Boks can learn from beaten Bulls on how to handle the All Blacks: Ackermann

The Bulls got dumped 50-19 by the All Blacks on Saturday night, but coach Johan Ackermann believed they did enough to offer the Springboks a solid game plan for the first Test.

The first of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry’s four international clashes will be contested at Ellis Park on Saturday.

Ackermann was pleased with the 19-26 second-half scoreline for his team, who are still early in their pre-season.

“The Springboks are match fit and there’s quality players,” he said after the match at Loftus Versfeld. “They’ve played a long time together and they’ve got flipping some of the best heads in the world putting a plan together.

Rudolph ➡️ Bosch ➡️ Jacobs The Vodacom Bulls score a cracker 🐂💥 📺 Stream #RugbysGreatestRivalry on DStv: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw pic.twitter.com/3uVHB7PHIL

The visitors, who led 24-0 at halftime, threw the ball around with an almost carefree attitude from late in the first half, giving the crowd of nearly 31,000 a demonstration of their handling skills.

“The All Blacks had the scoreboard luxury tonight to try a few things from deep in their own half that I don’t think they’ll get away with against the Springboks.

“That’s the way they play sometimes, but they may find themselves a bit in trouble with that,” said Ackermann, who was also impressed with the way his team punched forward once they kept the ball in hand, close to the pack.

“I think the Springboks will see these opportunities, if you keep the ball in hand against the All Blacks, and I’m sure that they will look at the game and work on that.

“I feel that if [we were] a little bit more patient with the ball in hand tonight we could have finished a few opportunities and I think hopefully the Boks will take that.”

Springboks Elrigh Louw and Johan Grobbelaar, late inclusions in the Bulls team after being released from the national side for the tour match, played a hand in the Bulls’ fightback after they came onto the field after the break.

They would offer useful intelligence on New Zealand when they returned to the Springbok camp.

The All Blacks on the double 🏉🏉 Peter Lakai makes it easy for Josh Moorby 🙌 📺 Stream #RugbysGreatestRivalry on DStv: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw pic.twitter.com/6rSgtoWz3x

“I think it’s great for them to have a taste of the All Blacks and they now can take that knowledge back to the Boks.”