Bulls scrumhalf Zak Burger says their Champions Cup encounter against Lyon on Friday at the Matmut Stadium is a high-priority match for them.
With the game in France being the last match of the group stages, it has the potential to decide the Pretoria side’s fate in the competition. The Bulls are in Pool A with 11 other teams and are in sixth place with 10 points in three games.
To make it to the knockout stages, they need to finish in the top eight and a top-four finish will ensure they get to play a Round of 16 at home at Loftus Versfeld. The last time the Bulls played an away match in the Champions Cup was in December when they visited Exeter Chiefs in England.
Bulls director of rugby Jake White took a team full of fringe players and lost the game 44-14. With the stakes high on their travels to Lyon, the Bulls will take their strongest team as they need a win to give them a chance to make the last 16.
“Going to Lyon, we are going there for a win. The ball is in our hands and we must make use of this opportunity and go and try to get the win and finish as high as possible on the log,” said Burger when speaking to the media during a virtual press conference.
“It’s very crucial, it’s going to be a massive game. If we can get that win over Lyon it's going to be massive for where we are going to finish on the log and we want to finish as high as possible on the log and play a round of 16 at Loftus and give ourselves a good opportunity to reach the quarter-finals and semi's later in the competition.
“It’s a high-priority game for us, it doesn’t matter who plays in a Bulls jersey, we always go out to a game and want to win it. We have a good culture of healthy competition and giving other players a chance. We are going to Lyon to get the win,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Bulls announced the signing of Henry Immelman from Scottish side Edinburgh, on a three-year deal. Upington-born Immelman spent the formative stages of his career with the Free State Cheetahs and five years with French club Montpellier before his two seasons with Edinburgh.
Lyon match is make or break for Bulls, says Burger
Encounter could decide Pretoria side’s fate in Champions Cup
Image: Christiaan Kotze
Bulls scrumhalf Zak Burger says their Champions Cup encounter against Lyon on Friday at the Matmut Stadium is a high-priority match for them.
With the game in France being the last match of the group stages, it has the potential to decide the Pretoria side’s fate in the competition. The Bulls are in Pool A with 11 other teams and are in sixth place with 10 points in three games.
To make it to the knockout stages, they need to finish in the top eight and a top-four finish will ensure they get to play a Round of 16 at home at Loftus Versfeld. The last time the Bulls played an away match in the Champions Cup was in December when they visited Exeter Chiefs in England.
Bulls director of rugby Jake White took a team full of fringe players and lost the game 44-14. With the stakes high on their travels to Lyon, the Bulls will take their strongest team as they need a win to give them a chance to make the last 16.
“Going to Lyon, we are going there for a win. The ball is in our hands and we must make use of this opportunity and go and try to get the win and finish as high as possible on the log,” said Burger when speaking to the media during a virtual press conference.
“It’s very crucial, it’s going to be a massive game. If we can get that win over Lyon it's going to be massive for where we are going to finish on the log and we want to finish as high as possible on the log and play a round of 16 at Loftus and give ourselves a good opportunity to reach the quarter-finals and semi's later in the competition.
“It’s a high-priority game for us, it doesn’t matter who plays in a Bulls jersey, we always go out to a game and want to win it. We have a good culture of healthy competition and giving other players a chance. We are going to Lyon to get the win,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Bulls announced the signing of Henry Immelman from Scottish side Edinburgh, on a three-year deal. Upington-born Immelman spent the formative stages of his career with the Free State Cheetahs and five years with French club Montpellier before his two seasons with Edinburgh.
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