Bulls brace for 'Test match' clash against Benetton
REACTION: Bulls head coach Johann Ackermann expects a much-improved Benetton side to arrive at Loftus Versfeld in Round 18 of the United Rugby Championship this coming Saturday.
The Bulls moved up to fourth place on the URC table following their 54-19 win over Zebre.
The Pretoria-based outfit could cement their top-four spot and secure a home quarterfinal should they overcome the side from Treviso.
This feat seemed unlikely halfway through the season following a string of poor results.
Benetton is coming off a 7-46 hammering against an injury-hit Sharks team, but Ackermann isn’t reading much into that result.
Ackermann described Benetton as a world-class team filled with Italian internationals and expects a Test-match-like game when they meet at Loftus Versfeld this coming weekend.
“They [Benetton] selected their best possible side against the Sharks, and we expect them to do the same against us,” Ackermann said.
“It’s a team which includes several Italian internationals who enjoyed a great Six Nations campaign.
“I don’t want to exaggerate, but we’re expecting a proper Test match against a world-class team.
“We’ll have to prepare as best we can to ensure we deliver a good performance, which will be needed.
“The following week is an off week with the EPCR Finals being played, so the match against Benetton will be good for preparation in terms of building a knock-out mentality.”
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The Bulls mentor provided an update on Junior Springbok Cheswill Jooste, who left the field just before halftime with a hamstring injury.
“Cheswill [Jooste] injured his hamstring. We don’t know the severity of the injury yet.
“He’ll still undergo a medical assessment to see the extent of the injury.”
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