The Bulls are by no means throwing in the towel on their slim chances of making the Super Rugby play-offs and have vowed to go down fighting.
They still have a chance of making the play-offs as they are a mere three points behind the Sharks who occupy the third and final play-off berth in the South African Group with only two matches remaining in the round robin stage.
The Sharks have a tricky assignment against the Cheetahs in Durban on Saturday followed by their final outing against the Sunwolves, while the Bulls face the Sunwolves on Saturday at Loftus before making the trek to Bloemfontein to play the Cheetahs.
If the Cheetahs continue being the Sharks' hoodoo team and pull off a win in Durban, then the Bulls will need to make sure that they get maximum points against the Sunwolves and Cheetahs to ensure that they sneak into the play-offs through the back door.
As impossible as it may seem that the Sharks will concede their play-off berth at the final hurdle, Bulls captain Adriaan Strauss says they will fight until the death with the hope that the Cheetahs will do them a favour.
“No, we haven’t thrown in the towel, definitely not. But the main focus and energy is going into what we need to do. It doesn’t help throwing in the towel and not perform and we get the opportunity to still be in the competition next week and we let it slip ourselves. We want to do everything that we are able to do but it is not in our own hands, it is up to chance and to other teams,” said Strauss yesterday.
Bulls coach Nollis Marais is also holding on to the last threads of optimism and refuses to allow his team to go quietly into the sunset.
Marais has picked his best possible team for the weekend’s encounter against the Sunwolves with Strauss returning back to lead the team after being rested last week, while Pierre Schoeman and former Springbok prop Werner Kruger will complete a new look frontrow.
Flank Jannes Kirsten also returns to the starting line-up and Renaldo Bothma will make his starting debut for the Bulls in Super Rugby after coming off the bench in last weekend’s loss against the Jaguares in Buenos Aires.
Springbok scrumhalf Piet van Zyl has been elevated to the starting line-up in place of Rudy Paige and there has been a change in the midfield with Dries Swanepoel being called up to start at outside centre and Springbok utility back Jesse Kriel moving to fullback for the first time this season.
Saturday’s outing will be the final home game for veteran Kruger, who is the only player to have featured in a hundred games for the Bulls in Super Rugby and the Currie Cup, as the former Springbok prop leaves to join Welsh outfit the Scarlets after Super Rugby.
It will also be the last home game for Lappies Labuschagne and Grant Hattingh, who will be leaving for Japan, and for Springbok prop Marcel van der Merwe, who is joining Toulon.
Marais says his primary focus still remains on closing the season on a high and sneaking into the play-offs and that is why he has not given up hope yet.
“I read this week that we should use the next two games for the upcoming Currie Cup season. That is not our mindset, we are picking the best possible side to play on the weekend. The Currie Cup will take care of itself down the line.
TEAM
Bulls STARTING XV: Jesse Kriel, Travis Ismaiel, Dries Swanepoel, Burger Odendaal, Jamba Ulengo, Francois Brummer, Piet van Zyl, Renaldo Bothma, Jannes Kirsten, Lappies Labuschagne, Jason Jenkins, Marvin Orie, Werner Kruger, Adriaan Strauss (captain), Pierre Schoeman; Replacements: Jaco Visagie, Nqoba Mxoli, Marcel van der Merwe, Grant Hattingh, Arno Botha, Rudy Paige, Tian Schoeman - The Star