Discipline key in final dash for play-off places

The Bulls will have a full deck to deal with when they host the Cheetahs in a Currie Cup crunch match at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

With no serious injuries from last week's win over the Griffons and a number of 'rested' players returning, the Pretoria-based franchise will be in a good position to get the win required to book their place in the semifinals.

"We are just going to look and see what combinations will best work for us [against the Cheetahs]," the Bulls Currie Cup team's defence and breakdown coach, Sean Everitt, told @rugby365com.

With their fate in their own hands, the Bulls know that 40 points on the standings will most likely secure them a semifinal spot.

That they can achieve with a simple win over the Cheetahs at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

Everitt admitted that after a four-match losing streak at the start of the season they did well to get to within touching distance of a place in the play-offs.

"We are pleased that the guys have stuck to their guns and we are happy that we are in with a shout," he said.

Everitt added that they learnt some harsh lessons from the (7-32) Round Three loss to the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.

With set pieces, particularly the line-outs, being a key source for the Cheetahs' try-scoring opportunities, the Bulls know that they will have to raise the bar considerably.

(WATCH as the Bulls Currie Cup team's defence and breakdown coach, Sean Everitt, speaks about the key aspects of their game ahead of their crunch encounter with the Cheetahs ...)

"If you look at their strength around the maul, discipline is going to be really important," Everitt told @rugby365com.

He said avoiding penalties will eliminate the opportunities the Cheetahs get inside your 22, through kicking for touch and setting up mauls.

"When you go into semifinals and the Final, you want disciplined performances - so you don't leak points."

He also said they will need to defend better than they did in the first half-hour against the Griffons last Friday.

Despite eventually winning 64-33 (12 points short of their goal for a winning margin), it is the 28 missed tackles (at a lowly 79 percent success rate) that is most concerning.

"We will need to be really good on defence," he told @rugby365com, adding: "They are not only a mauling team, they also counter-attack really well.

"They also have a good kicking game, especially with Ruan Pienaar at flyhalf."

Everitt pointed out that the Cheetahs kicked double the number of times the Pumas did in their (29-14) win over the defending champions in Nelspruit this past weekend.

"They do make use of a lot of attacking kicks.

"That is a threat to us."

@king365ed

@rugby365com