The Vodacom Bulls may be putting a brave face on their poor start to the Vodacom Super Rugby season, but is clear that there are glaring problems in the team at the moment that need to be sorted out.
The alarm bells may not be ringing in coach Frans Ludeke’s ears after two losses in as many games, but they certainly are loud as the team struggle to find their feet after losing a mass amount of players last season.
To expect the Bulls to face such a mass exodus – much of it their own doing – and not suffer much of a setback is too much. Add to that the loss of Arno Botha and captain Pierre Spies to injury and the problems seem bigger.
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And while Ludeke tries to stay positive, there is a growing concern about loyalty to players who simply aren’t making the step up when the team needs them to.
In the aftermath of the 15-9 loss to the Toyota Cheetahs this past weekend, the Bulls tried to seal over the cracks in their armour by saying they created chances, and it was the execution that was lacking.
But 20 turnovers in the game tells a very different story, one of a team that is ineffective in attack and allows the opposition defence to bully them at the breakdown, often taking incorrect decisions in their attacking structure.
Ludeke has said publicly more than once that this is the best line-up for the team, but results prove different and it is clear that the Bulls are definitely not firing on all cylinders at the moment.
With the Lions heading to Loftus Versfeld this weekend, the Bulls will at least be at home for the first time, but unless they manage to execute, they will be on the wrong side of a scoreline against a side brimming with confidence so early in the competition.
Already the Bulls problems are glaring – but they are not insurmountable – and with a long season ahead, there is no reason why they cannot fix them.
However, the lack of cohesion in the pack, the vulnerability in the lineout with poor throwing, and a lack of control by the halfbacks are massive headaches for the Bulls which they need to fix soon.
The loose trio was totally dominated by the Cheetahs, and the lack of a fetcher was exposed once again in Bloemfontein, while as a unit the pack look more like individuals than the juggernaut we have come to know.
Add to that crucial lineout throws that are missed on the tryline – in both games now – by Callie Visagie and perhaps the Bulls should look to other options.
Francois Hougaard is a shadow of his former self, being reduced to a link and kick game, while Louis Fouche is under pressure following two very disappointing performances.
Still, Ludeke puts a brave face on matters, even though the performance in Bloemfontein was one of the worst horror shows in years by a Bulls team.
“It definitely wasn’t a lack of commitment, small things didn’t go our way. We should give credit to the Cheetahs, tactically they were very smart and when they got the lead they kept ahead of us in the weather,” Ludeke said.
“We had to take chances and try and counter from the back. Our tactics were spot on, it was simply execution that was needed. We had enough opportunities to win this game.
“We need to convert pressure into points and any individual can have a bad day at the office. This is a team effort and we accept it.”
Ludeke reminded his critics that the team have lost two games away from home and can easily rectify it with such a long season waiting.
“It is a long competition, it is two away games and we played against opposition who played smart and played well. We definitely will have a look. It’s not good enough and you can take a lot out of it. Our setpiece was working again, like last week, and we’re getting into the right areas and creating opportunities. That is a huge positive, it’s now about converting. It’s a small thing.
“The vital thing is to be positive, to take the emotion out of it. We’re just as disappointed but we believe the next game is the one we need to fire. That is the way we are going to plan and prepare, there is no joy in losing. We need to step up again, it wasn’t good enough. Last week wasn’t good enough, this week wasn’t good enough also. We take a lot from both games but we have a few players who need to have that experience as well so they can take the step up.”
And step up they need to.
Spies and Deon Stegmann may return to the loose trio this week, giving it more stability but certainly Monday’s review session at Loftus will force the players to take a long, hard look at their own performances.
In Bloemfontein execution was not the only problem, the Bulls had no rhythm, no momentum and little good to boast about in their play.
Whether that can be rectified in a week at Loftus remains to be seen. The Lions are rampant at the moment, and heading their way.
The Bulls know only they can change their season. It is up to them.
Was very disappointed on Friday. Had the kids there as well. Their first Bulls game.
Their undefeated record against the Cheetahs is also now a thing of the past.
Stegman, Kriel en JL Potgieter.
Ek dink nie Hougaard was so bad die laaste game nie, maar Louis Fouche lyk hopeloos uit sy diepte en is in die selfde lokval waar Steyn twee jaar terug was toe hy uit form was en geglo het hy kan skop en skop tot dit werk.
Elke liewe keer wat die bulle voordeel kry op die aanval skop louis die bal weg, wat heeltemal teen die bulle se ethos is, want ons is (was) een van die beter teenaanvallende spanne in die kompetisie.
Visser se probleem is dat sy kop baie vinnig sak as hy n fout maak, hy bly glad nie positief nie en is n moerse emosionele speler, ons almal besef dat enigeiemand n fout kan maak, maar goeie spelers sit dit agter hulle terwyl Visser net swakker en swakker speel.
Ek weet nie wat die Bulls gaan doen nie. Lyk nie of of Ludeke dit gaan remedy nie, ek dink niemand verwag, grootskaalse verandering nie, maar etter doen net iets anders.
Steggies sal n groot verskil maak, maar ons los trio soos dit nou is gaan elke game tweede kom.
@ MacroBull:
Dink al maak hulle daardie veranderings sal dit nie beter gaan nie. Die span lyk nafi. Dit lyk weer soos 2002.
Hougaard en Visser het beide vir my baie beter gespeel as vorige week.
Daai 10 is jul duiwel
Bulls captain Pierre Spies will miss a large part of the 2014 season due to a bicep injury.
Pierre Spies is weer uit, miskien vir die grootste deel van die seisoen.
Will put an article up about the Bulls injury situation just now.
@ MacroBull:
Ons lostrio soos hy nou is, is dieselfde een wat in die Currie Cup pakslae van al wat `n span is, gekry het. Nou wil ons hulle Super Rugby laat speel. Hoop Steggies is gou reg. Ons kort `n ordentlike fetcher sodat die res op hul eie game kan konsentreer.
Weg is die dae waar ons grootste probleem op flank was om te kies tussen Wasserman, Wannenburg, Leonard, Rossouw, Cronje, van Heerden ens.
@ grootblousmile:
En mense spot met Goosen oor al sy beserings?
8 @ Blue Traveller:
Janee… maar dis miskien sy tyd gewees en miskien is sy tyd nou oor.
Dis NOU tyd dat die Bulls ‘n “Harde man” op 8 sit, ene wat die ding kan doen.
What a load of kak.
It’s not rock science Luddy.
Hang about, we have been saying for a while that FL’s first choice props are shit, the three the hookers are shit and the balance of the loose trio is not right, and that Britany hasn’t delivered anything since his “illness”. Hougaard is not a kicking 9 and Fouche is too limited at 10.
Why does FL not see this if fcuking laymen can?
You can’t tell me that there isn’t a hooker in Pretoria who CAN throw in.
You can’t tell me that the heaps of shit that are Greyling and Kruger are the best props in Pretoria.
You can’t tell me that there isn’t a fetcher type flank to replace the very average Stegman in the whole of Pretoria.
I can carry on……..
11 @ Loosehead:
The Bulls scrum kept the Cheetahs scrum at bay and actually had the upperhand, till Dean Greyling went off and the ex-Staater, Marcel van der Merwe, came on at Loosehead.
I’m not worried about the Bulls scrum anymore… but the rest of your points are valid.
@ grootblousmile:
Agreed, the Bulls scrum is the least of our problems, even the “mighty c-arks could not get the upper hand and even destroyed the hurricanes scrum. I agree with gbs, our props are the least of our worries.
grootblousmile wrote:
MacroBull wrote:
Sure, the scrum is almost the least of your worries.
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