Away victories key for Bulls

 

The game against the Sharks was the Pretoria outfit's third game away from Loftus, with mixed results coming in the previous two encounters – against the Cheetahs and Lions.

 

The Bulls managed to overcome the Cheetahs 39-20 in Bloemfontein, before going down18-22 to the Lions a fortnight ago.

 

This win against the Sharks has given them the belief that they can win on the road as they next head to Cape Town to face the Stormers.

 

They then have one more home game against the Lions, beifre departing for their Australasian tour (against the Blues, Chiefs, Brumbies and Rebels).

 

Bulls coach Frans Ludeke admitted that last year his team struggled to close out games away from home, but was optimistic that his senior players may turn their fortunes around this year.

 

"Last year we played well away from home, but we could never close out those games," Ludeke said after a tough battle in Durban.

 

"That is why it is great to have [Pierre] Spies back, and a lot of our other first choice players.

 

"We had to blood a lot of young players last year due to injuries, and now some of them are coming through with good experience."

 

Captain Pierre Spies also saw the benefit of playing a complete and well rounded game away from home.

 

The No.8 is also well aware of how much the hard-fought victory against the Sharks would help them going forward.

 

 "There is still a lot of games ahead of us and we are playing plenty of them away from home," Spies said.

 

"But we will take every win we can and for us it is good to win away from home.

 

"We are putting the focus on the fact that we want to win on the road and this is a good foundation for next week, when we play the Stormers.

 

"We are also embarking on a tough tour soon."

 

The South African conference is fairly tight at the top, and after the Bulls' victory, the pressure to remain at the summit of the log has intensified.

 

Coach Ludeke knows the upcoming game against the Stormers will be of vital importance in determining the South African conference, but does not yet see it as a deciding match.

 

"It is a bit early to call the Stormers game the conference final, but it will be a huge derby game," Ludeke added.

 

"The team that comes out on top will get a large amount of momentum from that.

 

"However, we will enjoy our victory from tonight [Saturday], and them on Monday we will start planning for Cape Town."