Poor defence could derail Bulls
16 Mar 2010
The Bulls have to make significant improvements on defence if they are to sustain their title charge.
Their defensive failings have been largely overlooked because of their attacking prowess (they are the tournament’s leading try-scorers with 24).
However, their defensive line has looked porous at times from structured play while fundamental errors and lapses of concentration in defending broken field attacks have been prevalent in their four matches. This has seen them concede an average of 3.75 tries per match – a woeful record for a team who have consistently been among the tournament’s best defensive units over the last four years.
The Brumbies, Waratahs and Highlanders threatened to exploit this newly developed vulnerability, but faded under attacking pressure from the Bulls. More experienced units, particularly on their home track, without the legion of blue-clad disciples screaming support for their demi-gods, and with the lung-busting altitude being a non-factor, would have sustained that pressure and possibly emerged with a victory.
The Bulls have seemingly mastered the art and science of attacking play under the new breakdown law interpretations but are nowhere near as efficient from a defensive perspective. This needs to be remedied as a priority, before an acute problem becomes a chronic one.
Significant progression needs to be made in a week and there are few sterner tests of a team’s capacity to resist than the Hurricanes. The Wellington boys have admittedly fallen short of the standards they’ve set for themselves on attack, particularly in the Republic, but their opposition’s contribution to their relative impotency must not be overlooked.
It is in the careful analysis of those matches, the Stormers’ performance being the prime example, that the blueprint for an improved defensive showing is found.
The Stormers bossed the tackle point in their 37-13 defeat of the Canes at Newlands on Saturday, and subsequently gave themselves a better opportunity at contesting the ball on the deck. The Canes were seldom able to recycle the ball quickly, and this gave the Stormers’ defensive line opportunities to reshape.
All teams rely heavily on the momentum gained from a speedy recycle to break down their opposition, but where the elite ones are able to adapt to a more pragmatic approach, the Canes tend to be fairly inflexible tactically. Cut their supply and their potency is severely diminished.
The Bulls rarely allow open wounds to fester, their 2008 title defence being an exception, and one can rest assured that there’ll be an intense focus on that facet of play ahead of the Canes litmus test on Friday.
Sound defence has been the cornerstone of every successful rugby team, and if the Bulls are to reaffirm their credentials in that regard, it begins with passing the aforementioned test emphatically.
By Ryan Vrede
202 Comments
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16 Mar 2010, 09:47 am
@BokPower: So you think that the Bulls switch off on purpose, rather than struggling to maintain focus?
16 Mar 2010, 09:48 am
@BokPower: Thats one way of looking at it,the other way is that at crunch time(semi’s and finals) the Stormers would have been playing the kind of rugby that’s needed all along whereas the Bulls still need to adapt
16 Mar 2010, 09:56 am
@Storm outta hell: How tired do you think the Stormers will be after 13 games of test rugby? The Sharks also played the same style last year and they were very tired after 9 weeks. I am all for playing in that way, but I dont know if it is sustainable.
16 Mar 2010, 09:57 am
@Gonzo Journalism: 23
Actually, the headline reads “Stormers target final flourish”, which is to say they’re hoping/aiming for a good finish, i.e. finish with a flourish before they head off for their overseas tour.
But of course, you can twist and misquote anything to suit your purposes, be that your intention.
Use it, don’t use it.
16 Mar 2010, 10:01 am
I am a firm believer that teams look at energy preservation and the title… not always individual games. The Boks last year took their “foot of the peddle” on Robbie Deans’ birthday to give the Aussies their sole win of the Tri-N. The week before and the week after we were all conquering. I have heard many a coach say that they will take an “easy” game, easy to save energy for the more difficult one. I used to try and beat the bookies, but due to this energy preservation strategy any team could beat any team – think about it. The best way for us to predict a result would be to think of what our strategy would have been were we the Bulls or Stormers.
