Johan Ackermann on Gratitude, Belief, and the Bulls' Shot at the URC Final | Press Conference

How are you? How are you? Just to start, we asked you after Saturday no injuries. Is anybody fit and ready for next week? It looks good.

We got through the game, there are like one or two guys that got a bit sore. Like Masha had a bit sore shoulder, Alrik a bit of a sore foot and so on. and so on but nothing that the doctor is concerned about. Looks like everybody that played on the weekend will be ready to go by next Friday. If you look, obviously you did take the game in the review afterwards.

What is the biggest workouts this week? I think our set piece defence just get clattered today on our roles and then I still think our 1-1 tackle is not where it has to be. It got better as the game progressed, but again, you know, you don't want to chase 21-3 in every game. So that has to be better. And then for the first time this season, we were just a little bit slow in our breakdown in that first half.

They got a few turnovers there, so we never could hold pressure on their momentum until late in that 30th minute when we started to get a few penalties and then eventually Groghi scored. So we just have to look after our breakdown better. The ball, you know, the first line that we knocked the ball on, our first possession. So that looking after the ball and then our first face defense. Johan, the first time I met you was when you were introduced to us, Dan, and one of the things you said when we asked you what would your successful season look like and you said the Bulls have been in the final almost every year, they have to be in the final, that will be a successful year.

It's not actually happened, is it sort of it didn't come through or did you always have faith that it's going to happen? Yeah, I think like I said sometimes every team when the season kicks off, every team say they want to play in the final. Every team that's probably the ultimate goal. For me personally, I knew that taking account the history of this place and our passion with the supporters are, is that if we don't get to the final, there will be a lot of questions asked, especially if we don't get to the playoffs. So I knew that pressure is on, but like I also said that the most important thing for me is to start building on a culture and a philosophy of how I see Rappi.

because I do believe that Rappi is great and we're all very, very passionate about it. But there is a bigger picture outside of that is the culture and the way you, when players go, let me say, go through the team. How do they leave this team? I still think we've got the obligation to see where we can make a positive change and input into their lives. so yeah so but now we are now we're in the final and you know now obviously well it's very grateful that the season turned out this way and yeah it's just a great blessing and I'm thankful to the Lord for giving us this opportunity and obviously it's not me just there's so many people that is behind the scenes that make this possible so yeah I can just thank everybody Can I just ask you something?

I've spoken to a couple of your players in the team at the moment and something that struck me, the one word that they all use when they're describing the experience of the Bulls, especially under you as a coach, was gratitude. Can you talk to me about that? Yeah, it's one of our values. Gratitude was our first value of our five values and And I said to the, you know, for me it's important that we understand that it's a privilege to be here. It's a privilege to be at the pool specifically, then obviously to be part of the game rugby.

We must be thankful that we can, you know, inspire people through what we do. We can earn an income. You're healthy. you know, if you are not healthy, you can't play this game, that you make friendships, that you can belong to someone, you know, and that your family has put in a lot of time for you to live your dream, and there's always somebody that sacrifices something. So for me, it starts with gratitude, you know, and it's not your right, you're not entitled to be here, but to get up in the morning and to come to work and to call this work, you It's a great privilege.

That's why it's so important for me. And I'm so glad that the players and everybody feels the same. So it's a great privilege. Thanks, Kandisou. Johan, speaking of turnarounds, did you at any point in the season think you'd be considering that there was a great scene in Stutter with the Boston when the game is at matches?

It was tough mentally to think, you know, how are we going to get out of the hole? Although you keep on believing and, you know, I kept on asking, obviously, in my private time, you know, how are we going to get out of this and so on. But there I can also just, again, credit the people around me was always in the mornings positive that players always came out with good energy to train. So I think at one stage, you didn't think about anything than just to qualify, just to get into the playoffs. I think that was probably at one stage, the main target.

As the season progressed, the talks of having a home quarterfinal started to materialize and then we take it from there. But I think if you remember back, I always said that if we can turn it around and we can just get into the playoffs, I believe the team can beat anybody. But I won't lie, there was times that you start doubting if we're going to turn things around. And what do you think sparked the tournament? What was it that was said or done amongst you and the players that led to a long run?

