Pollard posts Crusader warning to team-mates

They may have got the four points for a workmanlike victory over the Waratahs but the same sort of performance will end in tears against the Crusaders.

That isn’t just conjecture, but the view of Vodacom Bulls captain Handre Pollard after his side’s 28-21 win over the Waratahs on Saturday.

And given the fact the Bulls face the Crusaders – defending champs and runaway leaders in this year’s Vodacom Super Rugby competition, they have a right to be worried.

Because while the Bulls should have put the Tahs away shortly after halftime, the same white-line fever that has accompanied this side all season was their downfall, as it was at Newlands the week before.

And against a quality outfit like the Crusaders, the chances will be fewer and not converting them will be more costly.

“We already had a chat about it. We weren’t accurate enough, we created enough opportunities but you have to finish. We were lucky to get away with it (against the Waratahs), next week won’t be the same story,” Pollard believes.

“There will be a focus on that this week, and make small adjustments where necessary, but we have to be more accurate if we really want to contend in this competition.”

Pollard does feel, however, that the performance is a good thing in the week before their biggest challenge of the season.

“It’s frustrating, but I think it is actually a pretty thing because we will be pretty hard on each other this week. If we just scored tries and everything went good then we would have been flying high and got a big reality check against the Crusaders

“We got it (against the Waratahs) and we got the win. Going into this week we will be harder on each other and have stuff to work on. We will work at tit and we just have to be more accurate this week.

“We need to be better every week. Nobody is waiting for you and you can see how the log looks. One week you can be in the playoffs and the next week out. You need to be at your best every week in this competition and if you are off by 5 percent then you aren’t going to win it.

“We will need to come with good plans this week and work hard, but we need to make sure we get better every week.”

Friday night’s game will be a litmus test for the Bulls and their aspirations of making the playoffs. With a four week tour waiting for them afterwards, the pressure is on as the season starts to head to the business end.

Their response this week will say a lot about how the team has progressed this season.