Embattled Bulls to raise the bar
FUTURE STARTS NOW, SAYS MARAIS
The Bulls have been lacklustre in Super Rugby this year but they have promised to be anything but spineless – and the Sharks are expecting nothing less – when they meet in a local derby at Kings Park in Durban today.
Although their chances of qualifying for the play-offs have gone, the Bulls still have much to play for in terms of the union making a turnaround in the Currie Cup and individually for the players to impress incoming director of rugby John Mitchell.
“We understand our responsibility to still play good rugby, but the shackles are off a bit and we need to express ourselves more. But the Sharks are one of the top teams on the gain-line, they’re very physical with very strong ball-carriers, they get over that gain-line and get momentum, they create quick ball. We need to get up and stop that,” Bulls captain Adriaan Strauss said.
The Sharks are certainly expecting the Bulls to try and do just that.
“We’re going to need nothing less than our absolute best against the Bulls because they are a very physical side. The Super Rugby log is not a true reflection, they’re one of the strongest South African sides and things just haven’t gone their way. They have very good rugby players and they’re not just going to lay down, they’re going to come out swinging,’’ Sharks prop Coenie Oosthuizen said.
“Coming down to Durban, they’ll have more oxygen and we’re expecting one of our toughest games physically, as well as lineout and scrum-wise. We have to pitch up in all three of those aspects, because if we’re lacking in one of them then it will be a very tough game. We expect to have to play for the full 90 minutes.”
Bulls coach Nollis Marais said his team will bring an up-tempo approach because that is the direction they want to take their game once Mitchell arrives at Loftus Versfeld. The Sharks will be relying on the intensity of their pack to stifle the Bulls.
“It’s important to get that in place,” Marais said.