The Vodacom Bulls are looking forward to finally returning to Loftus Versfeld this weekend for a run into the Vodacom United Rugby Championship playoffs that will determine how their season ends.
While Cardiff arrive with a lot of hope and a desperation to get into the playoffs, the Bulls have already cemented their place, but now are focusing on overtaking Glasgow Warriors into second spot in the final two weeks of the competition, and to do that they need full points from their last two fixtures.
The week they have had off after four weeks on the road where they picked up crucial victories over Munster and Glasgow has given them a bounce, and now they’re honing their game plan to ensure they can put the hammer down when it matters and take the momentum into those playoff rounds.
Key to that will be a top performance where they take as many of their chances as possible and ensure they are as accurate as they can be, something they haven’t always been at Loftus Versfeld this season.
USING OPPORTUNITIES
That was part of the message that World Cup winning loose forward Marco van Staden put out during the team’s press conference on Tuesday.
“It’s more parts of the game, I think it’s more small detail and using opportunities we get,” Van Staden said.
“I think we waste a lot of opportunities that we create, not finishing, I think that’s one of them.
“We have to focus on doing the things we’ve been doing the whole season and keep doing it. No matter if the occasion changes, we still have to play the way we train and the way we’ve been playing the whole season.
“Just being more clinical in those games, being more clinical and using those opportunities we create.
“We want to play without the pressure of the occasion, and we want to play like we’ve been playing when we were very successful.”
Van Staden knows the team needs to peak at the right time and the next two weeks will be crucial to build that momentum going into the playoffs.
“There are still a lot of opportunities we could have taken. I think for us, it’s just a refocus, and just starting again,” he added.
“We hope to start with the same intensity and carry it through all the way to the end.
“Cardiff are going to come to Loftus with massive intent. They are going to come with the belief to win.
“Cardiff has had a very good season so far. We are expecting it’s going to be a big battle. We are not expecting anything less.”
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The Bulls know they are hot on Glasgow’s tail, one point separating the two sides with two games to go and while Glasgow have a tougher run in to the playoffs, the Bulls will need to do their part first.
“It’s not going to be easy. So, we first have to win the game before we start thinking about five points, before anything. I think that’s why we just focus on the things we’ve been doing good, and see where we can improve because there’s still a lot of improvements from the Munster and Glasgow game going forward.
“We decided to play for each other and fight for each other, fight for the players. Not on tour, fighting for the players on tour that’s not playing, fighting for our families.
“I think we’ve learned from last season. I don’t know why our away games were better than our home games.
“But I think we’ve learned from the previous games that we had to win, which we haven’t won yet.
“And I think we can learn from that in the next two games and hopefully in the away games.”
The Bulls will name their side for the clash on Friday.
THE VURC continues THIS weekend at LOFTUS 🔥
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🐂Vodacom Bulls v Cardiff
🗓️10 May 2025… pic.twitter.com/bAOkUFBE3h