Ackermann pinpoints key reason behind Bulls' win
REACTION: It was a victory to savour for the Bulls as their grit and determination paid off in a nail-biting 26-24 Champions Cup Round Four win over Pau at the Stade du Hameau on Friday.
The victory ended a seven-match losing streak, which included a humiliating 49-61 defeat to Bristol Bears at Loftus Versfeld.
The result also moved Johan Ackermann’s team up to fourth in Pool 3 on seven points, ahead of Pau (six) and the Scarlets (two).
While qualification for the round of 16 remains out of their hands, the result has put the Bulls firmly back in contention.
The Scarlets, who sit on two points, must claim a bonus-point win away to already-qualified Northampton Saints on Sunday to leapfrog the South Africans.
More importantly for Ackermann, the performance against Pau offered a timely reminder of what his side is capable of producing.
The Bulls were at times overrun by the French outfit, currently second in the Top 14 standings, but they managed to tighten the screws and overturn a 12-24 deficit to secure a crucial and memorable victory.
Ackermann said his team showed immense grit to defend with just 34 percent possession and 38 percent territory, while also spending time with a player in the sin bin.
“There’s a lot of character in the team, and I’ve never doubted that, but the balance is not always 100 percent,” Ackermann said, adding: “We sometimes put ourselves under pressure through errors or discipline.
“There are periods where we do good things, and then we concede a turnover, a bad pass, or a penalty. They kick it into the corner and pin us down.
“So we have to fix those areas, but without the character, we probably wouldn’t have hung in there and given ourselves a chance at the end. That’s the part I’ve been proud of.
“In other games, things weren’t 100 percent and we couldn’t get back, but it was never a lack of character.”
Ackermann also highlighted the contribution of players who did not take the field, noting that Johan Grobbelaar, Wilco Louw and Stedman Gans helped clean the changeroom and took care of their teammates’ bags after the match.
“That is the character of the team – it’s not about who I am, but about serving the team. That’s what I’m seeing. We are building who we want to be, not just on the field but off it as well.”
While acknowledging that it was only one win, Ackermann believes the Bulls can draw confidence from the performance as they turn their focus to the United Rugby Championship and a looming clash against Edinburgh.
