Ackermann addresses a key Bulls' recurring problem after Scarlets win
REACTION: The Bulls’ 54-26 win over the Scarlets might look convincing on paper, but head coach Johan Ackermann wasn’t pleased with his side’s inability to maintain their dominance for the full 80 minutes.
The Bulls secured their third consecutive win in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) but made life difficult for themselves after starting the match at full throttle.
Despite leading 19-12 at the break, they allowed the visitors to fight their way back into the game and draw level at 26-26 before the hour mark.
They sealed the win with four unanswered tries by Marcell Coetzee, Sebastian de Klerk, Johan Grobbelaar, and Dylan Maart in the last 20 minutes of the game.
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Ackermann attributed the second-half dip to a combination of factors, including a bit of complacency and an unusual training week.
“We made a few mistakes, but the bench lifted the tempo, the scrum at times was really good, and that made the difference,” he said.
“During the week, we didn’t have such good preparation, and the guys weren’t as sharp as usual. I was worried that mentally, the guys selected for the Springboks were already on tour and the other guys were on holiday.
“The Scarlets never gave up; they scored some good tries and stayed in the game, but I’m proud we found a way and showed good character.”
Getting off to a flying start, losing momentum and then finishing strongly has become something of a recurring theme for the Bulls in recent weeks.
Against Ulster, they raced into a 21-0 lead but allowed the Irish side back into the contest through lapses in concentration before eventually pulling away in the final quarter.
While discipline was the Bulls’ undoing in that match, Ackermann believes their struggles against the Scarlets were down to different factors.
The coach pointed to the physical and mental demands of playing in scorching heat for four consecutive weeks, suggesting fatigue may have played a role.
“You would think that four games in the heat would take its toll.
“It is physically demanding, and we tried to freshen up the guys during the week to cut some of our training because, again, we knew it’s the fourth week in a row.
“Even if you play any competition in any conditions, and you know there’s a break coming, that’s going to be mentally challenging to get the guys firing for 80 minutes.
“We’ll reassess everything, but I think from here on, hopefully we can start pushing that 80-minute performance. We can’t afford this in every game.”
Ackermann further dismissed suggestions that the 13 changes to his starting lineup contributed negatively to the team’s performance.
“I really don’t think that had much influence.
“We were a bit loose with the ball, but when we tidied that up, we scored some good tries, especially the one by Dylan Maart.
“If I look at the mistakes we made, I don’t think you can put it on the changes; I think it’s just individual errors.”
The Bulls will now enjoy a two-week break before returning to training ahead of their derby against the Lions in December.
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