Ackers: We made it difficult for ourselves

Bulls coach Johan Ackermann expressed mixed emotions about his team's victory over the Scarlets in a recent match. His Springboks defeated their opponents 54-26, moving them up to second place on the URC log. Ackermann acknowledged that his team had made things difficult for themselves during the game. "Same speech as last week," he quipped to the media. "We're thankful for the win, but we made it difficult for ourselves."

The match was closely contested, with the score tied at 26-26 after 55 minutes. However, the Bulls ultimately secured their victory with four unanswered tries in the final quarter. Ackermann credited the team's strong push in the last quarter for the winning result, noting that the Scarlets never gave up and put up a good fight. "The Scarlets never gave up, they scored some good tries and stayed in the game. But I’m proud we found a way and showed good character," he said.

Ackermann attributed the team's below-par performance to the fact that they had been off their best in training the past week. "I was concerned . . . the Bok guys were [mentally already] on tour, the others going on holiday were already [mentally] on holiday," he remarked. Captain Hanro Liebenberg also noted that several teammates were more tired than usual.

Despite the challenging week, Ackermann emphasized that the team had earned the result they needed. He highlighted the team's strong finish, stating, "They pushed the Stormers all the way and they pushed us all the way." This resilience and ability to perform under pressure are seen as positive signs by Ackermann. He expressed pride in his players, mentioning the efforts of key players like Cameron Hanekom and Sebastian de Klerk, who all gave their all during the game. "I’m proud of everybody," Ackermann said.

One minor injury, a lower back niggle affecting Hanekom, did not prevent him from playing, with Marcell Coetzee coming off the bench to make a difference. Ackermann concluded that his team's ability to be clinical and finish strongly when necessary is a good indication of their progress. "Regardless of the momentum swings, mistakes and moments we didn’t play well, we scored when we needed to, and for me that’s a good sign: we can be clinical and finish when we need to," he concluded.