The Vodacom Bulls are gearing up to face the formidable All Blacks this Saturday at Pretoria's Loftus Versfeld, yet they are entering this clash with less preparation than desired, as per head coach Johan Ackermann. Pre-season training was the preferred focus for the team, but this high-profile match has necessitated a shift in their schedule.
Following a crushing defeat in the Vodacom URC final on June 19th, where the Bulls fell 36-7 at Croke Park, they are now faced with a quick transition back to competitive play ahead of their 2026-27 season opener against Zebre Parma scheduled for September 25th.
The New Zealand team comes off an emphatic 54-0 victory over the Sharks in Durban, adding pressure to the Bulls who have had minimal match play since their last competitive outing.
Johan Ackermann expressed concerns about the disrupted pre-season, which forced the team to abbreviate their rest period and accelerate their training regime.
"We would probably only just have returned from the break," Ackermann revealed. "We had to cut the break short. We have to give the guys a five-week break, but we could only give them three weeks."
The reduced break not only impacted physical conditioning but also the players' acclimation to match-level contact, a critical component of rugby readiness.
"Conditioning is one thing, but your body, after three or four weeks, loses its contact ability. So we had to fast-track all of that," Ackermann noted.
Additionally, the usual pre-season allows for the evaluation of new strategies and player performance through trial games, which has not been possible due to the scheduling. "Now we're basically picking from the squad we've got left, and then the odd guys who were unlucky not to be selected have been given off training. It’s a bit unfair, but that’s the hand we’ve got," Ackermann added.
Despite these challenges, Ackermann remains focused on the benefits of such a high-profile game. "It’s a great occasion, but we will definitely be a bit underprepared from where we want to be. We’re building up to the URC and that’s still a few weeks away, so we don’t want to peak now," he explained.
Ackermann is determined to use this opportunity to fine-tune the team's capabilities, hoping that the lessons learned in the upcoming match will pay dividends once their regular season begins. "We just want to embrace the occasion and hopefully get a reward for what we’ve tried to practise over the last few weeks," he concluded.
