Bulls face challenge in UK
● Pretoria side know they must be at their best in away game against Northampton Saints to reach Champions Cup semifinal
It may have been enough that they are the only SA side left in the quarterfinals of the Investec Champions’ Cup, but the Vodacom Bulls now have to challenge themselves to back up their superb performance against French side Lyon when they travel to Northampton Saints for Saturday’s playoff game.
The Bulls were rampant in their 59-19 victory, but know that however far they go in the competition, they will have to face every opponent away from home, especially as the competition rules are that all semifinals and finals have to be played in Europe.
So even if they do get the better of Northampton, they will have to play away, with the daunting prospect of either La Rochelle or Leinster as their next opponents.
After they were mauled in the second half by Leinster last time out, Bulls director of rugby Jake White wanted a response and the one he got was simply excellent.
White could have asked for no better, as the 59 points and nine tries they scored against the French side were the most scored by any side in a Champions Cup knockout stage since 1998.
Their 774 metres gained was also the highest by any SA side in a Champions or Challenge Cup game.
But now they have to face a Northampton side that dismantled Munster in a pulsating game on Sunday and showed why they are top of the English Premiership.
Their attacking game, if the conditions allow, will be one that will test the Bulls as much as any top team in the competition.
Despite the travel and the disadvantages it brings, the Bulls know they will need to be at their best if they are to become the first SA team to make it through to a Champions Cup semifinal.
White was understandably over the moon about the victory. “We wanted a rebound and good teams are teams that, after they get a performance like we did last week, you make sure you back it up with a proper performance,” he said.
“Some of those tries were outstanding and over the years people have gone from seeing the Bulls being able to scrum and maul into the kind of rugby we saw.
“It’s obviously very pleasing to get a reaction like that, and pleasing that we can interchange the way that we play.
“We used the highveld, we used the altitude and the surface we practise on as a bonus.
“I am very happy to pull that win off,” he said.