Bulls loose forward Jeandré Rudolph has been in outstanding form and will look play another starring role when they take on the Bristol Bears on Saturday in the Champions Cup in Pretoria. The Bulls showed plenty of fight against the Stormers in Cape Town, but their inability to seize control during periods when they held the upper hand ultimately came back to haunt them in defeat. As they prepare to face the Bristol Bears in the Champions Cup at Loftus Versfeld, the emphasis will be on delivering a complete performance to halt their losing streak.
They enjoyed scrum dominance, brought plenty of physicality, and showed encouraging signs on attack. With the Bears visiting Pretoria for a 3pm kick-off, we highlight five areas where the Bulls can assert themselves, claim a vital victory, and spark a turnaround in their season. The Bulls are generating a solid scrum platform, but too often it goes unused.
They need to turn forward dominance into clear attacking opportunities rather than letting pressure slip away. It has become a cause for concern over the last couple of seasons, and still, there is no answer for where they are going wrong. They need clearer plans off first phase — whether that’s using the bruising runs at No 8, setting up a midfield carry, or going wide early to strike — to ensure their forwards’ hard work pays dividends.
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Stopping the Stormers from scoring tries with their dangerous backline shows that there has been massive improvement when it comes to tackling; however, the home team can’t let that only be a once-off. Their defensive record hasn’t been the greatest this season, but the match in Cape Town will hopefully turn things around. Improved communication, quicker line speed, and better cover defence will help prevent soft tries, especially against teams that thrive on broken play.
Should former Sharks player Benhard Janse van Rensburg face them, he will relish the chance to run at the Bulls’ defence. The Bulls boast some genuinely dangerous backs, but often they are not put into positions to hurt opponents. Faster recycling and more decisive passing from the halves can give runners space to exploit mismatches.
When the ball reaches the players out wide like Sebastiaan de Klerk, Stravino Jacobs and Kurt-Lee Arendse, the Bulls appear far more threatening and unpredictable. So, it will be up to the likes of Embrose Papier, flyhalf Handré Pollard and the centre combination to ensure Loftus sees some running magic from the backs. If they can’t do that, it will be another long afternoon in Pretoria.
Maybe the biggest area for improvement, apart from converting scrum chances, is exploiting opportunities when they reach the 22m-area and turning the pressure into points. The Bulls often enjoy long spells of territory and possession but fail to fully capitalise. Better composure, sharper execution, and smarter option-taking are needed.
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