Bulls coach Pine takes the blame
Bulls defence coach Pine Pienaar has taken responsibility for the team’s poor start to their Super Rugby campaign.
They have lost three of their four matches — to the Stormers, Cheetahs and the Blues.
The defeats have left the Pretoria team with a mountain to climb to refresh their campaign.
It does not get any easier this weekend, as they are up against the in-form Chiefs in Waikato.
In their most recent defeat, by 38-14 against the Blues, the Bulls missed 24 tackles.
Pienaar said they had to improve against the Chiefs.
“We played Australian sides [in 2016]; maybe that helped us a little bit, but I am not saying they are not good enough‚” he said.
“I am not happy with the defence because to concede six tries in a match is unacceptable.
“We work behind the scenes and hopefully, the boys will come to the party on Saturday … but I take full responsibility because it is my area and I am not happy with it,” Pienaar said.
“[In] the first half against the Blues, we did very well, but [in] the second half‚ especially in the last 17 minutes‚ they caught us and kept the ball. We conceded a few line breaks and that is one of the things that we want to improve on.”
Players had to minimise individual errors that would be exploited by some of the world’s best players who were featuring in the competition.
“Playing against some of the best players in the world‚ players are always going to be under tremendous pressure if they leave space between their inside and outside defender, but that is something that we will work on‚” he said.
“We know that we are playing the best side in the competition. We want to work on the mistakes that we have made.”
The Bulls confirmed prop John-Roy Jenkinson‚ who suffered a hamstring injury against the Blues on Saturday‚ would return home for further treatment. He will be replaced by Conraad van Vuuren.
Jenkinson‚ a replacement in the second half‚ suffered a grade-two hamstring tear that has ruled him out of the remainder of the tour. No 8 Hanro Liebenberg will undergo a fitness test after injuring a pectoral muscle.