Raw guts is what struggling Bulls need now

For the first time in his career, Bulls coach Heyneke Meyer on Sunday boarded a plane for Australasia straight from a win in his last game. Yet he is the first to admit that he faces the toughest challenge of his tenure in the next five weeks to keep the Bulls in the running for the Super 14.

Meyer and the team headed for Sydney to prepare for Saturday's away-leg opener against the Brumbies in Canberra.

Meyer warned that his side would have to find the "guts" to win some difficult games if they hope to make their third consecutive rugby semifinal.

The rollercoaster emotions of the win over the Chiefs have certainly taken their toll.

Meyer has put the game behind him, offering the view that "sometimes you don't win by playing the better rugby, but the correct rugby".

This was as valid a week earlier when the Bulls lost to the Western Force as it was on Saturday when Bryan Habana saved the home side's blushes with a spectacular last-gasp winning try.

But Meyer is staying pragmatic.

"The win was gained and we told the guys that we need now to think only of the Brumbies. It is important that we begin the tour with a win," said Meyer.

"We may be lucky in that the Brumbies aren't playing to their true potential just yet. They are a top team on their home ground."

The Bulls coach, whose prowess in analysing his team's weaknesses and coming up with solutions is the envy of other coaches, was sober in his assessment that this was the greatest challenge he and the team had to face.

"We had been in a worse position in the past where we had won just one of the first five, but then we knew we had a long home streak and an extra home game to come.

This year we would have liked a better start than two wins in four matches and to have won at least all our home games, but that didn't happen. This is probably the toughest tour that either I or the team have had to undertake and it is also against the toughest teams in the competition," said Meyer.

"You have to win games on tour and you have to be realistic about it because of the way we have performed in the past. If you can win a few and you come back with four games left and three of those are at Loftus and one at Ellis Park then you can give yourself a chance. Still, to do that we need to win a few games overseas against sides that will definitely not be easy to beat.

"We have never beaten the Brumbies, Waratahs or Crusaders away from home and we have only drawn against the Highlanders away. Our team aren't really where we want them to be at the moment and we aren't firing on all cylinders.

"So, we will need raw guts to get results."

The Bulls face games against the Brumbies, Waratahs, Crusaders, Highlanders and Hurricanes on consecutive weekends before returning home.