Botha says it's back to the drawing board for the Bulls

Bulls scrum coach Gary Botha said their scrum needed to improve but said they also should not be judged on their performance in their 37-24 loss to the Stormers last week.

The Cheetahs may not present the same scrumming threat the Stormers posed last week but they will ask questions of the Bulls' creaking set-piece when the sides meet on Saturday in Bloemfontein.

“I don't think we completely had the rhythm during the Stormers game but the nice thing was that that took place in the first round of the tournament‚" said the former Springbok and Bulls hooker.

"I guess it's been back to the drawing board and we've worked on the things we've done wrong.

“I don't think you can label a team on one performance because I didn't hear any mention of five turnover scrums last year.

"The one game you can have a pushover try and the next game you can be under the cosh.

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"It's all about what happens on the day.

"Sometimes it goes for you and some days it does not.

"We've still got another 14 to 15 games to go in the tournament so there will be improvement.”

Botha hardly tasted defeat against the Cheetahs in his playing days but long gone are the days where the Bulls beating the Cheetahs was a given.

Franco Smith's side may have been on the wrong side of a close loss against the Lions at home last week but they will have an eye on the Pretoria side that embarrassed them in the last round robin Super Rugby fixture at home last season.

There may have been a measure of revenge through the Currie Cup final win but that was a different tournament.

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Botha knows there's an opportunity for their first win of the season but they don't want to take the Cheetahs lightly.

“The great thing about Super Rugby is that you have to perform week in and week out.

"What wasn't an issue in the other game could be the problem in the next match.

"South African derbies never change and the Cheetahs will always remain a tough team.

"Each game has its own specific parcel that it has to take care of and we can only focus on the things we can do better‚” Botha said.

- TMG Digital/TMG Sport