Despite a looming URC playoff race, Johan Ackermann’s men are going all-in for the Champions Cup Round of 16. Photo: Backpagepix
Image: Backpagepix
The Bulls face a tough Champions Cup challenge this week in the form of United Rugby Championship (URC) log leaders Glasgow Warriors on their home turf, but coach Johan Ackermann says they will not be daunted in the Round of 16 clash.
The Bulls are in a fight to qualify for the URC play-offs — they are seventh with four rounds to go — but Ackermann says they will give equal focus to the two competitions.
“If we’re in the play-offs in the Champions Cup, we must give it a go. We will give it our best shot, and then we’ll take it from there.
“Glasgow are in front of us this week, but we’ll need to be better than we were against Munster if we hope to win,” Ackermann said, of his team’s erratic 34-31 URC win. The Bulls banked the log points, but they were inefficient in the process.
“Glasgow will definitely punish us if we continue to make the defensive errors of the Munster match, so they will be a massive challenge over there.
“The Warriors are probably the best attacking side in the URC, so we have a big challenge ahead of us, but we’ve got nothing to lose. We’re going to Glasgow and will work hard to give ourselves an opportunity to win.
“If we progress, that would be great. We want to give the Champions Cup a good run. We can’t control what happens after that. When we return to the URC, we’ll have to play our best available team every week because qualification is so tight.
“We understand that it is a privilege to play in a Champions Cup Round of 16 match — we are alive in one of the best competitions in the world, so we will give it our best.”
The Bulls will travel to Scotland without loose forward Nizaam Carr, who hobbled off the field in the Munster match.
“He injured a hamstring, so I doubt he will be getting onto the plane,” Ackermann said.
“We’ll have a light training session on Monday to put a few plans in place for Glasgow, and then we’ll fly out on Monday evening. Tuesday will be a chill day to get the players’ bodies rested, and Wednesday we’ll have a training and recovery session to get the players’ bodies back in shape after the flight.
“On Thursday, we’ll have a tough session, and Friday will be the captain’s run before Saturday’s clash.”