Ackermann's headache causing 'ripple effect'
SPOTLIGHT: Bulls head coach Johan Ackermann addressed a concerning trend his team has been guilty of so far this season.
The Bulls, a team known for their power game and bullish mentality, have failed to make dominant tackles regularly so far this season.
Their defence has been decent this season, making 399 tackles and missing 47 in the process.
However, it’s the nature of those tackles that is a cause for concern.
They’ve only managed to execute nine dominant hits in three matches.
They have also conceded a whopping 99 points and 14 tries in the process.
The article continues below…
Their lack of dominant tackles creates a domino effect where teams aren’t put under enough defensive pressure.
This allows the opposition attack to flow despite tackles being made.
This past weekend against Ulster was a prime example, and they failed to record a single dominant hit in their win against Leinster.
Ackermann voiced his concerns surrounding the issue and provided reasons why the Bulls aren’t getting it right so far this season.
He also warned that the Bulls should fix the issue sooner rather than later to stop leaking points.
The article continues below…
“Ultimately, we lacked tackle dominance. We didn’t manage to get it.
“There are too many instances where players cover for each other [after missing tackles], which turns into a ripple effect.
“If two players miss a tackle on one guy and a third comes in to cover, you end up getting exposed in a different area.
“Unfortunately, there are a lot of factors that I can hide behind.
“Our preparation wasn’t great. We didn’t have the numbers through various reasons to do what we needed to in training on the defensive front.
“Maybe we were undercooked from a contact point of view, which leads to playing catch-up during the season.
“Hopefully, we’ll get that fixed as the season progresses because this competition doesn’t wait on anyone.
“You play against the best of the best. Just look at Ulster.
“They’re a good team with big players in their backline with strong ball carriers, and we knew it beforehand.
“We need to fix it and quickly if we want to start conceding fewer points.”
