Pressure could already be mounting on Bulls coach Johan Ackermann after an indifferent start to life at Loftus.
The pressure may be starting to build on new Bulls coach Johan Ackermann after a tough start to life at Loftus was compounded by a disappointing 46-33 Champions Cup loss to Union Bordeaux Begles over the weekend.
Losing to the reigning EPCR champions, even at home, wouldn’t usually be that big of a surprise, but the manner in which they went down, after a strong first half saw them leading 33-22, to be blanked 24-0 in the second half, is always unacceptable for a top team with high standards.
And things could get worse before they get better, with the Bulls travelling to England to face last season’s runners-up, Northampton Saints, possibly with a weakened side on Saturday, followed by a tricky United Rugby Championship (URC) derby against a potentially Springbok-laden Sharks in Durban.
Should the Bulls lose those two games they could find themselves in a very sticky position heading into the new year, and Ackermann would also be under immense pressure.
Sprightly start
It is quite the turnaround after a sprightly start to the season which saw the Bulls beat Ospreys (53-40) and Leinster (39-31) at home.
But they then went on the road and endured a difficult tour of the UK, going down to Ulster (28-7) and Glasgow Warriors (21-12), while they edged Connacht (28-27).
Arguably their most disappointing performance came back at Loftus after the international break, when they were upset 43-33 by fierce Highveld rivals, the Lions, and then following that up with their poor second half show against Bordeaux.
The fact that the Bulls let Jake White go after reaching three URC finals indicates that they have much higher hopes for the team and Ackermann will be well aware of that, so it makes their final two games of the year hugely important in relieving some of the pressure that has built up in recent weeks.
But, if they lose their next two games, it will see them head into the new year with three wins and six losses since the start of the new season, and under Ackermann, and that would see them under massive pressure going into January.
