How the Bulls can shake off the Blues
The Bulls have had a shocking start to Super Rugby. Here are five things they need to improve to effect a turnaround for the clash against the Blues at Loftus on Saturday.
Attack
Perhaps the most troubling aspect from the Bulls’ winless start to the season has been the blunt offence.
Against the Sharks in week one, they eked out one measly but gilt-edged chance to cross the try line and Cornal Hendricks’ souffle handling cost them the chance.
In Cape Town the week after, 80 minutes went by without them troubling the scorers. The Stormers shut them out at every turn and the blank mark on the 13-0 scoreline was warranted.
Ball movement from the base is slow, they’ve lost the art of the offload and everything runs through Morne Steyn’s archaic playbook.
Reading defensive lines
The Bulls have failed to counter the rush defence, which is all the rage in rugby at the moment, after the Springboks’ success in Japan last year.
But there are multiple ways to carve defences open, especially with an experienced operator like Steyn at the wheel. At the Rugby World Cup, All Black flyhalf Richie Mo’unga’s cross-field kick-passes eliminated three to four players at a time and compromised Makazole Mapimpi on the Bok left wing.
Provided Hendricks and Rosko Specman read the play and secure the ball back, the Bulls could get in behind the defence.
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