Not all doom and gloom for Bulls after heart-crushing defeat

Despite agonisingly falling short against Lyon in the Champions Cup, losing 29-28 at the Stade Gerland on Saturday, the Bulls are still on the right track this season.

The nature of the loss must hurt the Bulls because they had it in them to win the game. Bulls director of rugby Jake White opted to leave his regulars at home as they will take on the Stormers on Saturday in Cape Town in a United Rugby Championship match.

They would likely have won the game at Lyon with their strongest squad but credit has to be given to the group that did battle in France. They showed that the gap in quality in the Bulls squad between the regulars and fringe players is not as wide as it was in the previous term.

Strong squad

The display of the team in Lyon will surely inspire confidence in White and his coaching staff, as they can make changes without compromising the squad.

This quality in depth the Bulls have managed to build has allowed them to be somewhat competitive in both premier competitions, the URC and Champions Cup.

The squad are in the top three of the URC log and also in their pool in the Champions Cup, though the defeat they suffered at the weekend means there’s little room for error in the Champions Cup.

With two rounds left in the pool stages, they need to be at their best to finish in the top four in a group of six to make the knockout stages. That’s something they are desperate to achieve.

Bouncing back

The minor setback for White’s side sets them up for a greater comeback, and bouncing back with a win against the Stormers in the URC will be huge.

It would be their first win over their Western Cape rivals in the URC competition and they will then be hoping to top it off with a Champions Cup win at home against Bristol Bears in January.

How the Bulls show up in their next two games will determine the destiny of their season, as it can continue on its upward trajectory or head for a downward spiral.