Wary Bulls not stressed by wet weather forecast against Cardiff
We need to be organised against balanced Welsh side, says Pienaar
Bulls defence coach Pine Pienaar says they are not paying attention to Saturday’s weather predictions ahead of their United Rugby Championship match against Cardiff Rugby at Loftus Versfeld (8pm).
Cardiff dismantled the Sharks 35-0 at the weekend in Durban. They had the advantage on the day thanks to the wet weather conditions, which they are used to playing in.
The side from the Welsh capital looked comfortable in Durban as it was pouring.
Saturday’s weather forecast for Pretoria in the evening is set to be 24°C, there could be some scattered showers that can play as the opening act for the predicted heavy rain for the coming week.
The Bulls know they are not in control of the weather for Saturday, however, they are hoping it will not be raining as that can play into the hands of Cardiff. “That’s something we are not in control of,” said Pienaar when quizzed about the prospect of rain on Saturday during a virtual media conference.
“With the weather they encountered against the Sharks, the amount of experience they have, the type of carriers they have and their set-piece, they put their marker down regarding how they managed the game.
“It was well coached and managed by the players,” he said.
Cardiff won’t be bullied off the park like the other Welsh province. They are a stern team and have already claimed the scalps of the Stormers and Sharks recently.
Pienaar said they are aware they will be facing an experienced team.
“They have special players, great individuals; balance-wise, they are one of the better Welsh sides. They have beaten the Stormers and the Sharks, so they are a quality side. So, it’s going to be a tough game for us this coming Saturday.
“They are a balanced side with a good set-piece, big carriers and a nine and 10 that drive the game perfectly.”
The Bulls are coming off a 43-26 win over Ospreys. As impressive as the score was, their game management was suspect and they will be keen to address that on Saturday.
“Cardiff played a superbly balanced game against the Sharks, so we have to be spot on,” Pienaar said. “We need to be better in certain situations in the field. We need to be a bit better in terms of how we build pressure, with or without the ball.”
We need to be better in building pressure with or without ball