I am also on many of the international forums and predict games quite accurately according to this strategy. The Bulls cannot play every game flat-out. They have already identified where they want to accumulate points when touring and those games they’ll win. No point in being 15 points ahead on the log come semi time, and then your players are mentally or physically tired. It is a balancing act. You have to win enough to have the home semi or final…anything more than that is energy spent on ego! Teams today are dynamic and play the match as they see it suiting their title chances (if they’re contenders of course)
16 Mar 2010, 10:07 am
@Horings: Yeah…good point,after 13 games of defensive rugby they’re bound to be tuckered out,but at least their defensive lines should be impregnable.
16 Mar 2010, 10:09 am
@BokPower: That is why I predict the Bulls will lose their games against the Blues and maybe Reds. They will fly over two days before the Perth game and smash the Force. Then they will have the same effect the Boks (Brisbane) and 2009 Bulls (Highlanders) had in the second week of their tour againt the Blues. They will then motivate themselves for the big one against the Chiefs. We will have between 34-38 points after the tour is finished with four games remaining.
16 Mar 2010, 10:11 am
I also believe that you should judge a team on their best performance, and I can’t say I have seen the Bulls best yet… they have done enough. On the other hand, I cannot imagine the Stormers playing two better games than they already have. Thus we have seen what the Stormers can do at full blast. And make no mistake it was fabulous, f*kken mooi rugby ten all opsigte!
Unfortunately I think we’ll only see that of the Bulls in the Final… They jab jab and win accumulating points, saving the right uppercut and straight right for the final where they promise to knockout the opposition!
16 Mar 2010, 10:12 am
Well said there Horings and don’t be surprised if it works out exactly that way!
16 Mar 2010, 10:17 am
@BokPower: Realistically I don’t see any team beating the Bulls in a semi or final at Loftus,so the challenge for other teams would be to put the Bulls in an away semi…
16 Mar 2010, 10:21 am
Perhaps SOH, but we should not lose sight that the New Zealanders look at similar strategies. To give you an example, we would be silly to underestimate the Canes this week. They might have taken it easy against the Stormers, having a good strike rate at Loftus, beating the champions in their back yard, must surely be the ideal… Then they go home to build some points. In the process they have shaken the Bulls, gained confidence and now have home games to play on a high and a full stadium! This could be their attempted gamble,and could be closer than the Stormers game. That is unless the Buls decide to use that devastating right hook and breaks the Canes’ Jaw.
16 Mar 2010, 10:22 am
@Storm outta hell: Could be, but I am of the opinion that a defensive line does not prevent the other teams from getting momentum and continuity. It is the intensity of your defense, in conjuction with a good strategy that makes up a good defensive unit.
16 Mar 2010, 10:26 am
I think what shou also be noted is that this bulls team has not played their best combinations together this year.
The top loose trio of Stegman, Potgieter and Spies has not been on the field simultaneously once.
They will however start this weekend as I believe Kuun got his 2 starts against the Tahs and the Landers.
Then we need to get Bakkies back.
With Petoors(think of him what you like) back our defense will be much better as he is very underated, add Ndungane and we will not leak as many soft tries as we currently do.
16 Mar 2010, 10:27 am
And never lose sight of the Crusaders this year!!! Never! They have similar speed of execution to what the Stormers and Bulls have had on display and the only “great” tactical kicking game of the NZ sides. The Chiefs and the Canes have poor kicking and have hurt them. Things are going to heat up dramatically towards the end, and even though Horings and I sound very confident, both of us have a little brown streak already showing on our jocks… It won’t be a walk in the park for sure!
16 Mar 2010, 10:28 am
@BokPower: ‘Canes jaw got broke when Corey Jane got hit by a bus
…
They still in a dwaal after getting thrashed by Cheetahs and Stormers…no contest…
@Horings: Yep…and that’s exactly what takes so much outta the players…
16 Mar 2010, 10:28 am
As long as the Bulls score more points than the opposition every game, I really don’t care how many tries are conceded!!!!
16 Mar 2010, 10:29 am
Bliksem maar die boere laaities skryf deesdae die mooiste Ingels!
16 Mar 2010, 10:30 am
@BokPower: Yeah,’Saders are looking ominus,Carter’s in form and M’Caw suited to new interpretations…
16 Mar 2010, 10:32 am
All I can say to my fellow Bulls supporters stay humble it aint over till its over and on any given Saturday any team can beat any other except maybe the Force and the Lions
Don’t get windgat and enjoy the rugby support the other teams that play overseas opposition and smile when the Goats supporters say we cannot defend and wait till u get to Newlands. IMO I cannot see any team beat the Bulls but who knows?
