Bulls coach Johan Ackermann has warned his team to forget about last week’s big win against the Lions and switch on for Saturday’s Investec Champions Cup showdown with Stade Français.
The Bulls go into their European opener having scored eight tries in a 57-15 URC derby demolition job.
“The challenge is to forget about last week’s performance,” Ackermann said after Thursday’s team announcement at Loftus. “That was my message to them today, and it will be the message for Saturday. This is a new challenge.
“I’m happy, but this game will humble you quickly if you don’t keep working and don’t reset on a Monday. Winning gives you confidence, but there’s a danger it can make you complacent.”
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Ackermann anticipates an entirely different approach by the French.
“They’re so unpredictable. They can score from anywhere, including lineouts, and they’ve got a good set-piece. They’re a dangerous side overall.
“It’s up to us to reset our whole mindset and know that we have to earn the right again to win, and earn the right to score tries again. If we think we’re just going to throw the ball around, it’s not going to happen.
“It’s great to score all those tries, but this is a new game and a new challenge. We must get back to our values, what we stand for.”
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Explaining the changes, Ackermann said that it was more about giving players an opportunity.
“The front row is just a straight swap. Cobus [Wiese] has been coming off the bench, so we’re giving him a starting opportunity [in the second row]. And Marco [van Staden], to be fair to him, hasn’t played in the back row for quite a while, but we feel it’s still a position he’s good at, so we wanted to give him an opportunity there.
“Handré Pollard and Curwin Bosch is just a straight swap, giving Handré a start. Cheswill [Jooste] has been quite patient, sitting on the bench and missing out on a game or so, so we’re giving him a start [on the left wing].”
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Referring to young sensation Luan Giliomee at fullback, Ackermann said he had slotted in well, learning the calls and the shape of the Bulls game.
“We feel he knows everything now. It’s a week and a half [since he arrived from the Sharks] and we’ll be close to two weeks by Saturday, so we just wanted to see what he can do from that position.”
Referring to the pacy back three, Ackermann said he was excited to see how they go, especially on a hot summer’s afternoon.
“It’s a combination we’d like to test. If it’s a warm day out there and we can tire [Stade Français] down and hopefully get these guys into a bit of space, that’s what we’re hoping for.”
Photo: Vodacom Bulls
The post Ackers: Bulls must reset mindset appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Bulls coach Johan Ackermann has warned his team to forget about last week’s big win against the Lions and switch on for Saturday’s Investec Champions Cup showdown with Stade Français.
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