The United Rugby Championship (URC) has reached the business end with teams jostling to qualify for the play-offs stages.
For the Bulls, they are up against unpredictable Italian side Benetton at Loftus on Saturday afternoon where they will be looking to cement a place in the top eight on the standings.
It will not be uncharted territory as Benetton gave the Bulls a baptism of fire in Europe with a humbling 35-8 win during the Rainbow Cup final last year in Treviso.
It is expected to be a bruising encounter against the Italians who have play-offs ambitions of their own and boast six SA-born players in Andries Coetzee, Corniel Els, Irne Herbst, Carl Wegner, Dewaldt Duvenage and Rhyno Smith.
The Bulls go into this match having lost to the Stormers in their last match, but Bulls breakdown coach Nollis Marais says they have worked hard in correcting their mistakes.
“We know what we need to fix for our match against Benetton after our last match against the DHL Stormers and we will be well-prepared for them,” said Marais.
The Bulls have learnt a number of lessons since that humbling defeat to Benetton in the Rainbow Cup final with gradual improvements as a team over the past few months.
“For two years, we played local sides where we saw the same picture every week at the breakdown, attack and all other areas. Then we played in the Rainbow Cup, it was the first time we played overseas, and that brought us a totally different picture about the breakdown and what we were used to.
“That is when we realised it didn’t matter what level we thought we were in terms of the breakdown and other aspects, we were a bit behind the European sides. We needed to adapt quickly.”
Marais added that the side can be satisfied with the strides they have made and they are in contention for the play-offs.
“At one stage, we were not that good with ball carries and we are now one of the top sides, it’s getting better. The breakdown is getting better and I think that is an area we made a huge step up from the beginning of the Vodacom URC.”
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Bulls continue their quest to qualify for URC play-offs
Image: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
The United Rugby Championship (URC) has reached the business end with teams jostling to qualify for the play-offs stages.
For the Bulls, they are up against unpredictable Italian side Benetton at Loftus on Saturday afternoon where they will be looking to cement a place in the top eight on the standings.
It will not be uncharted territory as Benetton gave the Bulls a baptism of fire in Europe with a humbling 35-8 win during the Rainbow Cup final last year in Treviso.
It is expected to be a bruising encounter against the Italians who have play-offs ambitions of their own and boast six SA-born players in Andries Coetzee, Corniel Els, Irne Herbst, Carl Wegner, Dewaldt Duvenage and Rhyno Smith.
The Bulls go into this match having lost to the Stormers in their last match, but Bulls breakdown coach Nollis Marais says they have worked hard in correcting their mistakes.
“We know what we need to fix for our match against Benetton after our last match against the DHL Stormers and we will be well-prepared for them,” said Marais.
The Bulls have learnt a number of lessons since that humbling defeat to Benetton in the Rainbow Cup final with gradual improvements as a team over the past few months.
“For two years, we played local sides where we saw the same picture every week at the breakdown, attack and all other areas. Then we played in the Rainbow Cup, it was the first time we played overseas, and that brought us a totally different picture about the breakdown and what we were used to.
“That is when we realised it didn’t matter what level we thought we were in terms of the breakdown and other aspects, we were a bit behind the European sides. We needed to adapt quickly.”
Marais added that the side can be satisfied with the strides they have made and they are in contention for the play-offs.
“At one stage, we were not that good with ball carries and we are now one of the top sides, it’s getting better. The breakdown is getting better and I think that is an area we made a huge step up from the beginning of the Vodacom URC.”
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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