Set-piece key for Bulls as Ackermann’s men stay in SA Shield hunt

The Bulls have had one of the best scrums this season. It will be tested the most now against the Sharks and Stormers. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images The Bulls have a long shot at winning this year’s United Rugby Championship South African Shield, with wins needed from their final two matches, plus at least one bonus point.

The Bulls also need the Stormers to beat the Lions this weekend. They host the Sharks first this weekend before facing the Stormers, also at Loftus, on 14 March – both ranking near the top of the scrum charts with the Bulls. The Pretoria union have secured a solid 28 scrum penalties and top the table for scrums won (97%) so far this competition.

The Sharks, who have played one more game, havewon 35 scrum penaltiesand retained 95% of their own put-ins, placing them second on the table. The Stormers have won only 92% of their scrums, ranking ninth. However, they have secured more scrum penalties than any other side – 35.

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The Bulls will need to prove they are the best in the set-piece against the other two South African giants if they wish to have a crack at the SA Shield, as well as move up from eighth on the overall table. A loss against the Sharks would shatter their SA Shield hopes and could also see them leapfrogged by the 10th-placed Durban Union, dropping them out of the top eight and play-off contention. The Bulls come out of their break on their first three-match winning run of the season.

The Sharks, meanwhile, just fell out of their own three-game streak after a disappointing34-22 defeat to the Lionsat Ellis Park this weekend. Head-to-head, the Sharks have won 6 out of 11 URC matches between the sides. The Sharks have won three of the last four URC contests, including thefirst legof this competition 21-12 at Kings Park.

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