Ackermann on Smith's claim: Travel is tough, but it's no excuse
Bulls coach Johan Ackermann has acknowledged the advantage Glasgow Warriors gain from staying at home this week but insists travel will not be used as an excuse ahead of Saturday’s United Rugby Championship semifinal at Murrayfield.
Glasgow coach Franco Smith suggested his side could benefit from avoiding another long-haul journey, pointing out that the Bulls would have to travel while the defending champions remained in familiar surroundings.
*Also read related article: URC Semifinal: Glasgow Warriors v Bulls – Teams and Prediction
Ackermann agreed that travel always presents challenges, particularly given the logistical hurdles the Bulls faced getting to Scotland.
“Travel is always challenging,” Ackermann said. “It’s well known that we had to fly on four, five, six different flights. We couldn’t get all the players on one flight, so players flew out at different times and arrived in Scotland at different times.”
Despite the disrupted journey, Ackermann believes the Bulls have had sufficient time to recover and prepare for the biggest match of their season.
“Once we got everybody together again, the plan was in place to freshen up the guys and get them ready. The original travel was a bit challenging, but we had enough time, in my view, to recover well. I think everybody is ready.”
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The Bulls coach admitted there are obvious benefits to remaining at home but noted that home comforts can bring their own pressures.
“It’s always nice to sleep in your own bed and be around your own people, but that does add different pressure as well. Sitting on a plane and travelling is always challenging, but these players have done it over and over. We’ve got good recovery protocols in place.”
Ackermann revealed that health concerns can sometimes be a bigger issue than the actual travel itself, recalling that illness affected the Bulls squad before their previous meeting with Glasgow.
“When we played Glasgow the last time, we had a stomach virus running through the team earlier in the week. There’s always a risk on a plane for those things. Fortunately, by God’s grace, everybody is healthy and looking forward to it.”
Ultimately, Ackermann dismissed the notion that travel would determine who reaches the URC final.
“I don’t think we can blame travel for the result. I think it’s still in our control and hopefully we can perform well.”
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