Wasn't Heyneke Meyer the coach of the Bulls those years? The Bulls were magnificent and Ackermann should have a chat with Meyer to see where he can improve.
Let's face it, the Bulls have the best pack in the URC and should be performing much better.
In a different thread some time ago, I read that SA teams from those years would be humiliated by modern day rugby teams...??
Well, this video alone proves that theory to be absolute nonsense...
In a different thread some time ago, I read that SA teams from those years would be humiliated by modern day rugby teams...??
Probably my thread MP, but I was referring to amateur era with examples from the early nineties. 2010 was already the second decade into the pro era.
I actually don't think things have progressed much from the 2010s to now. The players have gotten bigger, the top defences perhaps more challenging, but I doubt there's been a leap in skill.
That was a special Bulls era. Frans Ludeke was the coach in from 2008 so this is his era, with Johann van Graan (now coaching Bath) the forwards coach and Pieter Slaptjips the backline coach and Wynie the manager. Probably the provincial side with the best team spirit I've ever seen, they almost had a family vibe going.
Ah ok...Frans Ludeke is a top coach and has had great success. Head coach now of the Kubota Spears, I would love to see him back coaching in SA.
Wouldn't he have been the ideal candidate to take over from Jake White at the Bulls Again?? In my opinion, even the 90's teams would give current teams a real go...
Uli Schmidt, Danie Russouw, Andre Venter, Ruben Kruger, De Wet Barry etc.
In my opinion, even the 90's teams would give current teams a real go...
You'd think so, but go watch some of the full games again, not just highlights. There were great tries, but the general play in between was so error ridden and so kick heavy you almost fall asleep watching it. Check this 30 odd minute video of NTvl and Natal - it's about 20 minutes into the video before there's any constructive rugby when Natal scores off a penalty rebounding from the pole, and then another dull stretch of up and down kicking and a few disjointed attempts at back play follows before the end of the match.
Fair point Pakie, but kicking heavy and error ridden patterns are not exclusively a nineties thing.
We see Stormers, Lions, Sharks and Bulls games today with similar stretches of back and forth kicking that takes forever to get going...
Coaching has modernised yes and tactically the game has evolved, i agree with that. But saying today's teams would overshadow nineties teams by a country mile is not always accurate in my opinion.
Those nineties players were physical monsters and the game was brutal in a different way. Coaching was maybe less sophisticated but the raw talent and physicality was there.
I still think teams from those years would give modern teams a go in certain scenarios. Not every game and not by a country mile in either direction.
The same patterns exist today too. That's the problem with the argument.
Who knows, MP, but I doubt any amateur side, provincial or international, will be able to compete with, for example, the 2010 Bulls. One on one sure, you'll have a contest here and there. But when it comes to structuring attacks and scoring opportunities, I can't see the oldies not getting blown off the pitch.
Yeah, but I wasn't talking about amateurs...like Boland for example...I think we're talking past each other. The video you posted, was our professional players from the 90's Era.
I think you're misunderstanding what I mean by amateur - as in the era before being contracted to a team was your full time job and the game and tournaments started being structured around money. I think the professional era in rugby, in the SH at least, officially started after the 1995 WC.
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Check out this condensed game between the Bulls and Waratahs in 2010. How good were the Bulls back then? Complete side, could play the kicking game, the forward game and they could run it. That last try for Potgieter with the little kick over the top by Morne, just sublime. You have to miss this stuff a little bit, don't you?