16 Mar 2010, 10:35 am
@Storm outta hell: Jane get concussion and Cronje gets bliksemed by a non rugby player in a Pub
16 Mar 2010, 10:35 am
If I was a Stormer supporter I would be very weary of the Cheetahs, they’ve got their tails up……nah, they have never won 2 on the trot and this year wont be any different.
The emotional rollercoaster continues for their poor supporters. In a way it must be better to be a Lion supporter as you know your team will lose, there is not all this uncertainty that the Cheetahs face. Condolences to you all.
16 Mar 2010, 10:36 am
@Airwell: Maybe Cronje was tired from sitting on the bench all the time
16 Mar 2010, 10:36 am
@onerb: Me too but still supporting Stormers on Superbru by 7
16 Mar 2010, 10:37 am
Defence is required in absolutely monumental quantities for only about 10 to 15 minutes in any 80 minute game. For the rest of the game defence is merely a routine part of the job.
The times when any team is HUGELY vulnerable to a competent attack are, in descending order —
— the first 5 minutes of the second half (asleep at the wheel)
— the first two minutes after YOU have scored a try (complacent)
— the first two minutes after THEY score a try (lightning can’t strike the same place twice fallacy)
Ergo — any defensive coach who expects a full 100% of ultra-vigilance for the full 80 minutes of every game will not get what he wants. Every time.
The coach who can drill into his team to know those mere 10-15 minutes of ultra-vigilance and drill the competency in them to deliver that maximum defensive commitment for the crucial 10 minutes will succeed.
It’s easy.
16 Mar 2010, 10:37 am
I am not concerned with McCaw vs. any Saffer side. I am of the opinion that we are now streets above any other nation in the workld when it comes to the deck. Potgieter, Stegman, Burger, Vermeulen etc. to name a few. But our locks, props and hookers have also developed these ripping abilities. The Stormers didn’t beat the Hurricanes on the deck, they absolutely annihilated them!
I have to be honest though, I haven’t seen one Crusders game, but I have this feeling about them this year and their scores have proven me right. The All Blacks build strongly around the Crusaders as we build around the Bulls. The ABs, and it seems, many of their sides are in dire straights to find SA’s type loosies. They haven’t had decent mongrel for a while now, with McCaw spearheading the attempt. Didn’t see any worthy contenders at the Canes, Landers or Chiefs, so I don’t know if McCaw has some miraculous backup at the Saders.
16 Mar 2010, 10:44 am
@TheTackler: Makes perfect rugby sense to me…
16 Mar 2010, 10:46 am
@BokPower: From what I’ve seen Carter is silky smooth and McCaw is everywhere..they make a great team…
16 Mar 2010, 10:47 am
@Storm outta hell: What do you think of the Cheethas game are you confident? The Cronjegate saga what is your opinion I see his been charged with assault and suspended from the Stormers for two games.
16 Mar 2010, 10:51 am
The ABs can, with pretty contemptuous ease, deal to the feeble Bok scrum. They will have to concede a weakness in the lineouts. And they have superiority on a good day and parity on a bad day in the loose.
In the back divisions the ABs can carve the Bok back division to ribbons in the midfield, but have to be very aware of the clout out wide.
SA may have great goalkickers wearing #10, but not one of those men comes remotely close to Dan Carter as a genius of a backplay general. SA’s attempts have always been to try to brutally bash him into injury by fair means or (typically) foul rather than to even try to counter or equal his sublime skills.
16 Mar 2010, 10:54 am
@Airwell: Quietly confident,altho’ it may be the sternest test we’ve faced to date…
..as for Cronje,he brain farted,the laaitjie had a coupla dops,got challenged and responded instead of walking away..laat dit vir hom ‘n les wees..!!
16 Mar 2010, 10:55 am
Its not necessarily defense, per se, that will ‘derail’ the Bulls.
Rather it will be:-
1. playing away
2. with a strong neutral ref.
