“Where does this Bulls team come from?” This was the general and surprised outcry of thousands of rugby fans when social media started buzzing shortly after Saturday’s match between the Bulls and the Sharks during the Vodacom Super Fan Saturday rugby festival in Pretoria.

On the other hand, there were the more positive Bulls fans who excitedly announced that they knew Jake White was going to make a difference.

However, after the Bulls’ performance against the Sharks – and especially the clinical manner in which the Natal boys were destroyed in the first half by the Bulls’ preferred fifteen – Bulls fans can rightly be excited.

The new-look Bulls scored a morale-boosting post COVID-19 victory of 49-28 over the Sharks. In that first half, in which the home team scored five brilliant tries, it certainly did not look like White’s team was out of action for six months.

The reshaped Bulls’ pack of forwards were impressive and their power upfront and impressive pace at the back made life very difficult for the Sharks.

Duane Vermeulen and his fellow forwards experienced an almost flawless 40 minutes. They dominated the Sharks in the scrums, they were clinical and very effective at the breakdown points and when they went on the drive it was equally impressive.

The second half played out vastly differently with the visitors outscoring the home side three tries to two, but the Bulls’ dominant first-half display was enough to secure their first victory under new coach Jake White.

It should also be mentioned that the Bulls have largely played with their reserves in the last half hour and that many of the players who came on later were clearly still rusty. They definitely need more time with the larger group to build proper cohesion.

On the Sharks’ side, their fans will soon let it be known that they are missing several key players due to injuries and other reasons. Yet it will be hard to deny that the Bulls dominated in almost every important aspect of the game – even when the visitors’ first-choice players were available.

Even the biggest sceptics will look at White with new eyes and have to admit that, so far, he has apparently been spot-on with several of his choices of more experienced men, as well as young rising stars.

If White and his management can finally turn this group of men, as well as those who have yet to join the group, into a happy team, there is no doubt that they should be champion material.

After Saturday’s performance, White and Bulls president Willem Strauss’s insistence that the men in Light Blue simply have to win the Currie Cup this year, will also spark fans’ dreams after ten dry years.

Do you have more information about the story?

Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.

For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s website: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram