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Bloemfontein – “We have been outsmarted by some good play, but I’m confident that it won’t happen this time.”
That is the word from Bulls coach Frans Ludeke ahead of Friday’s Super Rugby match against the Cheetahs.
He is referring to the blitzkrieg that his side has faced on their last two visits, leaving them with a seven-point deficit on each occasion.
The Bulls found themselves behind their posts after a minute last year.
It was a similar state of affairs a few months later when the Blue Bulls faced the Free State in a Currie Cup match.
The Bulls failed to field the kick-off in last year’s Super Rugby match and Lionel Mapoe scored a try.
In the Currie Cup match the Free State played the ball wide from the kick-off and Jongi Nokwe cut through an uneven Bulls defensive line to immediately give the home side points.
“Give them credit. They played smart rugby in both those instances. That is why we have to focus from the start to ensure it does not happen again,” said Ludeke.
The focus will largely depend on Victor Matfield’s team-talk. It’s not without good reason that he will be captaining his side for a record 62nd time.
“The important thing when faced with such a start is to strike back immediately, but that is not the ideal way of having to start a match. Especially not here because the Cheetahs supporters can really motivate their side,” said the Bulls lock.
For Matfield the message to every player is simple.
“Create a platform from where we can play and enforce our game (on the Cheetahs).”
That will place the Cheetahs under pressure and that is exactly what the Bulls want.
Matfield believes his team showed last week that they can handle pressure. Whether the Cheetahs can do the same, one will have to wait and see.
The Bulls have had a simple game plan in previous years.
They kicked the ball into the corners of their opponents’ 22-metre areas and targeted their opponents’ lineouts using Matfield, Bakkies Botha and Danie Rossouw.
The Bulls have adapted smartly to the changes in the laws, with Fourie du Preez doing a lot of kicking and wings Gerhard van den Heever and Bjorn Basson putting pressure on the receivers in the corners.
Bloemfontein – “We have been outsmarted by some good play, but I’m confident that it won’t happen this time.”
That is the word from Bulls coach Frans Ludeke ahead of Friday’s Super Rugby match against the Cheetahs.
He is referring to the blitzkrieg that his side has faced on their last two visits, leaving them with a seven-point deficit on each occasion.
The Bulls found themselves behind their posts after a minute last year.
It was a similar state of affairs a few months later when the Blue Bulls faced the Free State in a Currie Cup match.
The Bulls failed to field the kick-off in last year’s Super Rugby match and Lionel Mapoe scored a try.
In the Currie Cup match the Free State played the ball wide from the kick-off and Jongi Nokwe cut through an uneven Bulls defensive line to immediately give the home side points.
“Give them credit. They played smart rugby in both those instances. That is why we have to focus from the start to ensure it does not happen again,” said Ludeke.
The focus will largely depend on Victor Matfield’s team-talk. It’s not without good reason that he will be captaining his side for a record 62nd time.
“The important thing when faced with such a start is to strike back immediately, but that is not the ideal way of having to start a match. Especially not here because the Cheetahs supporters can really motivate their side,” said the Bulls lock.
For Matfield the message to every player is simple.
“Create a platform from where we can play and enforce our game (on the Cheetahs).”
That will place the Cheetahs under pressure and that is exactly what the Bulls want.
Matfield believes his team showed last week that they can handle pressure. Whether the Cheetahs can do the same, one will have to wait and see.
The Bulls have had a simple game plan in previous years.
They kicked the ball into the corners of their opponents’ 22-metre areas and targeted their opponents’ lineouts using Matfield, Bakkies Botha and Danie Rossouw.
The Bulls have adapted smartly to the changes in the laws, with Fourie du Preez doing a lot of kicking and wings Gerhard van den Heever and Bjorn Basson putting pressure on the receivers in the corners.
