Ackermann: Bulls must beat the best to become champions

The Bulls may be heading to Edinburgh on the back of a commanding quarterfinal victory over Munster, but coach Johan Ackermann believes a significantly tougher challenge awaits against a Glasgow Warriors side he describes as one of the most complete teams in the competition.

The Bulls booked their place in the last four with a commanding 45-14 victory over Munster at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday and now face a trip to Edinburgh, where Glasgow will host the semifinal at Murrayfield.

While the fixture offers the Pretoria side an opportunity to avenge previous defeats to Franco Smith’s men, Ackermann said his focus is firmly on the challenge ahead rather than any lingering history.

“If you want to win this competition, you must be able to beat any team,” Ackermann said.

“You can’t pick and choose who you want to play.”

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The rivalry between the teams has intensified over the past two seasons. Glasgow stunned the Bulls in the 2024 URC final at Loftus Versfeld before edging them again in Scotland last month.

Ackermann acknowledged the narrow defeat in Glasgow but believes the margins between the teams are small.

“The second game, we made mistakes and they exploited it. Credit to them,” he said.

“We’ve lost twice against them and now we get the opportunity to play against them again, but this time almost in a different venue. That makes it quite interesting.”

The Bulls travel to Scotland full of confidence after their emphatic quarterfinal win over Munster, but Ackermann warned that Glasgow represent a significant step up in quality.

“Glasgow is so clinical,” he said.

“There were some silly offloads tonight [Saturday] and there were some great ones. We have to cut out those silly ones.

“They defend very well and don’t make it easy for you. Our patience with the ball has to improve.”

Despite the 31-point victory over Munster, Ackermann was quick to point out that the scoreline would count for little in a semifinal.

“It sounds arrogant because of the score, but Glasgow will punish you if we make the same mistakes,” he said.

“They are an all-round, highly skilled attacking team. That’s why we have to be better.”

The Bulls enjoyed the benefits of altitude and home conditions against Munster, advantages that will disappear when they take the field at Murrayfield.

“Today we had the advantage of playing at home with the altitude and those things that maybe count a little bit,” Ackermann said.

“Next week it’s a fair challenge on that level.”

While much has been made of the Bulls’ quest to finally end their run of runners-up finishes, Ackermann believes simply reaching the semifinals already represents progress for a team that has undergone significant change this season.

“If you asked me in January whether we would take a semifinal, I would say yes,” he said.

“That’s the biggest positive.”

The coach also stressed that success should not be measured solely by silverware.

“We all want to win the trophy. If you ask any team at the start of the season, they will say they want to win it,” he said.

“But ultimately it’s not just about winning the trophy. It’s about your culture, your values and how the team grows during the season.

“If you get the opportunity in the semifinal, hopefully that’s another step in the right direction.”

For Ackermann, the equation is simple. Glasgow finished top of the standings for a reason, and the Bulls will need to produce their best performance of the season to keep their title hopes alive.

“Glasgow are not the number one side for nothing,” he said.

“They are one of the best attacking teams, one of the best set-piece teams and one of the best defensive teams.

“We just have to find a way to win.”

And after two painful defeats to the Warriors in recent years, the Bulls now have another shot at proving they belong among the URC’s elite.