Can Bulls rein in feral Brumbies?

THE return of Brumbies prop Scott Sio sets up a tight scrum contest when the Australian side host the Bulls in Canberra tomorrow.

The 23-year-old Wallaby loosehead prop will bolster the Brumbies pack after recovering from a knee injury that sidelined him for six weeks.

The Bulls are wary of what the bulky 1.87-metre, 116kg front-rower will add to the side in a match that is crucial for both sides.

“He [Sio] is a quality player for sure,” Bulls coach Frans Ludeke admitted. He said the scrums would be a key part of tomorrow’s clash at the GIO Stadium.

“They have a good pack of forwards. I think there has been a huge improvement [from the Bulls] in trying to get the whole pack to function as a unit. We have created a lot of good platforms on tour, which is almost a focus area for us.

“That will be a true test for us this weekend – a time to see how much we have improved there [scrums]. But I do think it will be a huge battle up front. That is exactly what a test match environment is, the basics of the game – to secure good platforms to launch an exit play from. It will be vital at the weekend.”

The Bulls do not expect a battering from the Brumbies only in the scrums. Ludeke and captain Pierre Spies have also emphasised the home side’s strength in their kicking game.

This is one of the reasons Ludeke has decided to thrust fullback Jurgen Visser deep into the boiling cauldron with a starting berth after only joining the team in Australia on Monday.

The Bulls are treating it like a test match. Both sides must win to keep their playoff hopes alive.

“They are a quality side from start to finish,” captain Spies said. “If you look at their setpieces, they are very strong there. They have a solid lineout drive and they have world-class players all over the park.”

The game starts at 11.40am tomorrow.