'If you think you're strong in an area, teams will attack you in that area. We won't take anything for granted. Leinster is too good a team.'
Bulls head coach Johan Ackermann said scrums are only “one small part” of the game. Picture: Paul Phelan/Sportsfile via Getty Images
The Bulls would cause their own downfall if they rely solely on their traditional scrum dominance when they take on Leinster in their URC final at Croke Park on Friday night (kick-off 8.30pm).
So said head coach Johan Ackermann on the eve of the Pretoria union’s fourth United Rugby Championship final in five years, and second consecutive final against the same opponents at the Dublin venue, where they, under Jake White, were thrashed 32-7 last year.
This time the Bulls are oozing belief under Ackermann, on an eight-game URC winning streak, and fresh from fighting from 21-3 down to beat Glasgow Warriors 22-21 in their Edinburgh semi-final.
They believe they have learned enough from past failings to get over the line this time.
Bulls believe
Leinster, meanwhile, were pushed to the brink by the Stormers in their Dublin semi-final, only stretching their lead to two scores after the Stormers’ ill-discipline saw them receive their second and third yellow cards late in the second half (final score 20-11).
They were also operating without some of their biggest stars, while the Bulls are at full strength.
“We believe in ourselves and we believe in the team, but saying that… we have to be much more accurate than we’ve been. We have to match Leinster’s intensity at the start,” Ackermann said.
Leinster will be without Ireland loosehead prop Andrew Porter. He is replaced by 15-cap Jerry Cahir, and 20-year-old Alex Usanov sits on the bench.
While backed up by Ireland front rowers Tadhg Furlong and Rónan Kelleher, the relatively inexperienced pair must front up to a Bulls front row that has been unstoppable all season: Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar, and Francois Klopper.
Three Springboks will replace the front row from the bench: Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Wilco Louw.
The match will also be officiated by Andrea Piardi, who awarded three scrum turnovers to the Bulls in their quarter-final against Munster.
‘We won’t take anything for granted’
“We obviously pride ourselves on our scrum, but the reality is, it’s not going to just happen,” Ackermann said, adding that Leinster’s pipeline players were strong.
“If you think you’re strong in an area, teams will attack you in that area. We won’t take anything for granted. Leinster is too good a team.”
The Bulls coach said scrums were “just one small part of the game”.
Winning scrum penalties for Handré Pollard to kick would help, but the Bulls would also have to be strong in other areas once Leinster got possession.
