Victor Matfield: Bulls have got their ‘mix right’ and ‘can beat anyone’
Bulls celebrate scoring a try in the URC and Springboks legend Victor Matfield.
Bulls and Springboks legend Victor Matfield believes his former side can top the United Rugby Championship at the end of the regular season.
The Bulls return to URC action following their 59-22 Investec Champions Cup defeat to Northampton Saints.
Jake White’s charges have four successive home games against Munster Rugby, Glasgow Warriors and Benetton Rugby before completing their season in Durban against the Sharks.
Home semi-final at least
The Bulls return to URC action ranked third on the overall log, nine points behind league leaders Leinster Rugby – who are on the road for three straight games – and Matfield is backing his former team to make up the difference in the coming weeks.
“I think Bulls v Munster – numbers three and four on the log – is going to be a big game,” Matfield told a URC round table.
“There has been a lot of talk about the team that Jake took over for the Champions Cup at the Saints. So this is a big game for the Bulls to win.
“They look at this competition and they believe that they need at least a home semi-final.
“They are probably hoping, with Leinster being in South Africa – and it looks like they won’t bring their strongest side over – that there might just be an opportunity for them to even finish first on the log, if Leinster lose one or two games over here.
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“The Bulls have got five games left, all of them in South Africa, so they will back themselves to win five out of five.
“But I think this is probably their toughest game this weekend.
“Munster showed us last year what they can do when they came over and beat the Stormers in the final to win the competition.
“They are a quality side, so that is going to be a very interesting game.
“Then the Bulls would love the Lions to do them a favour by beating Leinster. It won’t be easy, but it’s an opportunity for the Lions.”
The Bulls reached the final of the inaugural URC season, stunning Leinster in the knockouts en route, but were beaten by the Stormers in the showpiece event.
Last season, they failed to progress past the quarter-finals losing to the Stormers again but Matfield feels that the Bulls are better equipped to push for the title compare to previous seasons.
Got their mix right
“I think the Bulls have got their mix right.” he said.
“They have got a few very experienced guys and they have also created a lot of depth in their squad, whereas last year they probably overplayed the guys a little bit.
“Us South Africans are still new to this double competition. In the old days, with Super Rugby, we were used to getting it done and then moving to Test matches, then we would have Currie Cup.
“Now we have the two competitions running together and we still have to make sure we understand how to use our squads.
“I think this year the Bulls have used it better.
“The loss against Leinster showed they still have quite a way to go if they want to compete regularly with the top sides.
“But I think this team can beat any team on the day.
“They have got a very good pack of forwards, their scrum is really strong, probably the strongest in the competition when Wilco Louw is playing.
“Then they have got the back three that has got magic.
“Last weekend, against Northampton, they didn’t have all their Springboks there.
“But, if they have got the right guys there, I think they have got a team that can beat anyone.”
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