Johannesburg - The Bulls and the Lions will follow a redemption arch this week as they prepare to swap opposition and travel to Durban and Cape Town, respectively, in the last action of the year in the United Rugby Championship (URC).
Both Gauteng-based sides lost last week Friday.
First, a lackluster Lions were crushed 37-10 by the Sharks; and then the Stormers outplayed the Bulls at Cape Town Stadium 37-27. The Lions will be particularly disappointed with their performance, while the Bulls will have to do some introspection about the direction of their season.
The Lions travelled to Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium on a four-match undefeated run in all competitions, and had weathered the onslaught of the Dragons (twice), Scarlets and Stade Francais. They claimed three victories during that period, all of them not the most convincing outings, but enough to collect a healthy gaggle of points.
The Sharks, however, ruthlessly exposed the Joburgers shortcomings – ones that were evident during their recent run of matches – but which were nullified by homeground advantage.
The Sharks were relentless in controlling possession and territory, which the Lions have struggled in recent weeks to dictate but have managed to negate by scoring in spite of their limited opportunities.
There was no such latitude in Durban, where a powerful but still understrength Sharks team shut the Lions out of the game completely. Indeed, the hosts made only one error which saw Edwill van der Merwe sneak a try in the 18th minute.
In mostly all facets they had the beating of the Lions, who seemed tired with one foot already back on the plane to Johannesburg.
“We can feel the difference when we play South African teams in terms of physicality and just the class,” Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen said after the loss. “So, there will be similar pressure (this week) when we play against a Springbok-laden Stormers team.
“The ability of the current Boks,” Van Rooyen added, referring to the Sharks’ Thomas du Toit, Grant Williams, Makazole Mapimpi, Lukhyano Am, Siya Kolisi and Jaden Hendrikse, “to just turn it on when they’ve got you under pressure and to just finish, is just world class …
“It will be the same challenge for us (this) week – a counter-attack game, also a good set-piece (this) week. There won’t be a lot of time to fix it but we have to work on it, and we have to make sure we are ready for the game.”
Earlier this month, Bulls coach Jake White implied that they only have the capacity to fully commit to one tournament, either the URC or the Heineken Champions Cup; and it seemed that he had decided on the former.
White fielded a “B-team” in the Champions Cup clashes against Lyon and Exeter Chiefs earlier this month, holding back his more experienced and in-form players for the encounter against the defending URC champions. The selection policy seemingly backfired on the Pretoria-based team, who – much like the Lions – lacked a clinical approach and cutting edge in their defeat.
The Bulls director of rugby, however, remained defiant after the match, insisting that the Bulls remained focused on the larger picture, including the Currie Cup, as they build towards the future.
“If you look at all the matches, we are number one in terms of scoring tries from turnovers in the competition,” White said post-match.
“It is a media perception that you are giving … We were apparently the weakest scrum, but (Friday night), we got three penalties against one of the best front rows in the world.
“I am not happy with the result, but to get three penalties in the scrums, from where we were two or three years ago, is unbelievable for me. The fact that we give the ball to guys like Canan (Moodie) and Kurt-Lee (Arendse) is why we played like we did (Friday).
“They will get better – they are still young … Canan is 20-years-old.”
Nevertheless, both the Bulls and the Lions will have to put in much-improved performances on Saturday to redeem themselves.
It will be then that the Bulls will endeavour to get heir URC campaign back on track with a 4.45pm kick-off against the Sharks; and the Lions look to emulate their heroics of last December, when the beat the Stormers in Cape Town, to finally snap an eight-game losing streak to SA franchises.
Kick-off for that game is at 7pm.
@FreemanZAR