Both the Waratahs & hugely-depleted Highlanders proved this beyond dispute.
16 Mar 2010, 10:57 am
@TheTackler: …’contemptous ease’..?..you may have to eat those words before the season is thru
16 Mar 2010, 10:58 am
@TheTackler:
The heart of the AB backline didnt look too clever against the Stormers this weekend, in fact they looked like they wanted to catch the first plane out of Cape Town… half of this against a light weight rookie
I fear for them agaist the Bok backline
16 Mar 2010, 11:01 am
@BokPower:
Burger ‘off the deck’ doesnt exist – how many times did he prove that in the Bok jersey ?!
Potgeiter/Vermulen/Stegman are all handy players but not 1 of them has any expertise to shout about when the ball is on the deck. They are merely out of the rip’sh*t’n'bust mould that Burger was cast from, all bluster, no technique. As blindside flankers, very handy, as opensides/deck’ers, merely 1 of a large chasing bunch.
In fairness, its McCaw/Brussow/Smith/Waugh leading the way and then daylight.
16 Mar 2010, 11:05 am
@Bod: And Nonu on Bash was a fine example of a player trying to brutally bash him into injury…
16 Mar 2010, 11:06 am
@Bod: I fear for them against the Bulls backline
16 Mar 2010, 11:07 am
The Bulls need to tighten up their defence. It’s simple as that. Saying it isn’t disrepecting them? They have been awesome on attack this year, but lets face it, aside from the Brumbies, they’ve not really faced any of the more fancied teams in the competition (Cheetahs and Highlanders are normally bottom table finishers and the Tahs have conceded 20 tries this year). All the teams they have faced, apart from the brumbies are conceding on average 3 or more tries per game.
Against teams that are putting up a more committed defence, where the tries are not coming as easily, they will need to be able to ensure they are not conceding tries at the same time. One other positive is they are not conceding a massive number of penalties as well, but again, that may be because thus far, they haven’t been tested too much on defence or attack really.
Make no mistake, this is a potent Bulls team, but they would be stupid to think that every side is simply going to roll over and let 50 past this season.
The massive positive is that it’s generally easier to fix your defence than it is to fix your attack.
16 Mar 2010, 11:09 am
Goodness Tackler, you are intoxicated by the exuberance of your own verbosity boet!
The ABs haven’t out scrummed the Boks in over a year. (very much parity)… and if you won a scrum by looking better it certainly didn’t put you in a better position.
Lineouts are by far more important and here wwe are the undisputed heavy weight champions of the World (IBF, WBA and WBO).
You haven’t had a back division in over two years. Nonu, won’t make a Currie Cup side and his crash boom bang tactics are utterly useless. Fact, he cost the ABs two 3N games last year by knocking the ball multiple times…and who else..? Conrad? Average bloke compared to our talents.
Dan is your man, but without support and with Fourie du Preez nullifying him, there is NO chance.
McCaw was outclassed by 5 different SA loosies last year. – By a country mile. The rules have also changed to hamper the perpetraors of foul play… So you can kiss McCaw’s glory days goodbye…
In all Tackler, the ABs have now been relegated to where they have belonged for over 100 years, punshing bags for the Boks. For more than 80 years the ABs were nothing more than a lovely weekend pushover for the Boks, and the time has arrived for us to rekindle that spirit. Enjoy and good luck, you are going to need every ounce of it!
16 Mar 2010, 11:10 am
@Black Panther: Good luck to your team in the tri nations.
16 Mar 2010, 11:11 am
@Storm outta hell: And he got bliksemed whats up with that?
16 Mar 2010, 11:15 am
The bulls did pretty well in tour last year..I expect them to go one better this year..
Pretorius will make a big difference I would also bring de wet barry into the mix.. That should sort out the defence..
16 Mar 2010, 11:26 am
And one for the Panther…
Never ever forget that the deck is a collective!
