Bulls have plan for WP juggernaut
Western Province are heading to Loftus Versfeld like an unstoppable juggernaut, but the Blue Bulls are not going to step aside and gift them a free pass.
Having ended their losing streak, which included a 41-17 hammering at the hands of WP at Newlands a fortnight ago, the Bulls believe they are finally beginning to get the rewards for trusting in their systems.
Last week's 30-25 win over the Eastern Province Kings did not just end the team's Currie Cup dry spell, but it also convinced coach Frans Ludeke that some of the "adjustments" made since Super Rugby are beginning to pay dividends.
"That was a very important win [over the Kings] at a very important time," Ludeke told rugby365 in an interview ahead of Saturday's big north-south derby in Pretoria.
"In the previous encounter with WP, at Newlands, we did some good things," he said, adding: "We had good territorial advantage and possession, but we failed to get the points on the board.
"The key this weekend is to ensure we create the same opportunities.
"The advantage line is always a massive battle against WP.
"We took a lot out of that game and we have improved as a team."
the Bulls mentor spoke of the specifics that cost them – a combination of decision-making, the contact-skills of their ball carriers and the support players not reacting quick enough.
"Those are the things, when you get into favourable positions, that must work for you," he told rugby365.
"This past weekend [against the Kings] we scored some good tries, so we are positive that the process is beginning to work and we are doing better.
"We know that if we are on top of our game and we execute well, things will start coming our way. We have to focus and stick to what we worked on during the week.
"This weekend we are up against an in-form Province team and a team that has things going their way, so we'll have to be at our best."
Ludeke said it was important that they made some adjustment, however minor.
"You need those adjustments to take the whole process forward," he said, adding: "As I have said before, we have been making changes since Super Rugby.
"We haven't always got the rewards, but we know where the opportunities are. The process is getting us there [creating the opportunities], it is just the finishing that is falling short.
"Now we must just push on, keep with what we work on [in training] and those results will come."
The Bulls coach also felt that Province have continued their evolvement since Super Rugby and are certainly no longer just a defensive team.
"It [defence] is one of their strengths, but they have other strengths.
"Their forwards are very competitive in the set pieces, they always get quality possession and put you under pressure. In our last encounter [at Newlands] we had to battle to get quality possession."
By Jan de Koning
