on them."
One way in which the Bulls have been able to notch points in recent months was through their rolling mauls and Van Graan does not deny that it's an option for this weekend.
"We first have to win the ball in the lineouts and we will have to be very good there with Wilhelm Steenkamp in their ranks. If we get good ball, the drives will probably be an option," he said.
Van Graan just laughs at suggestions that the Cheetahs had an easier game against the Rebels than the Bulls did against the Sharks and could therefore be fresher.
"In my eight years at this level I have not been involved in one easy game. Team one could lose to team 15 on any day. That is how tough this tournament is," said Van Graan.
Pretoria - The Bulls are a team with strong principles.
That is why their away victory against the Sharks won't change their approach preparing for Saturday's onslaught from Bloemfontein and the Cheetahs could expect the same recipe and treatment dished out to the Sharks.
That is the view of Bulls forwards coach Johann van Graan ahead of the Vodacom Super Rugby derby at Loftus Versfeld.
"It was good news for us on the log, but it's over now and the hard work has started again. The Cheetahs are one of the form teams in the competition and we'll have to be at our best again," said Van Graan.
The Bulls will nevertheless be delighted with the manner in which they stopped the Sharks' ball-carriers in their tracks.
Beast Mtawarira (6 carries for 24 metres), Bismarck du Plessis (7 for 22m), Willem Alberts (11 for 55m) and Jean Deysel (8 for 35m) never stopped attacking, but were regularly tackled before they could build steam and cross the advantage line.
Van Graan did not say it in so many words, but it's clear that the visiting Coenie Oosthuizen and Ashley Johnson could expect a good dose of the same medicine.
Oosthuizen's 5 carries against the Melbourne Rebels saw him gain 41m and Johnson progressed 91m with his 11 carries.
"Coenie is a very good carrier for them and Ashley has been playing very good rugby in recent weeks," said Van Graan.
"Then there is someone like Sarel Pretorius, who is not the leading try-scorer in the tournament without good reason.
"The Cheetahs are now the South African team to have scored the most tries in the tournament and are definitely a different team to the one that we played at the beginning of the tournament."
Van Graan also points to the Bulls being a different "animal" to the one that struggled in the first month or two of the competition.
"Every team has different challenges and games between us and the Cheetahs are always special. We struggled a little at the beginning of the tournament, but I think we are playing with a lot of confidence now.
"On Saturday we will focus on our own game and on ways that we could stamp down out authority on them."
One way in which the Bulls have been able to notch points in recent months was through their rolling mauls and Van Graan does not deny that it's an option for this weekend.
"We first have to win the ball in the lineouts and we will have to be very good there with Wilhelm Steenkamp in their ranks. If we get good ball, the drives will probably be an option," he said.
Van Graan just laughs at suggestions that the Cheetahs had an easier game against the Rebels than the Bulls did against the Sharks and could therefore be fresher.
"In my eight years at this level I have not been involved in one easy game. Team one could lose to team 15 on any day. That is how tough this tournament is," said Van Graan.