Bismarkck du Plessis ripped more balls than all the AB loosies put together. And he is a pretty slow hooker. Collectively, with Burger we rip! Burger might not put his hands on the ball but he plays a vital part on the deck. And f*ck Burger then, make your pick. Collectively SA completely smothred the ABs (with McCaw) and the Aussies (With Waugh). It is about cleaning out, being physical, arriving first etc… If McCaw arrives first for the ABs, Bismarkck, Burger, Stegman, Vermeulen, Brussow, Spies, Smith or Bakkies will be there, and the rest of the ABs “feared” loosies will still be getting up from the previous breakdown. It is about speed, agility, skill, power, surge, energy etc and COLLECTIVELY.
Just a thought…
16 Mar 2010, 11:31 am
@BokPower:
so you singled out individual players, from different teams, and now your argument is that it is, instead, a ‘collective’ thing…..
@Airwell:
is this not a S14 thread about S14 teams & players ?
did you have a SP-syndrome moment ?!
16 Mar 2010, 11:34 am
@Storm outta hell: Lets not even go the Cheetah backline route…
Coming to think of it, against the Stormers, their mainman 8th man looked as though he has finally undertood the fact he is a **** rugby player and his taking his first steps to converting to flyweight boxing.
Man, were him and Nonu confused on Saturday…
16 Mar 2010, 11:37 am
@Bod: Totally…I’d be getting worrried as an AB supporter with all this off the ball shenanigans…it just shows the players are running out of ideas…I see the Boks becoming unbeatable if we measure ourselves against the AB’s…about blerry time too…
16 Mar 2010, 11:49 am
@BokPower: True. The Stormers are nowhere near our quality. We are Mount Everest and they are Boksburg mine dump.
But they win a few games and suddenly they are rugby gods. The coastal teams have this inexplicable attitude that when they have a few good games suddenly they have already won the competition and every player MUST be a Bok. Think about Deysel, has a few good games in a watered down Currie Cup and suddenly he is walking on water. Now everyone sees he is rubbish.
With the Bulls, even after winning our semi last year, the first thing they said was that they havent achieved anything yet.
No, the Stormpies have very far to go before they are even in ourleague. Its an insult to think they are being compared to us, as if they are something better than rubbish.
16 Mar 2010, 11:51 am
You know exactly what I’m getting at Panther… so don’t mock me boet, for I will strike down with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison my brothers, and you will know my name is Bokpower when I lay my vengeance upon thee…
Each player has a specific role. Brussow/McCaw/Waugh/Etc. It is way more complex than McCaw individualy. How many balls are stolen by McCaw individualy in a game, one maybe? Two maybe? The rest are breakdowns where he does the ripping after the supporting tackler got up quickly and pumped his legs with other players joining or supporting. McCaw’s role is to keep the eye on the ball.
Now when the Crusaders/All Blacks synergy existed he was fantastic with players understanding their role of supporting the ball hunter. Funny that he hasn’t featured much in the last year or more… That supporting structure is not there. Collins is dead! What I am saying is that the individual players I mentioned are way above any Kiwis when it comes to the ruck even if the are not the designated “hunter”. They are faster than their counterparts, more physical, taller, graet lineout options etc. McCaw can’t fetch a beer from the top of my lounge wall unit. He is designated to fetch on the floor and has looked extremely ordinary even in ABs colours without some brutes. And NZ shows no signs of these deck brutes. Their Locks can’t ruck for a ball of ****. They have McCaw who hunts with no trackers to zone in on the prey… I can’t think of one other name at the moment bar So’ialo (who is pretty darn ordinary rucker/hunter himself.
Here is where my individual names came in… Brussow, Burger, Smith, Spies, Botha, Bismarck, Vermeulen and so on and so on… Call them deck brutes if you wish. Now please name me these world class deck brutes in New Zeland would you…
16 Mar 2010, 11:52 am
@Storm outta hell:
Its my favourite sport… dissing our Island brothers. Unfortunately its becoming less and less competative nowadays as their beloved sink deeper and deeper into mediocracy.
For instance, check Tackles out lately… There are clear indications he has swapped his ceiling poster above his bed from Jonah Lomu to John Smit.
16 Mar 2010, 11:53 am
@BlueBlood: You’re such a pompous d**s…does you’re arrogance know no bounds…those barking loudest will fall hardest on your BEK…!!…I will love to see you fail you miserable dog..!!
16 Mar 2010, 11:55 am
@Bod:
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