Bulls on track to shake the blues
Captain Odendaal unlikely foil for Kiwi coach Mitchell’s wiles
● Burger Odendaal admits to initially walking on eggshells around John Mitchell.
The respected Kiwi, after all, came with a reputation but the Bulls captain and coach were soon joined at the hip in common cause and purpose.
“It’s so when a new guy takes over and you don’t really know him,” said Odendaal. “We built a relationship very quickly, especially around the captaincy. When he took over I was the captain of the Currie Cup team. I had a few extra sessions with him in which he laid out his plans. It was nice to have had that Currie Cup experience so it wasn’t a completely new thing.”
Mitchell’s turnaround strategy provided encouraging glimpses during last season’s Currie Cup, but tangible proof of improvement was on offer in victories over the Hurricanes, the Stormers and the Sharks.
It had to involve embracing change at a union deeply rooted in tradition. Superficially the Bulls have done that for a while with the recent completion at the Loftus Versfeld precinct of a mall, lifestyle centre and hotel.
On the field, too, the slumbering giants are barely recognisable. Odendaal joined in the spirit of change by ridding himself of a dubious wispy mullet and accompanying Cassper Nyovest-like plait.
The 25-year-old admits he is not everyone’s idea of a captain. “I don’t think I’m your normal captain that everyone is used to. Most of the time I would have preferred if someone else was captain and then I’d just add my five cents’ worth if I feel not everything was said. I’m more a leader through my deeds than someone who talks a lot.
“It’s not just one guy who provides leadership. I get wisdom from Adriaan Strauss on and off the field. Nic (de Jager) as well.”
The key for Mitchell wasn’t just to invest in a leader who shared his vision, but someone who could help bring his blueprint to vivid colour.
“His personality is perfectionist driven,” Odendaal said of Mitchell. “He wants things done his way. If things aren’t perfect . . . He’s very calm with us. I think he is hard on his coaching staff and it shows on the field. The calm way he handled us helped. When you are not sure of something, then you ask.”
Mitchell has demanded improvement on all fronts. It is aimed at bringing together an all-encompassing style of play in which the Bulls deliver unremitting pressure on their opponents.
“There are a lot of elements that he (Mitchell) wants perfected and if it’s not he’ll be the first one to point out what needs to be worked on.
“We haven’t improved in just one area. It is a combination of a few things. The fact that the guys have spent a lot of time with each other has helped.
The guys are understanding each other and they know what is expected in terms of our game plan and how we want to put other teams under pressure. We don’t go blindly into attack.”
If the aim of their playing style is to expose opponents to the perennial blowtorch, the Bulls need to be tooled for the task.
“You have to be a lot fitter. It is a totally different way of playing to what we were used [to]. Especially in practice. There are certain standards that you have to uphold and if you don’t John Mitchell won’t pick you for his team.
“The intensity of our practices are higher. That has been a change in rugby. We as South Africans lagged behind a little and guys ran away from us. We have played catch-up. We are level again,” said Odendaal.
While there has been much hype around the Bulls’ attack under Mitchell, it is their defence that has shown the most improvement this season. Before this weekend’s round of matches they had the best defensive record in the South African conference.
“That is the process that the coach started with us. In the beginning in the Currie Cup we didn’t quite grasp what he wanted and we struggled a lot with our defence. The process has started sinking in. We started realising what he wants on defence.”
If Mitchell demands perfection, Odendaal is perhaps the Bulls’ dose of reality.
He reminds one of how the Bulls struggled on tour but how they could not afford to doubt their processes.
“Things didn’t go our way. The guys hung in there knowing things will turn. We knew if we just kept on working and do the right things the results will follow.”
Their win over the Sharks was the ruthless disembowelling of a team in front of their home fans. “The win over the Sharks was massive. We were also surprised (by their winning margin).”
The guys hung in there knowing things will turn Burger Odendaal Bulls captain