Bulls head coach Johan Ackermann is keeping his eyes firmly on the task at hand, refusing to be distracted by the United Rugby Championship standings at this stage of the season.
The Pretoria franchise is currently at the summit of the log following two wins at Loftus Versfeld.
Those two tough games against the Ospreys and defending champions Leinster served as ideal preparation for the match against Ulster in Belfast – a venue where the Bulls have yet to claim a win.
I haven’t even looked at the log and there’s no talk about it,” Bulls head coach Ackermann said when asked about being the frontrunners.
“We didn’t play well, to be fair. That result is flattering. So, we just have to get better – and it’s a tough tour.”
Following Saturday’s fixture, the Bulls will face Connacht and Glasgow Warriors before the break.
It’s teams that like to fight for everything, and you’ve got, obviously, past champions in these three weeks. Therefore, we can’t take anything for granted.
“If we want to get wins starting tomorrow, we will have to go deep, and we have to play much better than we did in the last two weeks.”
However, that is easier said than done, as Ackermann highlighted the challenges of playing in Ireland.
The conditions make it very difficult, and then the surface.
“The last time I was here at Ulster, it was still a grass pitch. That’s changed – it’s a 4G pitch now and a little bit more predictable.
“And it’s the crowds. I told the staff now, it took me back to Gloucester, where you’ve got the standing-style stands next to the field, and people who are passionate. They’re in your ear, they sing, they’re noisy, they make you feel it when you make a mistake.
“So, it’s those things that can get under your skin that we have to control.
“This week, the big thing was to control what we can control. We don’t control the crowd, the referee, or the weather – but what we do control is our attitude, our mindset, and our positivity.”
For this match, Ackermann made 11 changes, bringing in his Springbok contingent, with Handré Pollard stealing the headlines.
Pollard makes his first appearance for the Pretoria-based franchise since rejoining from Leicester.
“With a player of his calibre, expectations are always high,” Ackermann said.
“Even if he hasn’t played for two weeks, there’s always an expectation of what he brings – his experience and calmness.
“We hope he provides that, supported by experienced players who know the system.
“He’ll play against Ulster and then return to South Africa for the birth of his second child.
“Hopefully, it’s a game where he can get back in sync with the squad, but the team has to support him – we can’t put everything on him.”
The Bulls now face the challenge of translating their Loftus success to Irish soil, but with Ackermann’s focus firmly on preparation and control, the Pretoria side looks ready for a testing tour.
