With simply two common season matches remaining the main target is now squarely on the URC prime 4 for the Bulls.
In-form Bulls bruiser, Ruan Vermaak, has credited former Lions coach and Springbok lock Johan Ackermann for his seamless transition from free ahead to lock, the place he’s now thriving.
The 26-year-old, who stands a mighty 2.01m tall, began off as a flanker when he wore the colors of the Lions between 2018 and 2020, however a transfer to Japan the place he was coached by Ackermann, noticed him change place to lock ahead.
Ackermann, himself a former No 4 lock, confirmed Vermaak the ropes and the now Bulls man is hovering within the second row of the Pretoria-based workforce, a daily starter underneath coach Jake White.
‘Taught me a few things’
“I played lock in Japan for two seasons, so it wasn’t a big adjustment,” stated Vermaak this week when quizzed about his transfer from blindside flanker to lock.
“I’m happy to play lock, it’s just a bit of a different style. I learned a lot under Johan Ackermann, as he played there for the Boks. He taught me a few things I could implement in my game so it was a big benefit for me (playing under him).”
Vermaak says he additionally realized rather a lot from watching the likes of former Bulls locks Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha in motion, who have been function fashions for the previous Monument pupil. “And now coach Andries (Bekker, also a former Bok lock) is with us at the Bulls and he’s also playing a huge role,” stated Vermaak.
Having performed in South Africa through the latter phases of Super Rugby after which in Japan and now going up towards a number of European groups within the United Rugby Championship and Champions Cup, Vermaak says he’s studying rather a lot in regards to the sport in numerous components of the world.
URC run-in
“It’s a privilege to be able to have played in so many different competitions. I’ve also only got good things to say about Japan, I was very fortunate to play there and happy to have been there,” he stated.
The focus proper now although for the Bulls and Vermaak is the URC. With two rounds of matches remaining earlier than the playoffs, and the Bulls in fourth spot chasing a house quarter-final, there’s no place for any slip-ups now.
The Bulls face Italian giant-killers Benetton this weekend, who’re coming off a win towards the Sharks, to maintain alive their hopes of a prime eight end.
“Benetton are a high quality facet. We’re anticipating a very bodily sport from them. They play for 80 minutes, as we noticed towards the Sharks. They struggle, they carry on coming and so they have some aptitude.
“We’ve got two games left before the knockouts and need maximum points. We’ll take it one game at a time, put no extra pressure on ourselves and focus on getting the job done this week.”
The match on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld kicks off at 2pm.
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