Proudfoot: 'Bulls play intelligent rugby'

Stormers forwards coach Matt Proudfoot couldn't help but express his admiration for the way Bulls' play their rugby and knows his team will need to be at their best to stay unbeaten in Super Rugby this season.

The Bulls travel to Cape Town on Saturday for the first of their highly anticipated derbies against the Stormers for the year.

The impressive Bulls pack will offer the Stormers what is likely to be their toughest test so far this season, with the additional passion from the traditional rivalry to pump up both sides for the game.

"It's a fantastic game on the South African calendar and something we enjoy going up against the challenge the Bulls always present," Proudfoot told this website.

The Bulls come into the match off the back the 61-8 hammering that handed out to the Reds in Pretoria last week, and Proudfoot believes that if you don't stand up to their forwards the Bulls can do that to any team.

"The Bulls execution of their game has been exceptional and it's something that all packs are striving towards," he said.

"They're very comfortable in their pattern and in their gameplan and the key for them is that they don't try to be too fancy and don't get impatient with their gameplan.

"They have a lot of belief in what they're doing and do it over and over and get better and better," he added "You've got to look to stop that and if you can't then you will be 60 points down."

Proudfoot added that labels such as 'boring' and 'predictable' are loosely thrown around with reference to the Bulls style of play, but the truth is that they are very good at what they do.

"They play rugby in the right areas of the field, they get momentum with their pack and have and exceptional defence, so I think they play rugby the intelligent way," he explained. "Their momentum and accuracy gives them a lot of width and I think there is a way to play rugby and they're pretty close to that."

To hold onto their unbeaten tag the Stormers could be asked to put in another determined defensive performance on Saturday, having had to do the vast majority of the tackling in their narrow victory over the Lions last weekend.

"If you haven't got the ball you have to be able to fight for that gainline and not concede momentum, and we realise that will be needed for periods of the game on Saturday against the Bulls," Proudfoot said.

"We're very confident in our defence and the challenge is to bring that confidence and belief to the rest of our game."

By Timmy Hancox