Johannesburg - Defence may no longer be the determining attribute to winning Super Rugby but it will go a long way in bringing the Bulls closer to their fourth Super Rugby title.
The Bulls showed their intent of doing well in this year’s competition with a second preseason friendly win this time against the two time Super Rugby champions the Chiefs in Brisbane last week Thursday.
The Pretoria based team went on to lose to the Chiefs in the semi-finals of the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens competition but this after overcoming Australian Super Rugby outfits the Western Force and Brumbies and former Super Rugby champions the Highlanders in the round robin and knockout stages of the competition.
Beating the Chiefs and the Highlanders would have been a timely confidence boost for the Bulls who will this year come face-to-face with the teams in the New Zealand conference but Bulls defence coach Pine Pienaar says their focus should not only be on the danger that New Zealand teams will pose to their progress to the knockout stages of Super Rugby.
As impressed as Pienaar was with the Bulls defensive performance in their two warm-up matches against the Lions and Chiefs and how they performed in the unfamiliar game of tens, Pienaar is just as concerned of the threat the Stormers pose in their opening game of the competition at Newlands.
“There are definitely a few things that we worked on after the game in Zimbabwe that paid off and a few players that didn’t play in Zimbabwe that played now and it was nice to see how they went. In certain areas we showed what we had to work on for the competition ahead. A lot of stuff we have to look at before the Stormers game and the campaign but it worked out good for us,” said Pienaar on Tuesday.
“I don’t want to focus on New Zealand sides all the time, I think every week we must be up for the battle that comes on the weekend. Look at the Stormers and how they put 57 points up against the Lions, so obviously their attack is working. They also put up 43 points against the Cheetahs, who had the best defensive record in the Currie Cup last year. I think you must take it week for week and not get ahead of ourselves and focus on New Zealand sides only. There are a few things on the defence that we worked on and want to get right regardless of who we are playing. We got to be up every week because every game is a battle in itself but it will be more of a focus on what we can do better as a team than what the side we are going to play against.”
Pienaar also warned that the team shouldn’t get carried away with their performances in the preseason and instead must continue to work hard on improving their game from defence to attack and must chase their own standards.
At the same time Pienaar was satisfied with the fight and commitment shown by the team during their time in Brisbane and more than playing to the structure, he was impressed in the attitude and pride the players showed when their line was under siege.
“I thought the guys showed a lot of heart and they did well at certain stages to keep them (Chiefs) out. They were on our goal line for a while and I think the boys did well to keep them out and worked for each other and compliment to the guys on the night. There are a few things that we have to look at and be better at. It’s for us a matter of improving on what we focused on in the preseason. For us to concede one try is good but there were a few line breaks we have to look at and on the counter attack we were in trouble at times. But I must give credit to the guys on the way in which they scrambled just shows what they feel for each other and the pride they showed will be great. What I must say is that the guys kept to the structure but what was impressive was the commitment and heart they showed,” Pienaar said.