Bulls coach Johan Ackermann was more impressed by his team’s mental toughness than the margin of their URC Jukskei derby demolition of the Lions.
The hosts scored nine tries in a 57-15 victory at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Ackermann said the Bulls knew they had to be at their best against in-form opponents, with the focus on starting well and getting their set-piece right.
The heat tested that resolve. A water break and a 20-minute half-time interval, eight minutes longer than normal, left support staff scrambling for ice towels.
“I’m just proud of the guys,” Ackermann said. “The maturity they showed to start well and to stay in the fight, even though we lost a few balls where we had opportunities.”
He extended the praise to unselected players and backroom staff, calling it “a real team effort”.
Ackermann was particularly pleased with how quickly the returning Springboks gelled. The coaches sent them material on Monday, met them individually on Tuesday and trained with them on Thursday, after a Wednesday off.
“It wasn’t perfect, there were still mistakes,” he said, “but you could see they were buying into what we want to do.”
Ackermann lauded Cameron Hanekom’s Man of the Match performance.
“Cameron has shown his strengths, and that stood out in some of the phases today. He hasn’t played with us for a long time, came in and slotted in nicely, and I’m just proud of his effort, and everybody’s effort. Cameron is a quality player.”
Ackermann also singled out the replacements, who he said raised the pressure on the Lions when they came on.
Captain Hanro Liebenberg, celebrating his 31st birthday, said the Springboks’ presence lifts the whole squad.
“They set the benchmark and we’ve almost got to follow that,” he said.
He did not see it as pressure on the non-Springboks, adding that the real pressure sits with the coach picking the team.
Liebenberg admitted the first 10 to 15 minutes were nervy and that the Bulls missed chances in the first half. Once they found their feet, he said, they took their opportunities better, which was the main improvement the team had been working on.
The Lions, he stressed, are a well-balanced side with a good set-piece, so the Bulls had to be ready in every facet.
Liebenberg felt the Bulls’ defence stood up.
“We pride ourselves on our physicality, and we did that well,” he said.
Photo: Vodacom Bulls
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Bulls coach Johan Ackermann was more impressed by his team’s mental toughness than the margin of their URC Jukskei derby demolition of the Lions.
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