In the end, it was the redemption and confirmation that Johan Ackermann and the Vodacom Bulls needed.
The fact that it happened at Ackermann’s old stomping ground at Ellis Park also did not go unnoticed, but a half-century of points in a Jukskei Derby massacre was definitely enough to light up the smiles of the Pretoria side as they confirmed they had turned things around after seven straight defeats earlier in the season.
It wasn’t so much the scoreline, but the dominance of it all. After all, this same Lions team came to Loftus Versfeld in November and shocked the Bulls in their backyard. Forget the fact that the Bulls have never lost at Ellis Park in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship; this was a defining battle for them.
The upside is this - they have racked up three victories away from home, and have done them at times without their kingpins, Canan Moodie and Willie le Roux. And their squad system and fighting spirit have seen them through.
They have a bit of a layoff before the next game - thanks to the Six Nations - and will face the Hollywoodbets Sharks on 28 February - another side they lost to (in Durban) in the losing streak - and will be looking forward to taking this momentum into the Loftus Versfeld game.
BOKS RETURNING
They will be stronger to boot. Bulls president Willem Strauss on Sunday confirmed that their long injury list is likely to be a thing of the past. Add to the fact that the big win moved the Bulls into the top eight again, and there is a lot to celebrate in Pretoria at the moment.
“We've moved to the playoffs position on the log after yesterday's statement win! We must fill Loftus with our next two matches against the Sharks (28 Feb) and the Stormers (14 March)!
“Incredibly Willie, Sebastiaan, Cheswill, Canan, Jan, Paul, Gerhard, Ruan, Akker and Cameron should all be available for selection against the Sharks😊🏈” Strauss said in his message.
That list refers to Springbok Willie le Roux (on Springbok enforced rest), wingers Sebastian de Klerk and Cheswill Jooste (both concussion), Canan Moodie (concussion), midfielder Jan Serfontein (AC joint), scrumhalf Paul de Wet (unknown), prop Gerhard Steenekamp (broken thumb), Ruan Nortje (failed a fitness test before this weekend’s game, injury unknown), Akker van der Merwe (neck spasms) and Cameron Hanekom (hamstring).
While Strauss didn’t mention him, utility forward Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg is also set to be fit to play before the Sharks game. Still, 11 players returning will make selection an interesting issue, and how Ackermann will handle it awaits to be seen. Some of the players may need to be eased back slowly, while others can slot easily into the starting lineup.
And the players who put 50 on the Lions this past weekend will not want to lose their places either.
LOADS OF POSITIVITY
For once this season, there is a lot of positivity around the Bulls, and some breathing space for Ackermann. While he is known as a coach who loves to coach attacking rugby, the Ellis Park win was built on pragmatism and a forward dominance that hurt the Lions up front.
Ackermann was understandably crowing at his old hunting ground this past weekend. “We wanted to mix it up a bit, and the boys got the balance right,” Ackermann said after the game.
“There were one or two opportunities probably out wide as well, but we felt the forwards were doing well, and we just stuck to that. The first few aerial contests went our way, and that’s the fine margins of this game.
“There were games in the past that didn’t go our way, so you take the wins, however they come. I’m just proud of the guys, of the effort, because it takes a lot of effort to play as we did.
“When we got it going, we really did well. I always felt a good performance was around the corner; we just had to get the passes sticking and get the momentum going. The first half exceeded our expectations. We played really well. One or two mistakes, but we bounced back well.”
EMOTIONAL FOR ACKERMANN
Ackermann said it was an emotional win for him at the ground he made a name for himself as coach.
“I’ve got close ties with the Lions and always will have,” he said.
“A lot of memories came back when I walked onto the field for the first time. Those are memories that last forever, but you start building new ones.
"I’m with a new team now, and I’m building new relationships. They’re my sons now — the players I’m looking after — and I want them to do well.”
But just as the loss in November against the same side underlined how wrong things were heading for the Bulls, this win does exactly the opposite. They are marching forward and confident again, but know two tough derbies await.
For now, though, the mood is a lot better than it was a few weeks ago, and confidence is at a high. The trick will be to keep it this way.