Head coach Edgar Marutlulle and captain Lizo Gqoboka rued the “elementary of mistakes” by the Vodacom Bulls in a historic Currie Cup defeat to the Griffons on Friday.
The Bulls lost 32-28 in a thrilling encounter in Welkom, where the hosts claimed not only their first Premier Division win in the Currie Cup, but also a first victory over their more-fancied opponents since 1997, when the minnows won 36-32 at Loftus Versfeld.
The Griffons flew into a great start, taking a 10-0 lead, and were up for the fight in front of their fans against a strong Bulls outfit featuring experienced lock Jacques du Plessis and Vodacom URC campaigner Wandisile Simelane.
Defeat in the Northern Free State continues a winless start for Marutlulle in his first campaign in charge, and stretches the Pretoria union’s losing streak to nine in all competitions.
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Speaking post-match from Down Touch Investments Stadium, he told media: “We’re greatly disappointed. There were a lot of things that we could’ve, would’ve, should’ve done better. But we definitely didn’t do enough of it, and for us to be in this dogfight here was a making of our own mistakes – the most elementary of mistakes in some of those areas.
““It was absolutely frustrating, to tell you the least. It’s one of those moments as a coach where you are 21-13 up and it’s two minutes to play [before halftime], and we get a scrum underneath our posts. The scrum disintegrates and they get the ball out, and they score, and it’s 21-20 into half time.
“There were a couple of really good moments from a defensive point of view… But just not consistent enough, not consecutively – you do one or two things well, and then you’re back again making mistakes.
“So, we need to build in terms of doing good things one after the other, and sequences and consecutive positives.”
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Gqoboka added: “We’re our own worst enemies. Discipline is a big thing and we’re giving away a lot of penalties and that’s us as players. We need to be more disciplined because we’re letting ourselves down.
“I’ve been down this road before when I got to the Bulls … I feel it’s time we start doing things we did when things were good.
“We say we’re family so we’re going to have to stick together now. It’s easy to just point fingers – here that guy, there that guy – and then you just go deeper into your hole.
“We’ve said we’re resilient so we have to be resilient, and I think that’s what is going to get us out [of this situation]. Just pull tighter together… And just look in the mirror and take some responsibility, because those things are not coaching mistakes, those are us as players, giving away too many penalties, and last week was the same thing. So we really have to look at ourselves and be hard on ourselves.”
The Bulls will now regroup in the Currie Cup when they host last season’s losing finalists, Griquas, in Pretoria next Friday.
Picks: @mark_keohane and Zels predict @BlueBullsRugby‘s woes will continue when they take on Toulouse in the Champions Cup. pic.twitter.com/NUmokffLyj
— SA Rugby magazine (@SARugbymag) March 30, 2023