Vodacom Bulls coach Johan Ackermann has called for his team to tighten up on defence ahead of their Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash against Leinster this weekend.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Ackermann emphasised that his team must be sharper than they were in their last outing, a high-scoring match against the Ospreys.
The coach stated that while they were fortunate to outscore the opposition, they cannot afford to concede “easy or soft” tries against a team of Leinster’s calibre. “We know that Leinster are the best team in this competition,” Ackermann said. “They’re definitely going to finish if they get the same opportunity, so we need to tighten up.”
Ackermann dismissed the idea that the champion’s recent loss to the Stormers makes them vulnerable. He believes the Irish side will be coming to Pretoria looking to prove a point. “You can take nothing from last week,” he said. “That was probably a Leinster that we won’t see again. They’re going to come out and want to rectify that.”
He added that the Bulls cannot afford to play as they did last week, as a similar performance “is not going to be a good day” against Leinster’s defence, which he expects will put them under much more pressure.
Ackermann also commented on the integration of returning Springboks into the squad and the recent World Rugby guideline limiting players to 30 matches per year.
He has a plan for integrating the returning Springboks, but will finalise it after this weekend’s game, depending on any new injuries. The players are aware that the plan can change at a moment’s notice.
On player welfare, Ackermann said that while the new guidelines will be a challenge, he feels South African players are already managed well. He noted that limiting the number of international tests would also help ease the burden on players. He stressed the importance of collaboration between teams and the national union to manage the high demands of the modern rugby calendar.