Bulls looking for 'balance' in the break
The mid-season break next month could not come at a better time for the three-time Super Rugby champion Bulls, according to coach Frans Ludeke.
Speaking to this website ahead of their final match, against the Stormers at a sold out Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, before the break for the June Tests, Ludeke said that they will look to get a good balance in their approach during the breather.
Having the mid-season recess, to accommodate the June Tests when the northern hemisphere countries travel south of the Equator, is something very new to Super Rugby.
However, Ludeke feels there are many advantages.
"If you look at that now, it is a blessing," he said, when asked about the Bulls' approach, adding: "Some of our injured players can come back.
"Also, there are some aspects of our game where we want to tweak.
"Our approach [to the break] will be about getting a balance.
"That first week we will take a complete break, get mentally refreshed, and then we have two weeks where we can do specified training… address individual needs."
The Bulls – champions in 2007, 2009 and 2010 – are coming of a successful four-match tour, which yielded 11 points.
Even though they lost their last two matches, against the Highlanders and table-topping Chiefs, they managed an Australian clean-sweep for the first time since 2007 – the year of their inaugural Super Rugby title.
However, it is the two defeats that taught the Bulls more about themselves – shortcomings and strengths – than the victories Down Under did.
"You get plenty out of such close game," he told this website, when asked about the 22-28 loss to the Chiefs and 11-16 loss to the Highlanders.
"Defeats are always disappointing, but we were competitive right to the end and if one or two decisions from our side were better we could have had better results.
"Mentally you get a lot out of games like that… especially against the table-topping Chiefs in Hamilton – we took plenty out of that game.
"The players, psychologically, realise anything is possible. We know that if you play well enough on the day anybody can win."
The other positive for the Bulls is that in all four their defeats this season – Chiefs 22-28; Highlanders 11-16; Stormers 17-20 and Blues 23-29 – they were inside one score at the end.
"That is how this competition is… very tight," the Bulls mentor said.
"We saw last year, when we lost out [on the play-offs] with a few [three] points.
"For us it is a mindset, to play for 80 minutes, no matter what the match situation.
"We lost those games, but in all the games, with five minutes to go we had good field position and had a chance [to win]."
Ludeke said the 2012 version of Super Rugby is "far more competitive" than any of the previous years.
"That is why it is important that you give yourself a chance… right up to the last minute.
"I believe Super Rugby is the toughest competition in the world. Anybody can beat anybody, home or away, on the day.
"You simply have to be at your best and you must be consistent – to have a say in the competition at the end [in the play-offs] you have to be up for it every week."
By Jan de Koning
