Bulls coach Johan Ackermann said his team must fix a few problems, even after they beat Stade Français 56-20 in the Champions Cup at Loftus Versfeld.
The Bulls scored eight tries in the match, IOL reported. Their first try came after just 30 seconds, and they added two more before half-time. Five more tries followed in the second half.
“It was a fight; it wasn’t that easy, as the scoreline showed. We made it a little difficult for ourselves by conceding penalties in the first half, making errors and not executing well,” Ackermann said.
He said he was still proud of his players. “To get the win is the most important thing; we got that, and the bonus point is in the bag as well,” he said.
Ackermann said the team played better in the second half but still missed some chances. He said Stade Français showed a lot of character.
The game was played in 32-degree heat, which made it harder for both teams.
The coach said the staff grew frustrated in the coaches’ box after the strong start. “We went into a block where we just made it easy for them,” he said.
He said the Bulls kept giving away penalties or dropping the ball within two phases. This gave the French side scrums and easy entry into the Bulls’ half.
“Around the 35th minute, the stats we had showed that they had 62 percent of the ball and they only made 22 tackles, yet we were leading on the scoreboard, and it didn’t feel that way,” Ackermann said.
“It’s definitely a work on for us. If teams come here to Loftus, we must make them work a bit harder,” he said.
Ackermann made many changes to the team that beat the Lions in their previous match. He gave debuts to Luan Giliomee and Sango Xamlashe.
“Sango justified the selection; he played well. I was very happy with his game, especially defensively,” the coach said.
He said Giliomee, who had been playing well for the Sharks, fitted in well and was comfortable with the team’s plays.
“He was steady, nothing flashy, a good performance,” Ackermann said. He added that he spoke to Giliomee in the changing room about a late chance he missed. He said the player should have kicked the ball ahead for himself to score.
Ackermann was also happy with his forwards, especially the front row. He kept them on the field for a long time even though they had not played much rugby in a long while.
“We’re happy with our selections; even the front row, we pushed them a long time because they haven’t played a lot of rugby in a long time,” he said.
The Bulls return to URC action when Ulster visit Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. Kick-off is at 1.45pm.
Source: this article is based on reporting by IOL Sport. Image: IOL Sport. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Sports desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Tiyani Mathebula writes about sport for Tzaneen Voice. Tiyani covers Bafana Bafana, the Springboks, the Proteas and the PSL, along with athletics, tennis and local club sport. Match reports and previews focus on results, team news, fixtures and what each game means for South African teams and fans.