No, sometimes you have to go through the desert before you get to the reward. So as a man of faith, I'm going to always believe that everything works out for the good. That's where it personally starts for me. I won't have the answers and I need to trust. But when I come in the mornings, I've got the obligation to lead and to get the atmosphere where the players can still be valued and enjoy what they do.

and that was my motivation. But I think the real spark was creative to new who came in and brought in new energy and a new excitement as well. And then, you know, I think the spark was the fact that the players kept believing in the players that we want to implement. The culture started to form, our values started to get more practical. And then that Pong game, for me, that Pong game stands out.

When we got over the line there, I saw a team really start believing in what we want to do. So for me that stood out. Thank you. We'll switch to online media. First up is Nathan.

Thank you, girlfriend, Nathan. Would we be a consultant to the URC officials? Sometimes the laws have been interpreted differently in different games and so forth, but will you be having a consultation with your submissions for the final? No, Nathan, not at all. I'm not a believer.

I don't talk to the referees before a game or after the game, unless we walk past each other. and then I will greet them and thank them for the game, or vice versa, you know, wish them well for the game. During the season, we obviously will send a few clips that we questioned and just want clarity after a game, before you play the next game. There's that interaction where you maybe ask one of the referee managers to give us feedback, but we still waiting to see who going to win and then every ref has got certain things they probably a little bit more stricker on if that the word how they referee how they see the game And we will try and adjust to that. But we probably would have dealt with the referee, if that makes sense, during the season some way.

I think we had most of the referees reffing us during the season. So, you know, and everybody's in the same... It's not like we're going to get an English referee, if that makes sense from the English Premiership, or it's not like we're going to get a French referee like when you play in Europe. We're going to get a URC referee. It can't be a South African and it can't be an Irishman.

We know that. So it's going to be a Scot or Wales or somebody like that, or Italian. So we're quite comfortable and we'll deal with it once we get to the game. Thanks, Chris. A very early morning for you.

Take the gap. Just make sure to hear this. Hello? Chris, are you there? Your head is there?

Good to hear you. the goals are struggling instead of a discipline that's letting them down. Is this something you're concerned about or do you look at us with brooks who said and good luck with the final and typical spree also? Yes, thanks Chris for your question. It is definitely something that we will highlight to the players that the discipline is important.

We failed that test on Saturday against Glasgow if you look at the first half with the two yellow cards. and we gave them that lead of 21-3. If you analyse Leinster, they probably win every game that they start fast and get a good lead. We can't afford that discipline, either in the start of the game or at the back end of the game, especially if it's like in the Stormers, a five-point game or in our game, a one-point game. So it's something we need to make sure we get right in this final to give ourselves a chance, Chris.

And it's unnecessary to put yourself under that because we all know what the laws say regarding tackles. So let's try and stay in that law. And then obviously we know that most of times, even if you go for the intercept, if you don't get it, they're probably going to go the other way and pin you for slapdown. So it's just to stay into the law and that will be our aim. And hopefully with so much at stake and the high pressure and a bit of, you know, emotion involved, we can keep calm and have good discipline.

Thanks, Chris. Thanks, Chris. I think we're scared Ken also so in the interim we'll chat to you Nicholas. Sorry, I don't mind to. Yes.

Okay, sorry. It's a bit of a difficulty here. Coach, you weren't with the ball last year but there we've got a similar winning streak going into the final. I don't know if you've chatted to some of the players who were there against the last year. Is there a feeling?

Is there a belief that anyone's there? I think I haven't come through a lot of adversity this year. Yeah, I think there's a few positives that we can take out. Nicholas, like, you know, the fact that we, in the last couple of games, we started well and then we let the lead slip and then we had to fight again. And then obviously the reverse was we started badly against Glasgow and we could have dug ourselves out of that hole.

So I think there was a good build-up that we can recover if the momentum is not going away either by us giving away a lead or chasing a deficit. But ultimately, it's going to boil down to 80 minutes. Nothing before the history, the past, last season. Whatever we did against any other game is going to come. I think Chris asked about discipline.

