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We're aiming for Challenge Cup, Carr admits

football15 January 2025 03:45
By:Brenden Nel
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With the disappointment of their form in the Investec Champions’ Cup still firmly with them, the Vodacom Bulls seem to be targeting a place in the EPCR Challenge Cup when they take on French side Stade Francais at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

The chances are still slim - the Bulls sit on zero points while Stade are on five points following their surprise win over Northampton Saints last weekend. This means the Bulls will need to win with a bonus point at home, and then stop Stade from getting one themselves, before focusing on points difference to overhaul the French side and claim the solitary Challenge Cup spot on offer from the group.

Once they do that, there is the small issue of a -43 points difference between the two sides, courtesy of the Bulls' big losses abroad in the Champions’ Cup, meaning the side will need to win by 22 points to reverse that difference before they can claim the remaining place.

While winning at home is always a priority for the Bulls, and many would believe it is better to cut their losses and rather focus on gaining some momentum for when the Vodacom United Rugby Championship resumes, the Bulls captain last weekend in Castres - Nizaam Carr - believes that they can still claim that spot - and is sure that is their aim going into the weekend.

 

 

Whether or not Nemo - as Carr is affectionately known - is simply putting on a brave face or whether the team believes that they can go all out at home and put up a big win to stay in some form of EPCR competition waits to be seen.

But Carr was walking the walk as well as talking the talk as the Bulls started their preparations for their final pool game.

“We are targeting a Challenge Cup spot. We know what is required of us,” Carr said when asked to clarify the team’s objectives this weekend.

“Some results must go our way in other places, but the plan is the Challenge Cup.”

 

 

While a win has more advantages than a loss, including momentum going into the next two URC derbies - the first against the Emirates Lions on 26 January and then against the Hollywoodbets Sharks two weeks later - the Bulls still want to regain some pride, stop a four-game losing streak and grab that momentum at the same time.

“It is a stepping stone for the URC. We don’t see it as a dead rubber. We want to play the perfect game. Every team strives for that and we are no different.

“I wouldn’t say we are targeting this match, but our mindset is to produce the best 80 minutes. There will be some mistakes and challenges, but we just want to hit the road running and be good for the URC.”

“It is only going to get tougher from here and we are aware of it. But like everybody usually says, we just focus on the next one, and this weekend is all that matters right now.”

HOME-GROUND ADVANTAGE

Carr admitted the results had been frustrating for the Bulls, who had been in their last four games before either blowing it, or letting the opposition use their home-ground advantage to run in tries near the end of the game to balloon the score.

“The last few weeks have been tough and frustrating. The more you see the results go that way the more the boys tend to try harder and things might not still go your way.

“But the chats during the sessions and in the camp are to keep pushing, and things will turn around. It is not the end of the world, we are still looking good in the URC table, not too great in the Champions Cup.

“The boys are positive. It’s a little bit of a slump with the results not going our way, but we are looking forward to this weekend and trying to turn the corner.”

Saturday may be seen as some sort of redemption. But whatever the permutations, it certainly is a game that the Bulls need to show some backbone, show their fans this isn’t a slide and do themselves a favour with momentum before the URC starts again.

The Champions Cup campaign is over, and the Bulls must focus on what is in front of them. A Challenge Cup place will be nice, but with the bigger picture in mind, getting themselves back on track for the rest of the URC is the most important thing.

And that starts against the French side this weekend.

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