The Vodacom Bulls got the workout they were after, as they narrowly beat the Boland Cavaliers in a friendly in Wellington on Friday.
Johan Ackermann’s men emerged with a hard-fought 31-24 win at Boland Stadium, and in the bigger picture, it was exactly what the Bulls needed.
More important than the scoreline is the fact that the Pretoria outfit are now battle-ready after a lengthy break in the URC. With a heavyweight showdown against the Sharks looming at Loftus Versfeld next weekend, match fitness was non-negotiable.
MORE: Irish giants Munster sign Bok hooker
Ackermann’s charges were made to sweat for it.
Despite the obvious size difference between the teams, the Cavaliers brought the kind of heart that turned the clash into a proper arm wrestle.
Boland approached the contest like a World Cup final. They smashed into the Bulls at the breakdown, forced a string of first-half penalties and refused to roll over. For long stretches, the home side threatened to turn the night into an embarrassment for the visitors.
The Bulls, understandably, didn’t operate at full URC intensity, but had they slipped up against the Cavaliers, the mood on the flight back to Pretoria would have been bleak.
Instead, they dug deep, absorbed the pressure and ultimately leaned on their physical edge to close it out.
BULLS CEO: World Cup year will force a re-think
For Boland coach Hawies Fourie, the outing served as valuable preparation ahead of the SA Cup. The fighting spirit of his side – including a second string that continued to attack with ambition even after the Bulls began to pull away – will offer real encouragement.
Photo: Boland Rugby Media
The post Bulls survive Boland scare appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
