If ever a victory existed from losing than the Bulls will claim to be the first to prove the existence of that statement.
The Bulls may have lost 20-16 against the Cheetahs on Friday evening in Polokwane but the loss served to do more for the cause of the Bulls in the Super 14 than dent their aspirations.
Simply put, the Bulls were sensational.
For the better part of the game they looked unbeatable.
In fact, they looked the same as the team that was able to annex the Super 14 title in 2007.
The Cheetahs were good value for the money ... and, in fact, they played the type of rugby that will have many, if not all, rugby gurus guessing on which South African teams will be fighting for the wooden spoon in the Super 14.
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As much as the Bulls were the team of the day, in front of partisan 15 000 spectators at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, the Cheetahs were the showstoppers stealing victory from the jaws of defeat and deflating any sense of enthusiasm from the Bulls.
Even though the Bulls may have been inspired to do better in the Super 14 but Bulls coach Frans Ludeke stated that he would have liked to take the victory along with the performance.
"There is a lot we can take out of this performance especially on defence and also on attack," said Ludeke.
"The Cheetahs asked us the type of questions we would have loved for the Super 14 and going forward.
"We were beaten at the breakdowns but I must say that I took a lot from the way the guys played and the commitment they showed in the tackle and at the collision," said Ludeke.
"I must admit that the guys picked their hands up and took responsibility for the way things panned out on the field. It is unfortunate that we did not win because it would have been the thing we are also looking for in our pre-season planning.
"At the end of the day, I must say that I am happy with where we are and we are more or less on track with our plans," said Ludeke.
As much as the Bulls may have squandered a 13-3 half-time lead the likes of Bryan Habana, Gurthro Steenkamp, Bakkies Botha, Dewald Potgieter, Heini Adams, Morne Steyn, Wynand Olivier and Akona Ndungane showed that they are a few games away from achieving their form and again catapulting the Bulls to the top echelons of super rugby.
"I don't believe in mentioning players individually but I must say that the guys are playing for each other and for the team and that is all I ask for before I ask them to win. That is a good foundation and hopefully we can build on that for a very tough Super 14 campaign ahead," said Ludeke.
The Bulls face the Sharks on Wednesday and in all likelihood Ludeke will rest most of his players that played their hearts out in the light blue of the Bulls on Friday night.
Meanwhile the Bulls are keeping their fingers crossed that Springbok scrumhalf Fourie du Preez is all right after suffering an injury on his right hand which he broke last year in the last Super 14 match against he Cheetahs.
"We will know everything on Fourie today depending on his condition. It doesn't look like a fracture and I don't think it is," said Bulls doctor Org Strauss.
"There is some inflammation on the thumb where he broke his hand last year, but it is hopefully not too serious."
- This article was originally published on page 21 of Pretoria News on February 02, 2009
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