Bulls' Loftus shocker just an anomaly?
SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: The unpredictable nature of Super Rugby 2019 has made for some interesting viewing in the first six rounds.
There have been quite a few upsets already with the Bulls’ 20-56 defeat to the Chiefs probably being the standout example so far.
Very few pundits were expecting that result at Loftus Versfeld after the Chiefs failed to win a match before the Round Six fixture.
The Bulls, on the other hand, had momentum on their side with impressive wins over the Lions and Sharks leading up to that fixture.
The Bulls’ loss could be described as an anomaly, but it will still be a big psychological blow for them ahead of their Round Seven clash against the Sharks in Durban.
The Pretoria will be looking to get back on track quickly and Sharks head coach Robert du Preez said they are bracing themselves for an angry Bulls team.
“They suffered a heavy defeat against the Chiefs, so we expect a backlash from them after that loss, they’re a proud team,” said Du Preez.
He added: “That just goes to show that if you’re off your game, anything can happen on the day. You have to be on top of your game every match, week in and week out.”
The Sharks are coming off 28-14 win over the Melbourne Rebels, which was a morale-booster after to-back losses to the Stormers (Durban) and Bulls (Pretoria) in rounds three and four.
“We needed to get our campaign back on track, it was a tough week for the boys after the loss to the Bulls and by coming back as we did was great,” said du Preez.
“We had a brilliant week in training, the boys really dug deep, there was a lot of introspection from a number of individuals, so I was very pleased with the response; I’m very happy with the win.
“We had a good start and ended well, that’s what we asked for. In the first 20 minutes I thought we played really well and then finished well; that’s pleasing.”
If the Sharks are to mount a challenge for a play-off spot, they can’t afford to drop more points at home, especially against a conference rival.
“If you want to be a force in this competition, you have to win your home games. We’ve lost one already, we don’t want to lose again,” Du Preez added.
