Bulls Coach Johan Ackermann Admits Team Still Has Work to Do Despite Emphatic 57–15 Win Over Lions

• Johan Ackermann was pleased with the Bulls’ commanding derby victory, but his post-match assessment suggests the Pretoria side cannot afford to relax just yet
• The Bulls scored nine tries against the Lions at Loftus Versfeld, with several players stepping up in a performance that exceeded expectations
• With a Champions Cup clash against Stade Français approaching, Ackermann has explained what his players must continue improving despite the convincing result

Bulls coach Johan Ackermann admitted his team still has work to do despite their emphatic 57–15 win over the Lions in the United Rugby Championship (URC) on Saturday, 10 October 2026. The Pretoria side scored nine tries to the Lions’ two at Loftus Versfeld, dominating their Gauteng rivals.

However, Ackermann stressed that the result did not mean his team delivered a flawless display as they prepare for their next challenge.

Johan Ackermann praises Bulls players after Lions derby

Speaking after the match, Ackermann praised his players for their determination and improvements at set-piece time.

Read also

Lions coach turns to Rassie Erasmus’ advice after Bulls hand them a 57–15 defeat

"I'm just proud of the guys because we knew we had to be at our best to beat this in-form Lions side,” he told reporters, as reported by KickOff.

He added:

“All credit must go to the players for sorting out the set piece and for staying in the fight and sticking to the task."

Cameron Hanekom scored twice and earned the man-of-the-match award. Curwin Bosch impressed at fly-half, while veteran Willie le Roux helped orchestrate the attack. Jeandre Rudolph also delivered a strong performance in the forward pack.

Bulls turn attention to Stade Français clash

Despite the convincing scoreline, Ackermann acknowledged that mistakes remained.

"It wasn’t perfect,” he said.

“There were still mistakes, but you could see they were buying into what we want to do.”

The Bulls are scheduled to face French club Stade Français in the Investec Champions Cup on Saturday, 17 October 2026.

Read also

Ghampani Lungu breaks silence after penalty miss in MTN8 final defeat to Sundowns

The victory over the Lions provides an encouraging platform, but Ackermann’s comments underline the importance of consistency and execution as the Bulls prepare for European competition.

Lions coach turns to Rassie Erasmus’ advice after Bulls defeat

Briefly News also reported that Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen is preparing a 30-man squad for a demanding European tour after his team’s 57–15 defeat to the Bulls on Saturday, 10 October 2026.

The Lions face La Rochelle, Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors across three weeks. Van Rooyen is drawing on Rassie Erasmus’ advice about managing player workloads as he plans how to use his squad throughout the challenging schedule.

Source: Briefly News