BULLS coach Johan Ackermann.
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The Bulls are in sniffing distance of a home United Rugby Championship quarter-final, but coach Johan Ackermann is not allowing his players to take anything for granted in Saturday’s final league match against Benetton at Loftus Versfeld, 4pm kick-off.
A win for the fourth-placed Bulls will guarantee they finish at least fourth on the points table.
“We are not across the line yet,” Ackermann said. “The carrot is there for a home playoff, so we must win. That’s where our energy has been all week.
“We are not worried about who we may or may not get in the quarter-finals. The reality is that if you want to go far in this competition, you must be able to beat any team.”
The Bulls will have learned from how the Sharks took the Italians apart last week by dominating the set pieces and collisions.
“I told the team all week that we must control what we can control — our attitude, our mindset, and how we pitch up at Loftus from the first whistle,” Ackermann said.
Despite the Sharks hammering Benetton 47-7, and although the tourists have lost their flyhalf, Jacob Umaga, to suspension, Ackermann says the Bulls will not be complacent.
“Benetton could easily have been much higher on the table,” Ackermann said. “They have quality players, Italy internationals, and when they are at their best, they play very good rugby.
“The fact that it’s their last game of the season makes them even more dangerous because they have nothing to lose.”
While Ackermann has been able to bring back his first-choice halfback pairing, Embrose Papier and Handre Pollard, he has lost Springboks Marcell Coetzee and Kurt-Lee Arendse to illness.
“Unfortunately, Marcel and Kurt-Lee have the flu,” the coach explained. “They are still under the weather, so that’s why there are changes with Jeandré Rudolph coming in at six and Devon Williams starting on the wing.”
Sadly, Ackermann revealed that David Kriel underwent surgery on an Achilles tendon this week.
“David is unfortunately finished for the season,” said Ackermann. “It was a serious injury. He had surgery on Wednesday and will be out for a couple of months.”
That means Kriel’s Bulls career is over as he joins French club La Rochelle at the end of the season.
Ackermann shed light on the omission of speedster Cheswill Jooste.
“On tour Cheswill played, then picked up a light ankle injury, then played again against the Scarlets, and against Zebre he pulled his hamstring.
“Clinically, with his injury, he is out for four weeks. This is only week one, so realistically, he would probably only be ready if we had the privilege of playing in the final.
“One thing about Cheswill is he is very committed to his rehab, and he recovers quickly,” Ackermann added. “From every injury so far, he has come back quicker than expected.”
The 19-year-old Jooste would be invaluable to the Junior Boks in the approaching Junior World Championship, but Ackermann is hoping to retain his services.
“With the situation we are in, with David and Sebastian de Klerk out, we will ask nicely that Cheswill stay with us, with the playoffs ahead.”
Bulls — 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Devon Williams, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Sergeal Petersen, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Jeandré Rudolph, 5 Ruan Nortjé (capt), 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp. Replacements: 16 Marco van Staden, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Ruan Vermaak, 20 Mpilo Gumede, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Stedman Gans, 23 Stravino Jacobs.
Benetton — 15 Matt Gallagher, 14 Louis Lynagh, 13 Paolo Odogwu, 12 Tomás Medina, 11 Federico Zanandrea, 10 Rhyno Smith, 9 Alessandro Garbisi, 8 So’otala Fa’aso’o, 7 Lorenzo Cannone, 6 Riccardo Favretto, 5 Federico Ruzza (capt), 4 Mattia Midena, 3 Tiziano Pasquali, 2 Bautista Bernasconi, 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro. Replacements: 16 Nicholas Gasperini, 17 Ivan Nemer, 18 Marcos Gallorini, 19 Niccolò Cannone, 20 Giulio Marini, 21 Jadin Kingi, 22 Cristiano Tizzano, 23 Leonardo Marin