Discipline is going to be massive. Our set-piece, they strive. They score the most tries from line-outs. Our defense from line-outs. all those things just has to be on par and give ourselves a chance like the Stormers, they clawed their way back and they gave themselves a chance but yeah, so we just have to do that obviously I will speak to the players, I have spoken to the players on the airport on our way back, they have highlighted a few things that they feel probably could have been part of the reason why they didn't fire in the final again you know I'm a big believer of keeping things simple do what you control and know what you know like you know we're not going to change our build up our training volume and our training times etc we're going to keep it as simple but I will take note of those things that they've mentioned and hopefully we can get the right day for them to be ready to put in a good performance Yeah, I mean obviously there's always it's always good to have as close as possible to full-strength teams and like you say, every season there's one or two players always coming in or leaving a team.

If we had to play in the final next year, we will definitely be a different team because we know that some players are leaving but similar to last season, there's players that's not involved, that is involved and players but again, Nicholas, I think it's about, you know, So we're going to put a plan in place and it's for us to execute that plan. And, you know, we know like Sebastian and David had certain strengths. They're not available. So we're just going to use the other strengths of the players. And that's the similar, again, you know, if we got those players that you've mentioned involved in the game, hopefully they can play to their strengths and add to what we need and what we want to do.

So we're going to just prepare as well as we can and hopefully those players you've mentioned will be a massive part of the contribution of the night's result. Thank you very much, please. Thanks, David. Hi, Braden. Hello, Thakkers.

The one thing about the XM, and I also mentioned again, is that they seem like really start fast. saying 9 or 10 points in their first 20 minutes that we score. You've had this the last week, but how much of a factor is that in your planning and making sure you give them that fast start? Hi Brendan, you're 100% right. That's one stat that stands out when you look at the stats, is that they score a lot of points in that first 20 minutes.

So we are aware of it. We need to deal with it better than what we dealt against Glasgow because we also knew Glasgow start always well. But, you know, sometimes things don't go as well as you plan, so we just have to be able to deal with all the scenarios. One of our big things this season that we worked on was to be an adaptable team, and, you know, for whatever scenario comes, and hopefully we can do that again in the final. But the reality is they are a quality team.

I think last year, correct me if I'm wrong, but they were leading 90-0 against the Bulls also after 20 minutes. And then you always fight the scoreboard, the pressure that's on the game. And now you have to do sometimes things out of the box. So that's the problem if you concede early points too quickly against a team like that that is defensively very strong. How do you get that points back So we all aware of it but it on the day we can talk about it as much as we like and you know I sure Dobbo and them were also aware of it, and yet they conceded those points, so we're all aware of it, but it's the challenge to keep them out, so hopefully we can do that.

Last question from you, just to ask it this week, rather than this week, the next week. The one thing you and Nicole Bill, let me comment out that you guys know how things go wrong in the final. Are you being in the NFL that you know that it doesn't always go your way and it's content? What has all that taught you in the last episode? How you could catch your career going into this week?

What do you mean differently? Well, the first thing is that we hope it's not going to be a storm like the 2016 hurricane final. It was literally a storm that obviously didn't suit our game. And then 2017 won a red card. That's always going to have an impact in your plans.

So if we can get a good night there in Ireland and we can give, we just say start well and have our discipline sorted out. hopefully we can stay in the arm wrestle and then play to our strengths but Brendan, like I said I've discussed it with some players they highlighted a few things building up to the game what they thought probably caused them to start that badly and we looked at our week now with Glasgow again and see what was the reason and we will work on those things that we control and make sure that hopefully we won't be off the mark again. But I'm a believer that if everything has worked for you during the season, like let's say as a player you've jumped at certain days and you've trained a certain way and you've pushed yourself a certain way, the moment you start over-analyzing stuff and you start pulling back, what did you do for 16 rounds that worked? why will you change it for the final you know so yeah so we're gonna keep it as simple as possible um we've got a plan in place to to make sure we we deal with the traveling and then we're ready to go thank you clinton uh hello you are i'll call this well your side just still quickly tapping on what's happening across the york state there in uh in johannesburg and now have you kept your players and sheltered from that box training that's happening we know quite a number of guys have been pushing to crank it off for the box again this season but have you checked it to them not to worry about that for now let's focus on the final I didn't yeah yes I will be surprised if our players think about that to be fair the talks that I had and the smiles I see on the faces and the energy I feel from the players is all building up to the final. You know, there's only one thing on their mind and that's the final.

I don't think there's any player that think that you know they're missing opportunity not to play for the box. I think Rossi is quite clear on with every player so I think every player that is in his plans will already know that and and it's not something that they can control. What will actually help is a good performance, I think. That will even help them further, you know. Those games is probably organized in advance to give some guys game time who hasn't played for a couple of weeks, but it's out of our hands.

