THE Blue Bulls, alongside the Griquas and rookies Eastern Province Kings, remain the only winless Currie Cup sides so far this season. Is there cause for concern at Loftus?
"Absolutely," says former Bulls and Springbok prop Richard Bands.
After two rounds of matches in the competition, some would argue that it is still way too early for the Pretoria side to be pushing panic buttons, but the problems of the currently de-horned Bulls run deeper.
In the past three seasons the Bulls, who have won the most titles (21) since the Currie Cup became an annual competition in 1968, have only managed to scrape through to one semifinal in 2012 while they failed to reach the play-off stages in 2011 and last season.
"There is a cause to be concerned," Bands, who played for the Bulls until retirement in 2007, said yesterday.
"In the past two seasons the excuse was that they lost a number of senior players. In Super Rugby you can always use that excuse, but not in the Currie Cup, especially not now."
The Bulls lost 41-13 to the Golden Lions in their opening match of the Currie Cup before returning from Newlands with a 41-17 defeat to Western Province this weekend. The side had no fewer than six Bok-capped players in their starting XV against WP.
"It is difficult to tell whether it is a coaching thing or the problem lies with the players," Bands said. "I just think everyone is in a comfort zone. The players are sitting with huge salaries and nothing much to play for."
Should the Bulls lose against the Kings at home this weekend, calls for intervention will get louder .
Winless Bulls have no 'excuse' to lose games
THE Blue Bulls, alongside the Griquas and rookies Eastern Province Kings, remain the only winless Currie Cup sides so far this season. Is there cause for concern at Loftus?
"Absolutely," says former Bulls and Springbok prop Richard Bands.
After two rounds of matches in the competition, some would argue that it is still way too early for the Pretoria side to be pushing panic buttons, but the problems of the currently de-horned Bulls run deeper.
In the past three seasons the Bulls, who have won the most titles (21) since the Currie Cup became an annual competition in 1968, have only managed to scrape through to one semifinal in 2012 while they failed to reach the play-off stages in 2011 and last season.
"There is a cause to be concerned," Bands, who played for the Bulls until retirement in 2007, said yesterday.
"In the past two seasons the excuse was that they lost a number of senior players. In Super Rugby you can always use that excuse, but not in the Currie Cup, especially not now."
The Bulls lost 41-13 to the Golden Lions in their opening match of the Currie Cup before returning from Newlands with a 41-17 defeat to Western Province this weekend. The side had no fewer than six Bok-capped players in their starting XV against WP.
"It is difficult to tell whether it is a coaching thing or the problem lies with the players," Bands said. "I just think everyone is in a comfort zone. The players are sitting with huge salaries and nothing much to play for."
Should the Bulls lose against the Kings at home this weekend, calls for intervention will get louder .
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