In the wake of their fifth consecutive defeat, Bulls head coach Johan Ackermann has called on fans to maintain their support. The latest setback came against the Sharks in Durban, marking a troubling trend for the Pretoria squad, who have also fallen to Glasgow Warriors, Lions, Bordeaux-Begles, and Northampton Saints. This string of losses follows a change in leadership after last season's URC final defeat, with Ackermann stepping in amid high expectations.
The Bulls were on the brink of snapping their losing streak, leading 12-7 against the Sharks with just 10 minutes remaining. However, the Sharks rallied late, with Siya Kolisi and Edwill van der Merwe scoring pivotal tries to secure a 21-12 victory in the heated South African derby.
"We understand that our supporters will feel let down, but sometimes you go through struggles for a reason," Ackermann remarked, empathizing with the fans' frustrations.
Ackermann refused to fault his players, praising their tenacity until the final whistle. "The players kept fighting right to the end. But when you lose, there are things you have to fix. People want results, and that’s what we need to deliver," he added, stressing the need to transform effort into scoreboard impact.
While the Bulls' forwards showed dominance at the scrums, leading to multiple penalties, their overall attacking strategy faltered. The Sharks outmaneuvered them with three tries to none, highlighting the Bulls' struggle to capitalize on their scrum superiority.
Ackermann detailed the missed opportunities: "We got penalties from the scrum, kicked to the line-out, and then we’d lose the lineout or lose the breakdown a phase or two later. It’s one of those things that’s hard to explain. The harder you try, it feels like nothing wants to come your way. Every little bounce, every 50-50 decision, it just didn’t go for us."
Despite the current challenges, the Bulls and Ackermann show no signs of surrender. The focus remains on converting their evident potential and determination into victories that their loyal fanbase so desperately craves. As the season progresses, the true test will be their ability to rebound from these setbacks and find the winning formula.
2,193 posts
In the wake of their fifth consecutive defeat, Bulls head coach Johan Ackermann has called on fans to maintain their support. The latest setback came against the Sharks in Durban, marking a troubling trend for the Pretoria squad, who have also fallen to Glasgow Warriors, Lions, Bordeaux-Begles, and Northampton Saints. This string of losses follows a change in leadership after last season's URC final defeat, with Ackermann stepping in amid high expectations.
The Bulls were on the brink of snapping their losing streak, leading 12-7 against the Sharks with just 10 minutes remaining. However, the Sharks rallied late, with Siya Kolisi and Edwill van der Merwe scoring pivotal tries to secure a 21-12 victory in the heated South African derby.
"We understand that our supporters will feel let down, but sometimes you go through struggles for a reason," Ackermann remarked, empathizing with the fans' frustrations.
Ackermann refused to fault his players, praising their tenacity until the final whistle. "The players kept fighting right to the end. But when you lose, there are things you have to fix. People want results, and that’s what we need to deliver," he added, stressing the need to transform effort into scoreboard impact.
While the Bulls' forwards showed dominance at the scrums, leading to multiple penalties, their overall attacking strategy faltered. The Sharks outmaneuvered them with three tries to none, highlighting the Bulls' struggle to capitalize on their scrum superiority.
Ackermann detailed the missed opportunities: "We got penalties from the scrum, kicked to the line-out, and then we’d lose the lineout or lose the breakdown a phase or two later. It’s one of those things that’s hard to explain. The harder you try, it feels like nothing wants to come your way. Every little bounce, every 50-50 decision, it just didn’t go for us."
Despite the current challenges, the Bulls and Ackermann show no signs of surrender. The focus remains on converting their evident potential and determination into victories that their loyal fanbase so desperately craves. As the season progresses, the true test will be their ability to rebound from these setbacks and find the winning formula.