Vodacom Bulls coach Johan Ackermann pinpointed several factors that contributed to his side’s chaotic 61-49 defeat to the Bristol Bears at Loftus Versfeld.
The Bulls were 21-0 down after only eight minutes in a must-win Investec Championship pool match and Ackermann said the pressure of chasing the game forced his players – including senior Springboks – to play out of character.
The Bulls scored seven tries of their own but ultimately suffered a seventh straight defeat across competitions.
“I wish I could give you the exact answer,” Ackermann said when asked what went wrong. “Because if I look at the week and the energy of the players, the preparation was really good. The players trained well, the intensity was high, and we felt positive going into the game.
“That’s why it hurts more than a normal loss. It’s not a case where we can say the commitment wasn’t there. The guys were up for it all week.
“We started badly and that set the tone. Then you’re playing catch-up for 80 minutes, and suddenly the good work you do doesn’t look so good because the result doesn’t reflect it.”
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He pointed to basic but costly mistakes.
“First, we tackle a guy in the air and give away a penalty. Then the kick-off doesn’t go 10m. Then a box kick doesn’t go 10. Those are small things, but they put you under immediate pressure.
“It also feels like all these 50-50 moments just don’t want to go our way. Half a foot higher on an intercept, a better decision, and we walk over. Late in the game, if Mpilo [Gumede] doesn’t get ankle-tapped, it’s a five-point game with three minutes to go.”
He defended his players’ intent, particularly senior figures.
“No player goes out to make mistakes. But when you’re chasing the scoreboard, you start forcing things. You start offloading, trying things you wouldn’t normally do. That’s when you play a bit out of character.
“Even senior players feel that pressure. They want to fix things themselves, and then the execution goes.”
Despite conceding nine tries, he refused to question the team’s character.
“There’s a big difference between mistakes and a lack of effort. This is not a lack of effort.”
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With the Bulls under mounting pressure, Ackermann remained defiant.
“I can only coach. I’m not giving up on the players and I won’t give up. It starts with me. We’ll review, we’ll coach again, and we’ll keep working to turn this around.”
The Bulls travel to Pau next weekend for their final Champions Cup pool match.
Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