So my expectation will be that our players, it's not something we have to address. My expectation will be that they're fully committed, and I know they are, for this final. Thank you. And then just last year, I will mention him after the game that he feels, the set-piece-wise they were on top of, Leinster he feels you guys will most likely do the same but he's then warned you against Leinster's attack. Have you exchanged a bit of notes with people after that set?

Do you doubt what he said about it? No, I obviously just heard these comments and it's valid points, but the one thing I can just testify is that as a player that played in finals of Super Rappi and semi-finals, where you think you're strong and you start to get arrogant, that's when you're at a dangerous ground. So again, you know, my expectation is that we will not think that we got any ascendancy, but rather go and work for that, you know, let's go and earn what we want to get. So yeah, so for me, they've got a quality, they've got, I think, a percent or two higher liner than us, similar scrum, and they've got, they score a lot of tries from S&P, so we must go match that, and if we get in presidency so be it but it's not something that i'm gonna gonna you know get carried away about and then on the other side like and i know they they got a good attack we all know that so we have to be be much better than we have been this whole season if we want to have any chance donkey back in there hi ken Ken. Thanks for the trip, Asgad.

Same two teams, same place as last year's final, obviously you worked well, but after the trial of the... Ken, Ken, sorry, you're breaking up terribly. I can't say anything. we're there and we've got the shot. So, yeah, all I say is we've got a shot and if you ask me do I believe we can win then I'm going to say yes and hopefully that will answer your question.

Hey, thanks a lot, Coach. I appreciate the second bite gap on about the 4 a.m. to cover this. No, no, no.

But, listen, playing the Irish Nashville side, I'm sorry, I mean Leinster is always a challenge, especially at Dublin. And there really are no holes in their lineup but james globe was uncharacteristically quiet for seven minutes against the lions before scoring those two tries set the record oh gosh he'd be fine forever at home possibly his last game at leicester although i think he may be hungry to extend that record try to get another final uh look i'm not asking your giveaway secrets about what you're doing? Are you concerned about James Lovink breaking out? Is the coaching staff keeping an eye on him? Chris, first of all, I think he's a quality, quality player.

He's got the neck of finishing amazing tries. He's got an all-round game. He's strong. Do always a little bit of things out of the box. So we have to contain him.

I think the bigger concern is that obviously that will be a part that he wants to show us, show the world his final game and have a massive contribution to a team that open up a lot of doors for him so I think it's just extra motivation for him personally to put in a good performance but I'm always nervous when it comes to those things you know, my own experience in the past playing and also now coaching, every time you make a big or something, it goes the other way because that's why we didn't make a big thing of Groi's 150th weekend and so on. So, you know, I can just say congratulations to what he's achieved, but hopefully he hasn't got the greatest of finals against us. Well go to the show it time with you all Congratulations James Lohan thank you Thanks Gillespie Thanks everyone. If we have no more questions, we'll end it there and we'll pick it up again next week. I'll send out alerts to that effect.

Thanks very much. Johan, I wanted to ask you this question. This is, people are painting it almost as a test match. It's going to be test match intensity because of a bunch of Springboks, Future Possible and and the likes versus the national Irish team. I think back to two years ago when the final was here, I remember the players looking a little bit like the other day, a little bit overawed by the occasion maybe.

And I thought maybe we saw a little bit of that against Glasgow. Maybe the occasion got to them a little bit. Do you have any plans in place to combat that maybe? Yes, I mean, that's a good question because, you know, that was a little bit of experience of that was with the Stormers game at Loftus when we really dominated them for 30-odd minutes and then they just before halftime they scored and they're leading and then that second half we were never really in the game and actually against Bristol as well, you know, to we score that one try it becomes a 7 or 40 point game but then they intercede and they go and score so that's why I say so the only way I can I see it is that you have to you know obviously you can turn them change them talk get them a little bit more focused and excited and a bit more call it angry and so well but I think it's hopefully the experience that they had and that's what Alry spoke about in the halftime that we've got a choice now to make. We can either go quiet now because we feel the pressure or we can just go and express ourselves.

