Captain Ruan Nortje says the Vodacom Bulls benefited from the input of a Springbok coach during training on Tuesday.
The Bulls are preparing for Saturday’s Investec Champions Cup clash against the Bristol Bears at Loftus Versfeld.
Nortje confirmed that Bok assistant coach Felix Jones was with the squad.
“Coach Felix was here today just helping us with a few things in training,” he said. “Nothing major.”
News of promised Springbok coaching support for the Bulls overshadowed last week’s build-up to the north-south derby against the Stormers, with head coach Johan Ackermann forced to clarify that any input would not come ahead of a local derby.
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But the Bulls face an equally formidable challenge against a Bristol team in strong form, boasting mobile forwards and an expansive attacking game.
“Bristol have unbelievable quality,” Nortje said. “Our finishing will have to be a lot better. They play very expansively, they run from everywhere on the field, and they’ve got very fit forwards who can almost operate as backs. Altitude won’t be such a big factor for them because they’re such a mobile pack, so we have to be prepared for anything.”
Nortje feels the contest will be decided up front.
“For us, it’s going to come down to our scrums and lineouts,” he said. “That’s going to be a big battle – who can get dominance, who can get go-forward, and then provide good-quality ball for the backs to attack from.”
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The Bulls head into the match after a late loss to the Stormers, but Nortje says belief within the squad remains strong.
“That one was tough to take,” he admitted. “We were in the game for the full 80 minutes and we knew it would come down to the last few minutes, maybe a three-point penalty that wins or loses you the game. But we can take a lot of positives from it.”
The skipper believes the Bulls’ current six-match losing streak does not reflect the quality in the squad.
“With the quality we have, we can be much better than we’ve been,” he said. “It’s about cutting out silly mistakes and turnovers that give opposition energy and drain ours. We’re climbing the ladder – the last week and a half of preparation has been massive.”
Despite the pressure, Nortje remains convinced the Bulls are one result away from a revival.
“There’s nothing like winning,” he said. “One win can change everything overnight. We know what we’re capable of – we just have to get over that hurdle.”
Nortje also confirmed that star wing Kurt-Lee Arendse is close to a return to action from concussion protocols.
Photo: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images
