Will the Bulls look to trade flair for fundamentals against the Sharks at Loftus?

For much of the current United Rugby Championship campaign, the narrative surrounding the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld was one of frustration.

Their home form has been a significant problem since Johan Ackermann took over as head coach. The team looked to be suffering from an identity crisis, with their attacking play and defensive systems not quite in sync.

Having a go with the ball in hand at home has always been the Ackermann style; he employed it with immense success at the Lions, where they ran teams ragged at their Highveld home of Ellis Park.

However, the start of his tenure in Pretoria saw the Bulls score and concede tries in equal measure, often coming off second-best in high-scoring shootouts. Conversely, on the road — especially over the last four months — they adopted a more pragmatic approach in the cold and wet European conditions.

This shift saw them string together a series of top results before returning home to hand the Lions a hiding at Ellis Park.

This weekend, they return to Loftus to take on the Sharks in a crucial URC South African derby on Saturday. The question remains: how will they approach the homecoming?

The Bulls have lost their last three matches at Loftus, including heavy defeats against the Lions, Bristol Bears, and Bordeaux.

Will they adopt the pragmatism that helped turn their season around, or will they attempt to blow the Sharks away with ball in hand? This week, captain Marcell Coetzee shed some light on what to expect, offering several hints regarding their tactical plans.

“In every game you go into, you sort of identify where you can expose the opposition,” Coetzee said. “But the big thing for us has been the balance. We’ve had a hard look at ourselves, and the buy-in from the players regarding our defence has been massive.”

Coetzee emphasised that the European tour forced a change in mindset regarding game management.

“It’s about knowing when to kick and when to run. In those previous games, we were in the fight, but soft moments and discipline cost us. We’ve managed to rectify those mistakes by finding the right rhythm and being a bit more physical on defence. Our defence coaches have worked incredibly hard to get us into the right frame of mind.”

This "reset" is particularly timely. Saturday’s derby at Loftus is a massive fixture, with the race for play-off spots heating up. Coetzee believes that the team’s willingness to embrace the "grind" of the set-piece and the aerial battle is a sign of a more composed outfit.

“We want to play a good brand of rugby and impose our DNA, but you have to match the physicality first,” Coetzee said.

“Against a side like the Sharks, who use their moments so well, being composed and steering the ship accordingly is what gets you through. The excitement is there, but so is the discipline.”