VIDEO: The Bulls are on a trajectory to climb the United Rugby Championship ladder but do they really want to claim the top spot?
After banking five log points in Cape Town last weekend they can look forward to three successive matches at Loftus Versfeld.
The Bulls are third on the log on 35 points, and above them the title defenders, Glasgow Warriors on 37 with Leinster way out in front on 48 points.
Jake White, the Bulls’ Director of Rugby, explained how crucial a team’s position on the log is when they reach the last few weeks of the competition.
He also pointed to the fact that no team who were top of the log, has won the URC since the South African franchises joined the competition.
Top of his agenda will no doubt be to bank as many log points as possible against the Sharks, Lions, and Stormers.
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The more points the Bulls accumulate, the greater their chances of finishing in the top four and possibly hosting another Final at Loftus.
“The fact that we got out of it, and won, is fantastic, but we will have to talk about it at Monday’s video session.
“We’re going to have to be a little bit more composed and controlled because at times when we were in our half we were rushing it too much,” the experienced coach commented after his team’s ‘get-out-of-jail’ performance against the Stormers.
“One of the things I’ve said to the players, is we want to be at our best when the last three weeks of the competition comes.
“Best in terms of understanding how we want to play, best in terms of conditioning, best in terms of selection.
“Because we know, no team that’s finished top has won this competition since we’ve participated.
“And no team that’s finished top, has hosted the Final.
“That’s quite a stat,” White commented.
The Stormers hosted two Finals, and they didn’t finish top, while the Bulls also hosted a Final and never finished in first place.
“So you’ve got to make sure when you get to the last three games of the comp, that everyone is fit, everyone is switched on, everyone has learned from these lessons.
“And we might have to play a big team away from home and win the tournament.
“Situations like today, the fifty-whatever-thousand crowd from Cape Town – it can only be a benefit for us.
“The more the Bulls players experience this, the more they feel that pressure, the more they are exposed to this, the better it is going to be.
“But these derbies are what it’s all about. People will talk about this derby for a long, long time.
“Thousands of people, sold out, and last kick of the game… So, I’m very proud that this North-South Derby will [be remembered].”
