Tongue-lashing for 'pathetic' Bulls
Blue Bulls coach Pine Pienaar lambasted his side for 'not turning up' at Newlands at the weekend and ending up on the wrong side of a 42-6 hiding.
Western Province bounced back in sublime fashion, after a rocky start to the season, by outscoring the Bulls by five tries to none and move into second place in the standings.
With just three points separating second and fifth (now where the Bulls are) on the competition standings, the result is not the end of the world for the men from Pretoria.
However, their coach said it is important they take loss on the chin and bounce back ahead of their encounter with the defending champion Golden Lions this coming week.
Pienaar did not pull any punches, when asked about his team's performance in Cape Town.
While he felt a "combination of things" contributed to the big loss, he described the performance as "pathetic".
"[A lack of] discipline, turnovers and we also lost three crucial line-outs," Pienaar said, adding: "I feel it was a combination of those things.
"Against a Western Province team who were just more determined than us to win, you will always come second and that's what happened."
Asked if his team lacked desire, he said that appeared to be the case.
"At the end of the day were really pathetic.
"You could see from the outset they had their backs against the wall [WP were in fifth place on the standings] and they simply had to win.
"We just simply did not rock up."
Asked if he could take any positives from the game and what it meant for their season, Pienaar sad: "If you lose 6-42 then there's certainly no positives to take from the game.
"The big question now is if we can bounce back. We face the Lions, who also lost this weekend, they will also be determined to get a win.
"Yes, we are back at home, but it will be tough."
With just six games remaining in before the play-offs, and even with just three six points separating the Bulls from the first-placed Sharks, Pienaar admitted another defeat could have serious consequences.
"If you lose once more, you'll trail by more than five points and with so few games remaining you'll be under pressure and chasing the [leaders]."
He also admitted his team did not have the right attitude on defence, despite going into the match with a more experienced side.
"If you look at teams on paper, you make a big mistake," the Bulls mentor said, adding: "WP came out with young players and they were simply more determined than what we were and we were simply not in the game … we placed ourselves under pressure.
"WP defended very well and we had no answers for that.
"Our kicking game didn't work and they beat us at our own game … turned us around and placed us under pressure.
"Deon Fourie was outstanding at the breakdown and we conceded about five turnovers in that aspect.
"If you make those kind of mistakes against a team like Province you will be on the receiving end of a hiding … which is what happened.
Asked if the late team change – with Jan Serfontein coming in at No.12 for Francois Venter, had any affect on their defensive patterns, Pienaar said it was the attitude that lacked.
"I don't think that had any affect," he said of the change, adding: "The structures were there, but as I said to the players, you still have to make the tackles.
"If you are not prepared to make those tackles, you will get a hiding. JJ Engelbrecht comes on as a Springbok, [young] JP du Plessis … he 'Engelbrecht] misses the tackle and it is a try against you."
Pienaar said "every player" will have to take a long, hard look at himself.
"We have to take this one on the chin and next weekend is another big challenge, we simply have to be much better."
By Jan de Koning