I think that will probably be the answer to that. The more you're going to go into your shell, the more you're going to stay quiet, the more you're going to try and fight it by yourself. You're probably not going to get out of that position. And I think the frustrating thing for the Bulls talking to the players was the opposite. they started well and they felt they shouldn't put Glasgow away here and they didn't and then Glasgow came out second half and got all the momentum we probably if you look at the mistakes we made in that first 5-10 minutes to give them that opportunities to go in before they slap the ball down that's the areas we just have to fix because we all know this game is about confidence and about momentum and if you get momentum and you play with confidence, it's just snowballs.

And first line-out, Harold lose the ball. Then later on, copies get pinned for sealing off, and suddenly two of your first attacking opportunities is stopping dead. So we can be clinical on that side. Hopefully that quiet bit, that heavier bits, will not be there. And how far down the road towards the new bulls, let's call it that, are you?

And what far from being the team that you see this? No, I think we're still a way off. You know, there's glimpses of it. But ideally, you know, with time we can probably react a little bit better to some stuff and also play a little bit differently than we are playing now. But it's very difficult the way we had to deal with the players this season, to deal with everything, how to make sure that you don't, you know, you get players dripping in from the spin box, you get players playing for the first time.

We've got a challenge next season as well, you know, we're going to have to give the guys some off time after the final. Then we've got only like three weeks, four weeks to prepare for the All Black game. And then we have to reset the whole mind again before we can go into URC. if the Oblak game was not there, we would have had five, six, seven blocks to just drill in the stuff we really want to do as a team. We probably not going to have that opportunity again, but hopefully, you know, we will get some more of the philosophy and how we want to do a cross with the fact that we have from day one and with Neil here from day one.

But yeah, again, I am very pleased of how the players adapted and how they brought into new ideas and new things that we wanted to try. But it does take down unfortunately. Ok, so I will answer the question for James Lowe. We are going to talk about the OCS and other teams like Kurt Lee, Roan and Walker. We want to see the OCS that they don't have a good start in the fight.

How do you do that? Yes, I think in my opinion I think it's a big thing to make and as I say this, of course we have respect for the players and of course we have respect for the players who play a ball ball but it can not be the experience of whether you play or whether it is a game semi-final or finalist, die jouw role, it can't go over you. It can't go over the MVP. Now, to be a a X on his own, or we play for you, but now it's not working, now drop us on, but then you sit on the work and yourself. For me, as you forget the paper, for the 80 minute, how you come to the plan that you are in place, and how good is your basis, your attacking principles, defensive principles and we got 80 minutes in the game and maybe not the Sharks and the News that was the next one but we always had a sinking and hopefully we didn't get the win because we had too much emotion for one person or for two or three people Looking at pressure and how teams need to deal with pressure I mean you have seen once in the reportage around headstay, around the Sharks around the fact that they started the season so slowly they didn't even top the lock yet they hosted the final um they are still two new champions do you feel that the insta under more pressure to justify why they've got this for i think they will be under pressure um because they they're similar to the bulls there's a big demands from their supporters they are very passionate so they're gonna want to see a a cup especially what happened with bordeaux I think if they won Bordeaux, the pressure would have been less on them.

So there's pressure from winning for both, for all the coaches and for the players. And then obviously the fact that they play at home, the fact that they are defending champions, that just adds to the pressure that they have to deal with. And hopefully, like I said, if we can add to that one, put them under pressure, and it will help if we can put a bit of scoreboard pressure on them as well. I think it can be maybe a fainter. And does the Friday night final make a difference?

It's not ideal I suppose, you know, because it makes it a long day. The positive in that is is that we have, when we went over, even with our last games against Scarlet and Dragons and and those games, all those games were 7.30 in the evening and late games. So the players had that taste of how to prepare for that. So from that point of view, it's not a problem.

It's more, again, we don't play a game, I know the box have to go wherever they have to go, but we don't play a game after that. But traditionally, if you play a late game like that, and by the time you get to the hotel, it's over 11 midnight. And then the next morning, if you have to get a flight, it takes a day or two extra to recover the guys from a fatigue point of view. But obviously, if you play at home on a Friday night, that's great because then you get an extra recovery day for your next Saturday game. So everybody loves a home Friday game if you play the following week.

But this is a oneself game. There's nothing to do for those players who are not involved in the box. Hopefully we can leave everything out on the field. I think it's fine.

Transcript generated automatically — may contain errors.