Chiefs defeat costs Bulls

Ken Borland

The painful defeat against the Chiefs in Hamilton – which was hard to take due to how well the Bulls played – has also cost John Mitchell’s team the services of three players ahead of the visit to defending champions the Crusaders, on Friday.

Tighthead prop Conraad van Vuuren (above) has accepted his three-week ban for the high and late tackle for which he was yellow-carded during the game in Hamilton, while Mitchell will also have to make a change in the second row with RG Snyman suffering concussion and a probable facial fracture.

Scrumhalf Andre Warner was on the same flight back to South Africa having also been concussed, but the Bulls are hopeful that the knock wing Travis Ismaiel suffered will not have caused concussion and he will most likely be available against the Crusaders.

Halfback Ivan van Zyl is flying over to replace Warner, while Frans van Wyk and the Springbok, Trevor Nyakane, are the other players able to play tighthead.

“I will look where I can improve the team mix, obviously we’re looking for players who are more mobile than the opposition, we can’t afford to have players who are not alive to the second action. It’s quite new for the guys playing at this intensity, but we will keep growing them,” Mitchell said.

Despite the 41-28 loss to the Chiefs, Mitchell said he was largely happy with the way his team had played.

“The majority of our attack was outstanding, but two poor defensive moments just after half-time cost us. We still had the opportunity to win, but you can’t play with 14 men.”