Bulls and Chiefs ready to face-off for play-offs spot - Super Rugby news
As the Bulls and Chiefs prepare to meet head to head
on Saturday, April 30, they are eyeing a win to leave themselves a chance to make it to the play offs of the Super
Rugby 2011 championships. The match is scheduled to be played at Loftus Versfeld. Bulls are coming off a rather poor Australasian tour, which has left them fighting to make it to the play offs of the Super XV.
The current Super Rugby champions have won four of the nine games they have played in the season. so far They are on a losing streak after ending on the weaker side
in their last three encounters against the Crusaders, Reds and Western Force respectively.
Chiefs on the other hand have won only three of their nine games so far in this year’s super rugby championship. Chiefs have won their last game against the Lions at
Coca Cola Park to end their losing streak in which they lost their last three games consecutively.
Bulls and Chiefs are currently placed at 8th and 9th position in the Super XV table with 22 and 21 points respectively. Bulls captain Victor Matfield,
has termed their upcoming encounter during the weekends as a final as a loss would most likely end their chances of making to the play offs of Super XV. He said, “We know we are always under threat and that is why it is important that we focus on ourselves
and for us this is like a semifinal or a final -- a must win -- so we need to be mentally prepared when we get to Saturday.”
Bulls’ captain has also stressed his team to relax themselves and termed the pressure of winning as the main reason for not being able to win. He said, “The more pressure
there is, the harder the guys try and the more mistakes they make.”
Last time when both teams met at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria Bulls handed over a thumping defeat to the visitors by defeating them 61 – 17 during the final of Super 14
2009. Bulls will enter the match with 16 Springboks out of the match 22.
Chiefs on the other hand will be looking forward to capitalise on the Bulls current poor form and return the 2009 final’s favour to the Bulls. Chiefs will miss the services
of their winger, Sitiveni Sivivatu, who has sustained a hamstring injury in an earlier game. He is being replaced by Save Tokula for Saturday’s game. Chiefs and Bulls cannot afford to lose the game because such a result will surely call it curtains on their
dreams to reach the play-offs.
Much off field hype has been created for Saturday’s encounter as the Super Rugby title winners from the last two years will play to retain their contention for this
year’s play-off.
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