Depth puts Bulls in pole position
The Bulls moved to the top of a very congested Super Rugby table, with their depth ensuring the three-time champions could overcome a number of potentially crippling injuries.
Having still hovered in the wildcard places a fortnight ago, the Bulls first moved past the Stormers to top the South African conference and then overtook the Chiefs on the global standings this past weekend – after the New Zealand leaders lost to the Reds.
The Bulls achieved all this while injuries and compassionate leave robbed them of players like loose forwards Jacques Potgieter (dislocated knee cap) and Deon Stegmann (fractured forearm), props Frik Kirsten (fractured hand) and Dean Greyling (returned home to be with his wife for the birth of their first child), as well as centre Wynand Olivier (injured ribs).
However, their conveyor belt of quality replacements has brought in players like Dewald Potgieter (who himself has just returned from a hamstring injury), Dawie Steyn, Greyling and veteran Rayno Gerber (flown over after Kirsten was injured). The midfield injuries were covered by an equally impressive list – Olivier (who is back this week), Johann Sadie, JJ Engelbrecht and Francois Venter.
Coach Frans Ludeke spoke of the value of the back-up players and the need to keep the entire squad in a good space, as they head into the latter stages of the season.
“In certain positions we have really good depth that has helped us,” Ludeke told this website in an interview ahead of his team’s trip to Dunedin – where they will face the Highlanders on Saturday.
“It is a pity about [Deon] Stegmann, but to get a player like Dewald [Potgieter] back is fantastic,” Ludeke said, “also Dean [Greyling], who returned home for the birth of his first child. He has returned refreshed and a very positive attitude that brings renewed energy into the team.”
The Bulls mentor was also full of praise for veteran prop Rayno Gerber, who recently re-signed with the Pretoria-based franchise after a two-year stint with French side Stade Francais.
“He was responsible for a crucial turnover near the end, while the scrums were also very solid when he came on,” Ludeke said of the 31-year-old Super Rugby winner, who came on in the final quarter of the 27-24 win over the Waratahs last Friday. “He made a big impact for us.”
The Bulls know that in the weeks to come the experience that a player like Gerber brings off the bench would be even more vital as they look to cement their place in the play-off race this season.
“Also, the injuries we have picked up are players who will be back sooner, rather than later… at a crucial stage of the season [after the June Test window],” Ludeke told this website.
“That is why it is important to keep the wider group in a good space [keep them all happy]. Also to keep them in good shape, both mentally and physically, is important. There is still plenty of rugby to be played, so keeping them in shape will be vital – that is why depth is so important.”
The Bulls, on a five-match winning streak, will be well rested when they face the Highlanders on Saturday – having had a good win over the ‘Tahs last Friday and then had Saturday and Sunday off.
“It gives us a good balance in our [tour] programme,” Ludeke said of the two-day break, adding: “It requires big efforts from all to get victories on tour, so the extra time to recover comes in very handy.”
The coach also spoke of a “new week and a new challenge”, as they head across the Tasman Sea to face the Highlanders.
“Going to New Zealand is always a very different challenge.
“Our focus is on our strategy… to ensure we have a good [game] plan on the table and to also ensure that we get the players into a good space in terms of recovery from injury niggles.”
The Bulls, who have showed a marked improvement in their defensive efforts after leaking 10 tries in two games – against the Brumbies and Rebels, will have to be even more accurate than the 92 percent tackle-completion rate they produced against the Waratahs.
“We worked hard on that,” the Bulls mentor said. “That game against the Rebels was tough. We feel it was one of our best performances of the season… especially as it ensured a first win on tour. The loss of the Crusaders to the Rebels put our game [against the Rebels] into perspective and it showed that’s not a walk in the park [against the Rebels in Melbourne].
“In the week after the [Rebels] game we took responsibility [for the slipped tackles]… even at half-time [in Melbourne] we took stock and spoke of the things that we did wrong [when the Bulls conceded four first-half tries], the things we were not happy with.
“We took those lessons into the next game [against the ‘Tahs] and it showed on the day, it allowed us to stay in the game and remain in touch right to the end [when the winning points came].”
By Jan de Koning
