Stakes are high for Bulls in Hamilton
Bulls skipper Pierre Spies is well aware of the influence a victory over the Chiefs this weekend could have on his team's hopes of securing home advantage in the play-offs this year.
The Bulls face the Chiefs in Hamilton on Friday in the last match of their Australasian tour, and are set to be seriously tested by the New Zealand conference leaders who have lost just two matches this season.
"When you are playing in this competition you should actually have a home semifinal to give yourself the best chance to also secure a home final," Spies said on Tuesday.
"The competition is of such a nature that you have to take it game by game, but it remains at the back of your head that you would like to have that home semifinal," he said.
The Bulls must dust themselves off after they were outplayed in their 16-11 defeat to the Highlanders in Dunedin last week, relinquishing top spot in the Super Rugby table to South African rivals the Stormers.
Spies lamented his side's lost chances which could have cemented their position as log leaders.
"I think we created a couple of opportunities and we made a few mistakes at certain times of the match. We just could not convert the pressure we exuded into points. That was what cost us the match at the end of the day and we just ran out of time," he said.
Spies said he expected a fast and physical Chiefs outfit to keep the ball in hand and added that the Bulls' defence would need to be sharp against one of the competition's pacesetters.
He said that a victory over the New Zealand side in their backyard would give his team a crucial confidence boost.
"On many levels it would be good for us as a team to end the tour off with a victory over the Chiefs. It will give us a boost as they are at the top of the log. There is a lot to play for this weekend and it is the perfect match to finish off the tour," he said.
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