Gainline battle key in Newlands 'Test'
Domestic derbies don’t come much bigger than the traditional north-south battle, the Bulls versus Stormers – an encounter often equated to Test rugby.
When the table-topping Stormers host a rampant Bulls side in Cape Town on Saturday it will be no different – hard, uncompromising and even brutal at times.
But both teams know exactly what to expect of each other, according to Bulls coach Frans Ludeke.
“There are no secrets, both teams know exactly what they must do,” Ludeke told this website in an exclusive interview, when asked what will make this game different from any other derby match.
The wily Bulls coach said in games of this nature “small incidents” can make the difference in the final result.
“As was pointed out, a game of this nature is like Test rugby,” he said, adding: “In those games the basics are vital … you must be accurate, the set pieces must be solid to ensure you have a base to attack from or clear your lines and relieve the pressure.”
He also spoke about the need to be “disciplined” and “take all the opportunities that come you way”.
With both teams’ defences among the most accurate in the tournament, it may very well be an arm-wrestle where inches make the difference.
“The gainline battle will be key,” Ludeke told this website, adding: “It will be tough and both teams know it will be a real contest.
“You must find a way to get the right field position and apply pressure.”
Ludeke confirmed that there were no serious injuries in the team after the 61-8 romp over the Reds at the weekend.
Although six players did not train on Monday, Ludeke said they all should be available to play against the Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday.
Willie Wepener (ear), Chiliboy Ralepelle (flu), Werner Kruger (neck), Jacques Potgieter (neck and back), Jano Vermaak (back) and CJ Stander (head wound) sat out during Monday’s afternoon session.
A final call on the availability of Deon Stegmann will be made on Tuesday.
The coach is also confident that his team will keep their feet firmly planted on the ground, despite their eight-try demolition of defending champions.
They only needed to be reminded of their poor showing against the Blues in Week Three, following an impressive start to the season – which included a 51-19 triumph over the Cheetahs the before falling (23-29) to the Blues.
“It was a great win and in those last 20 minutes the Reds tried hard to get back into the game,” Ludeke said.
“At times they could have taken calculated risks, which they didn’t. They made mistakes and conceded turnovers and in those final 10 minutes we scored two easy tries.”
The Bulls mentor said he felt the final score, 61-8, is not a true reflection of the entire game or the context of the match.
“They were competitive for a long time … we scored our first try only in the 33rd minute. They are a champion team with a host of injuries and we are well aware of all these issues. At the end of the day we were just more clinical and when we got chances in the second half we used them.”
He added that the Bulls have moved on already and won’t dwell too long, as they need to shift their focus to another big game coming up.
“There remains a lot of rugby to be played [in the competition] and the next one is the important one.”
Asked if he felt the win over the Reds is a benchmark for the rest of their season, Ludeke said certainly in terms of the execution of the game plan.
“When we got opportunities we turned it into points and that created momentum … which was one aspect of our game that was missing against the Blues,” he added.
By Jan de Koning
