'It was almost like the old Bulls team'
SUPER RUGBY REACTION: Lions head coach Swys de Bruin sees a big resemblance in the current Bulls team to the golden generation who won three Super Rugby titles.
Back in 2007, 2009 and 2010 the Bulls with the likes of legends of the game Victor Matfield, Danie Rossouw, Pierre Spies and Bakkies Botha, physically dominated their opposition in general play and at the set-piece and maul before they took the ball wide.
They also relied on the accurate boot of flyhalves Derick Hougaard in 2007 and Morne Steyn in 2009 and 2010 to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
The Bulls of 2019 used the exact same formula as their predecessors to record a first Super Rugby victory against the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday since 2012.
The Bulls used their big ball carriers to dominate the physical exchanges, the set-piece and used the maul to good effect throughout the 80 minutes on Saturday.
The Bulls had the likes of 117kg giant No.8 Duane Vermeulen in their team alongside 100kg flanks Ruan Steenkamp and Hanro Liebenberg.
The Lions in comparison were slightly lighter with No.8 Hacjivah Dayimani weighing in at 98 kilograms alongside flank Kwagga Smith weighing 93kg and Marnus Schoeman at 96 kilograms.
Speaking to reporters after the game on Saturday, De Bruin revealed that the Bulls bullied the Lions in all areas of the game and his team simply had no response.
“It’s Super Rugby, you got to man up and we didn’t man up, we were outmuscled.
“They are big and heavy and they kept the ball tight – it was almost like the old Bulls team with the go forward ball they got and with the pack’s brutality,” said De Bruin.
De Bruin admitted that the result was one of the worst in his coaching career at the Lions. However, he gave credit to the Bulls for a well-deserved victory.
“There are no excuses. We were outplayed by a much better team on the day and we will have to go and work very hard to rectify our mistakes and congratulations to them.
“They totally outplayed us – they taught us a rugby lesson,” explained De Bruin.
Lions captain and hooker Malcolm Marx also praised the Bulls on their performance.
“We didn’t really have the ball for the whole of the first half. I think we had one attacking opportunity, so credit to the Bulls they did well to keep us in our half and put us under pressure,” he said.
By Josh Isaacson
@isaacson_j
@rugby365com
