Bulls need flexibility of old
20 May 2011
RYAN VREDE writes the Bulls will need a level of tactical variation they have yet to exhibit if they hope to beat the Sharks.
In their title winning campaigns of 2007, 2009 and 2010 the Bulls were among the tournament’s best in terms of shifting between different approaches. Criticism of them being one-dimensional was flawed.
They had evolved their game to the point where they were adept at pummelling their opponents into submission through a forward-orientated style, probing for field position then backing their defence to pressure them into errors they would then profit from, or exposing the defensive frailties of certain opponents in the wide channels with an expansive game.
This is no longer the case. They have regressed tactically. Certainly their weapon of choice in 2011 has been the boots of halfback pair, Morné Steyn and Fourie du Preez. Only the Reds’ halfback combination of Quade Cooper and Will Genia has kicked more. The marked difference, however, has been in the effectiveness of those kicks, which have rarely been off point.
Furthermore, the Reds have shown their capacity to transition between styles in a way the Bulls haven’t, easing the burden on their duo and providing the team with a tactical out if needed.
While their punts have hardly been diabolical, Steyn and Du Preez haven’t been nearly as consistently good as they were at their prime in 2009. You only need to get it slightly wrong for a well-intentioned kick – be that an up-and-under or a probe for field position – to become a broken field attacking opportunity that compromises your defence. The Bulls have been unlocked in this manner on numerous occasions throughout this campaign.
Head coach Frans Ludeke maintains that the game plan itself is not flawed, just the execution thereof. However, he and his coaching staff have struggled to equip their charges with an alternative in the manner they did so successfully in the aforementioned seasons.
It must be noted that Ludeke and co haven’t been helped by their primary strike runners’ failure to assert any dominance at the tackle point against elite opposition. Slow ruck recycles undermine even the best intentions, and if the coaching staff have indeed made concerted efforts to prepare the side to strike with a bludgeon and a rapier with equal effectiveness, they need look no further than this deficiency as the root cause of their struggles.
There have been improvements against the Chiefs and Rebels, but neither if those sides tested their adaptability in the way the Sharks will. The Durbanites have the defensive punch to ensure that Steyn and Du Preez will have to execute kicks with limited space and time, as well as the players to exploit any broken field situations that may arise from miscued kicks.
How the Bulls respond tactically if Plan A bombs will be decisive to the outcome. They haven’t done so successfully when asked to in this season. Nothing suggests they will at King’s Park.
19 Comments
20 May 2011, 05:15 am
Dragon flex
20 May 2011, 07:17 am
’bout time there’s an article on these guys. Defending champs and all that. I have them on my Superbru to take this weekends game.
Not sure why, Sharks should be favourites, just have a feeling.
20 May 2011, 07:37 am
the Sharks are favourites finish & klaar!
20 May 2011, 07:45 am
the tank is a difficult place to play …..kicking so different to loftus….M Steyn has been a shadow of his former self away from the land of melktert this season.
Sharks have chosen the right pack of forwards and with van staden and burden, mostert on bench will match buls bench firepower.
Lambie will dictate proceedings and sharks will keep ball in hand and try and not force too many lineouts.
Throw in Botes and Bissy and the breakdowns are sorted. I see a long and frustrating day for the bulls….
plum has chosn well
20 May 2011, 08:03 am
Plum should of started with Adi, once the ball leaves Lambie it is all a bit sterile !!
FDUP is the key for the Bulls, if he can control the game from the SH berth he can make it difficult for the Sharks, FDUP/Morne vs Macloed/ Lambie the key matchup. I think the vast experience of FDUP/Morne swings it the way of the Bulls, in this little half back contest.
It all of course is dependent on the forwards, if the Bulls forwards cannot at least gain at least parity then I believe the Sharks will win a close one.
Looking forward to seeing how this one unravels, one thing I know is that one of the big 3 in the SA conference is going to lose !!
20 May 2011, 08:18 am
I am going to the game tomorrow, but unfortunately I have a feeling my Sharks are going to lose this one. They have the weakest center pairing of all the SA sides (Lions and Cheetas included!). And I actually think that THEIR game has regressed in the last couple of games that they’ve played. Bash it up Bash it up… Bash it up…
The problem is when they get matched physically there is no plan B
20 May 2011, 08:27 am
@justrugby(justrugby)-5: In a game like this it is all about who wants it the most. What went before flies out the window and it is about what happens between the four lines.
Yes the Sharks are a great team, but not a single Bull has a moments doubt about what has to happen out there. For them it is the precursor to a final shot at a title defense and three titles in a row. So I reckon the Sharks are going to have to take it from them. They won’t just lie down and die. Even the epic Twickenham game did not have the edge this one has, and from the little i’ve seen on the training pitch this week I’m glad I’m not a Shark.
20 May 2011, 08:27 am
@tuffa(tuffa)-6: plum has been to IRANZ he will consult his notes from that time and copy & paste the All Blacks gameplan and will prevail tomorrow.
20 May 2011, 08:31 am
so the game plan isn’t flawed, it just hasn’t been executabull?
and pray tell, at his age, they want Matfield to be flexibull?
eish.. sounds like an empty cargo bay
a loadabull.
20 May 2011, 08:32 am
@tuffa(tuffa)-6: Sharks should have changed their centre pairing and brought in Lwazi instead of Ndungane. Plum seems to be stubborn by not subbing Bosman, why? who knows.
20 May 2011, 08:35 am
I’m sad to say but i agree with this article, the Bulls have looked clueless when plan A doesnt work, saying that the fact that they cannot lose anymore games is a huge factor in term of what they need to do, just look at the final 2007 game against the Reds where they had to score a massive points margin to secure a home semi.
20 May 2011, 08:49 am
@foreverrugga(foreverrugga)-10: Agreed. Meyer Bosman is farking useless! Every time Adi comes on there is a HUGE difference and the backline suddenly looks almost threatening!
20 May 2011, 09:03 am
@tuffa(tuffa)-12: the only problem with jacobs is he has no clue on defence
20 May 2011, 09:04 am
Flexible the Bulls – please they have had the same game plan since the 80 s – pommel opposition upfront , dominate the lineout , capitalise on teams mistakes , take the 3 points – with lesser opposition it works , but when they meet their match upfront the balance swings ………..
20 May 2011, 09:21 am
@stew(stew)-14: 3 titles in four years says against the best teams in the SH it does work.
20 May 2011, 09:24 am
@MacToogie(MacToogie)-13: well neither has Bosman but Adi seems to attack much better than him.
20 May 2011, 09:27 am
@foreverrugga(foreverrugga)-16: either is good for me though, it means that WO has more of a chance of breaking the line seeing as he hasn’t learnt how to pass the ball yet
20 May 2011, 09:43 am
@MacToogie(MacToogie)-17: I’m a Sharks supporter but will say that the Bulls backline outclasses that Sharks backline, no debate. We do have one or two good players namely, JP and Lambie but Plum should have started with Lwazi and Adi, our backline is weak.
20 May 2011, 19:51 pm
listen here the Bulls are weak. The Sharks will beat them upfront, this game will be won upfront – so let’s please forget about equally SH!TE center pairings..
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