Match Preview: Bulls aiming for Exeter revenge
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Bulls will be hoping for a different outcome when they take on Exeter Chiefs for a second time in this season’s Heineken Champions Cup, this time in Pretoria.
The debuting South African side were handed a resounding 44-14 defeat when they visited Sandy Park in Round 2, but they are set to offer the 2020 champions a more robust challenge in the home comforts of Loftus Versfeld.
Exeter’s victory brought Vodacom Bulls down to earth, after they saw off Lyon 42-36 in their first ever Heineken Champions Cup game, and gave the Gallagher Premiership outfit maximum points for the second time in Pool A, after they triumphed 27-12 at Castres Olympique in Round 1.
Exeter trail pool leaders Leinster Rugby only on points difference, while Vodacom Bulls are seventh, just inside the qualification places.
Ahead of their Round 3 encounter, Vodacom Bulls have won once in three United Rugby Championship games, while Exeter have managed two from three in the Premiership.
The match gets underway at 17:30 (UK & Irish time) and there is coverage from SuperSport, BT Sport, beIN SPORTS and FloRugby.
CANNOT WAIT for that step and pace to hit the #HeinekenChampionsCup 🤩
Who else is pumped to see @BlueBullsRugby's Kurt-Lee Arendse in action? pic.twitter.com/K4j6DQ4P7P
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) January 11, 2023
Key quote:
Exeter Chiefs head coach Ali Hepher: “For us, it’s a massive opportunity to push our claims for top seedings later in the tournament. It’s an opportunity for us to really go after things. It will be tough, we know that, but it will be good to put ourselves up against one of the best and see where we are at.”
Vodacom Bulls
- Reinhardt Ludwig has made a competition-high, below-the-waist tackles, amounting to 85% of his total, but only two have been dominant.
- Vodacom Bulls have lowest rate of gainline success in the tournament so far (39%).
- They have won a competition-high 97.8% of their rucks, losing just three.
Exeter Chiefs
- Luke Cowan-Dickie’s hat-trick of tries in Round 2 was the first in the Heineken Champions Cup since teammate Sam Simmonds’ treble against Montpellier Hérault Rugby in Round 4 last season.
- Dave Ewers has made the most dominant carry contacts in the competition so far (14).
- Exeter have had the most reset scrums in the tournament (7).
