Bulls flag defence as the key
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:56
The Blue Bulls, traditionally a team that pride themselves on their outstanding tackling, have flagged defence as the key to winning their Currie Cup semifinal showdown with the Cheetahs in Pretoria on Saturday.
Play-offs, by nature, are not free-flowing affairs - with defence, along with tactical kicking and territorial advantage, are the dominant features.
The Bulls this season have the second best defensive record in the Currie Cup - with their 27 tries conceded in 14 matches being beaten only by the Cheetahs' 26 tries. However, the Bulls, after having already qualified for the play-offs and starting to rest some key players, conceded five tries in the last two matches against Griquas and the Falcons.
It means that in their 12 previous games they conceded less than two tries a game and scored more than four tries a game - always a winning margin.
Obviously the Bulls are not proud of their leaky defence in the last two league games, but they are confident of rectifying the problem in Saturday's showdown with the Cheetahs.
Flyhalf Morné Steyn, who forms a key component in the Bulls' backline defensive systems, readily admits that the focus will shift away from attacking play.
"At the end of the day defence win games," he told rugby365.com.
"The better the defence, the better the team and we have a great [defensive] coach in John McFarland, who works very well with us," he said, adding that the Bulls' defence is "top shelf".
McFarland, who has been an integral part of the Bulls setup since the early days of former coach Heyneke Meyer, has established the systems that has also helped the Bulls win the Super 14 in 2007.
"He knows his rugby and understands the defensive lines," Steyn said of McCFarland, adding: "That is why it is going so well with us and it will continue to be a key part of our game - especially in play-offs where kicks at goal and defence win you the games."
Outside centre Marius Delport, another key man in that blue wall that served as the Bulls' defensive line this season, also spoke highly of the role McFarland has played in the team's success.
"With John McFarland here we put a lot of emphasis on the defence, but it is great because we know exactly where we stand and it is working well," Delport told rugby365.com.
By Jan de Koning
