VIDEO: Bulls wary of three-time winners Sarries

12/02/2024 05:02 AM

VIDEO: The Bulls kick off their Champions Cup campaign against Saracens at Allianz Park on Saturday, and they will do so coming off another victory but without a host of big names.

The Bulls managed a fine win over Connacht in the United Rugby Championship this past weekend despite the extreme weather and the absence of players like Kurt-Lee Arendse, Elrigh Louw, Wilco Louw, Marco van Staden and captain Ruan Nortjé.

Saracens on the other hand, currently third in the Premiership standing, were beaten 17-12 by a resilient Newcastle Falcons outfit.

But Director of Rugby Jake White is aware of the danger Saracens pose. They are three-time Champions Cup winners having won it in 2015/16, 2016/17, and 2018/19

And while White was fairly satisfied with the performance of his charges against Connacht, there were some issues he felt needed to be addressed ahead of their Champions Cup opener this weekend.

Article continues below...

"It got a bit sloppy in the end, but that's what happens - a little bit of fatigue, a little bit of inexperience of getting them to understand that we needed to change it up a bit.

"But we will work that out this week. A guy like JF van Heerden, who's relatively young still in terms of calling lineouts, will have to learn from that performance in the second half."

"We had a lot of opportunities in the first half, and that was into a wind that was very, very strong," he said after the game.

"We won the toss and wanted to play with the wind in the second half.

"So to have all that territory, possession, and opportunities that we had in the first half, and the way we managed the game, makes me very happy. It sets us up nicely for the next couple of weeks," White elaborated.

[rp-mc-game id="242|943368|2025"][/rp-mc-game]

Looking ahead to the Saracens clash, White warned that conditions will be very similar, down to the 4G surface.

"It's the same conditions, it's 4G surface, they are a really good team and it's against a team that has won the Champions Cup many many times.

"They have been one of the leaders in the competition so I have no doubt it is not going to get any easier.

"We've had a good away record as a club and especially to get away with a bonus point, we don't take that for granted.

"At the back end of the competition those are the points you need when you want to start playing in the play-offs."