A stirring Investec Champions Cup revival means little unless the Vodacom Bulls turn belief into URC momentum in Edinburgh, writes MARK KEOHANE.
Writing for TimesLIVE, Keohane says the Bulls’ dramatic win in Pau was a season-saving result, but the real test of progress comes on Friday night against Edinburgh in the URC.
The victory in France snapped a seven-match losing run and was just enough to get the Bulls into the Champions Cup last 16, where they will face the Glasgow Warriors in April. But the immediate focus is the URC, where early promise dissolved into defensive fragility and heavy defeats.
What separated Pau from recent failures was attitude. The Bulls defended with purpose and resolve, making close to 300 tackles and winning with minimal possession. As Keohane notes, “defence is as much about attitude, as it is systems”, and that desperation had been missing for much of the season.
Nizaam Carr embodied the shift. Starting at No 8, he led the tackle count, scored the match-equalling try and set the physical tone. Handre Pollard’s conversion completed the comeback and delivered belief the Bulls must now sustain.
ACKERS: Bulls must win aerial battle
Keohane says Edinburgh will test that resolve. Their form has been erratic but their home performances demand accuracy and commitment, especially in winter conditions. The Bulls, stacked with international quality, must prove Pau was not an outlier.
Coach Johan Ackermann has trusted continuity, selecting his strongest available group and backing a bench that finally delivered impact in France.
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In Cape Town, a sell-out coastal derby awaits. More than 20 Springboks will feature across Stormers and Sharks squads, with Siya Kolisi returning to the DHL Stadium from the Sharks bench.
The Stormers are unbeaten and favourites, but history shows form fades when Bok teammates collide.
Photo: Ryan Byrne/INPHO
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