Bulls starting to believe
The Bulls may have gone through a lean patch, but back-to-back home victories have restored their hope of reaching the Super Rugby play-offs.
Following their convincing 28-12 victory over the Stormers at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria at the weekend the Bulls are in eighth place on 28 points – just two points outside a top-six spot.
The Stormers came out firing, scoring two tries from turnovers for a 12-0 lead in the first quarter.
However, the hosts remained calm and chipped away at the visitors' lead to draw the scores level going into the half-time break, before they scored 16 unanswered points in the second half.
Bulls captain Victor Matfield said he was encouraged by the team's performance, which showed hallmarks of previous successful sides.
"A belief is starting to grow in the team," Matfield told a post-match media briefing.
"I am very happy with this performance, it felt like the Bulls of old where we really squeezed them," the veteran lock added.
The Bulls slowly chipped away at the Stormers' lead as flyhalf Handré Pollard kept the scoreboard ticking over with his deft place-kicking.
The second half saw the Bulls take further control of the match as they added three more penalties and a converted try for the victory.
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke praised his charges for the manner in which they kept their cool to come out on top.
"We fought our way back in the first half when were behind by a lot, although we dominated the field position, there were one or two breakdowns they capitalised on," he said.
"It just boiled down to decision making on the field, leadership and it is a great feeling afterwards to have a good win.
"It was really a good win the way we planned it, attack, kicking game and defence, I thought the players were accurate although we fell behind but they kept their cool for an awesome second half."
The Bulls – now eight points adrift of the table-topping Sharks – will enjoy their second bye this week.
The Bulls chances of reaching the play-offs will be given a boost if the Sharks lose their remaining two matches on tour, which could see them replace the Sharks as the South African Conference leaders.
Ludeke, however, refused to wish any bad luck on to the Sharks and said they would instead focus on what they had control of.
"You don't want to hope for the Sharks to lose, they are a South African side, we have to do our own thing and the rest would take care of itself," he said.
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