Assistant coach Russell Winter says the Vodacom Bulls have taken “a step in the right direction”, after thumping Griquas on Friday to end a run of 10 defeats in all competitions.
Fielding a lineup laden with Vodacom United Rugby Championship and Champions Cup campaigners, the Bulls claimed their first win of the 2023 Currie Cup with a convincing 40-3 victory at Loftus Versfeld.
The Bulls pack dominated, laying the platform for the likes of Embrose Papier to shine as the hosts scored six tries and denied last season’s losing finalists a consolation touchdown.
Speaking post-match from Loftus, Winter told reporters: “We’re going to take the win and we’re going to enjoy it, and I’m going to say it again – I know I sound like I’m repeating myself – it’s a step in the right direction. We’re just going to keep working and make sure we can build on this game.
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“I think our defence was really good tonight, far better than what it has been over the last couple of weeks, and the other thing was the penalty count against us.
“We’ve allowed so many entries into our 22 over the last few weeks and it’s really hurt us. The discipline was massive for us. We still gave away one or two penalties and we’ll work on it, but it really helped us.”
The Bulls will look to build on the win when they travel to Kings Park next week to face the Sharks in the Currie Cup, while the URC team is set to clash with Zebre.
Winter added: “Over the last couple weeks, belief has been such a strange word because if you truly believe, things start to happen for you. We’ve been hammering hard on that within our group, and there’s no lack of effort from the guys.
“They’re really trying every week to ensure they get the result but it’s a process. For us , there’s definite momentum in this game to build on for the next game, but we also won’t get ahead of ourselves.”
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— SA Rugby magazine (@SARugbymag) April 8, 2023
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