The Bulls are to host the bottom of the log Lions this coming saturday. With one glance at the log standings one can be forgiven for thinking this will be a walk in the park. Many South African rugby fans will know that this is never the case in a local derby, just ask the Sharks after last weeks encounter.

This is what Bulls coach Frans Ludeke had to say in a interview…

Brenden Nel

Pretoria – It may be met with cries of disbelief, but the Bulls do believe they are in a “desperate” position at the moment.

For a team that is joint top of the log, second only on points difference and tasked with facing a team that hasn’t won a game this weekend, it all bordered on the dramatic as coach Frans Ludeke tried to talk up the importance of the fixture.

But in a way he is right, and the Bulls do need the five points from their home game as the Super 14 gets interesting to ensure they can secure that all-important home semi-final spot.

After that comes matches against the Sharks, Crusaders and Stormers and without any disrespect to the Lions, but the season has proved they are not in the same league as these other three sides.

Still, Ludeke maintains the neighbourly derby is a “massive game” for the Bulls, who will switch over to their traditional finals mode this week as they plan their defense of their title in earnest.

When it was put to him that the Lions are a team that will arrive at Loftus “desperate”, Ludeke joined the club in claiming his side were the same.

“We are also in a desperate situation, its close and nobody is safely in a semifinal spot just yet. We still need to make the cut. That is why this game is still massive for us. It’s going to be a big one,” Ludeke said.

In order to counter the effects of jetlag the Bulls have given the team today and Thursday off, with just the Wednesday session to perfect their game plan against the Lion.

Ludeke explained it was necessary to ensure the team remained fresh and mentally ready for the Lions challenge.

“We need to make sure we are at our best every weekend. That means we need to manage our recovery better, put the game plan on the table and execute it on the weekend,” Ludeke added.

“The Lions game is massive for us, which is why we need a full tank.”

The Bulls were in good spirits in their Monday training session, buoyed by the homecoming and time with their families.

“A day at home feels like a 1 000 days on tour, “ Ludeke joked, “You can see it in the way the players are as well. Their spirits are up and they have enjoyed seeing their families. We had a good four weeks but it’s nice to be home.”

“We had a good session yesterday, just to get the guys right and to shock their bodies a bit after the jetlag. We gave them off today to give them some space and to allow them to recover a bit more.

“You can’t gain anything now – at the moment all you can manage is the mental state of the players.”.

The fact remains that some of the Bulls players have not yet had any real rest in the competition so far. It will have to happen at some stage and we all know the games are not getting any easier towards the end.

So the question remains…when will some key players get a rest ?