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Bulls pack must fire early shots at Sharks

Bulls flank Marco van Staden will be a key figure in contesting the breakdowns and carrying strongly against the Sharks. Photo: BackpagePix

Bulls flank Marco van Staden will be a key figure in contesting the breakdowns and carrying strongly against the Sharks. Photo: BackpagePix

Published May 31, 2024

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When you have a Springbok-laden backline, you should normally try to get them involved in a game as much as possible.

That is largely what the Bulls have done this season, and it is totally understandable when your back-three alone is made up of Willie le Roux, Canan Moodie and Kurt-Lee Arendse.

Add more Boks – with Embrose Papier and Johan Goosen at scrumhalf and flyhalf, and the outstanding David Kriel at centre – and you quickly realise why the Pretoria side have scored the most tries (81) and most points (613) in the United Rugby Championship this season.

— Official Blue Bulls (@BlueBullsRugby) May 30, 2024

It is highly commendable that Jake White and his team have adopted an all-out attacking mindset, but the nagging doubts about their defence persist, especially as they conceded 34 and 35 points respectively in their last two matches against Glasgow and Benetton.

So, while White and the players feel that their defence has improved and will be much better in a tight encounter and the play-offs, they need to avoid giving away easy points in tomorrow’s final league encounter against the Sharks in Durban (4.10pm kick-off).

One significant way of fixing that problem is to utilise their forwards a bit more. Yes, Arendse and Co are lethal with ball-in-hand and must be brought into play, but sometimes a loose pass here or a knock-on there might provide opportunities for the Sharks to pounce.

The Bulls were highly efficient in the opening quarter against Benetton in their last game a few weeks ago, as they deliberately created a number of phases with their forwards and engaged the Italian club’s defence at close quarters.

The gaps eventually appeared out wide, and the Bulls grabbed nine tries in total.

The Sharks may opt to rest some, if not all, of their Springboks, but even if the likes of Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Vincent Koch and Eben Etzebeth do run at Kings Park, it will be vital for the Bulls to at least gain parity upfront.

It will be up to the front row of Gerhard Steenekamp, Akker van der Merwe and Wilco Louw to set the tone in the scrums, while locks Ruan Vermaak and Ruan Nortjé need to not only win their own lineouts, but disrupt the Sharks’ throw-ins as well.

The Sharks loose trio of James Venter, Vincent Tshituka and Phepsi Buthelezi were outstanding in the Challenge Cup final against Gloucester last weekend, as they carried with conviction and defended brilliantly.

So, the Bulls’ Marco van Staden, Elrigh Louw and Cameron Hanekom must get stuck in at close quarters to slow down the Sharks’ breakdowns, but also to get their own team over the advantage line.

The weather forecast for Durban is fair to partly cloudy for tomorrow, but Kings Park is usually a difficult venue to throw the ball around due to a usual swirling wind in the stadium, while the ball is often slippery too.

Throw in the nature of SA derbies being uncompromisingly physical, and you are going to get a Test-like battle where points will be hard to come by.

The Sharks will be desperate to extend the goodwill gained from their Challenge Cup triumph by ending their disastrous URC campaign in fine style, so the Bulls can’t expect an easy time of it tomorrow.

The Pretoria outfit are still in with a chance of claiming top spot on the log. Currently on 61 points, they trail Munster by two, and need the Irish province to lose against Ulster at home later tomorrow – and they need to beat the Sharks – to reach the No 1 position going into the play-offs, which would ensure a home quarter-final, semi-final and final.

* Meanwhile, the URC announced next season’s opening fixtures yesterday, which will see the Bulls begin their campaign with a blockbuster clash against the Stormers at Cape Town Stadium on September 21 (6.15pm), while the Sharks will host the Lions in Durban on the same day (3.45pm).

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