Bulls promise full-blooded display as All Blacks head to Pretoria in rare tour clash

The Bulls insist they will not treat their upcoming showdown with the All Blacks as a low-key warm-up, with coach Johan Ackermann pledging a full-strength effort despite the Pretoria side still being in pre-season.

With the new United Rugby Championship campaign less than two months away, the Bulls have been focused on conditioning and planning for the season ahead. But their schedule now includes a high-profile fixture against New Zealand, who will face the Pretoria franchise as part of their build-up to the opening Test against the Springboks.

Ackermann says both his squad and coaching team view the game as a special opportunity rather than an exhibition outing.

“Wherever the All Blacks play around the world, you see the following they have and the tradition they carry,” Ackermann told the Bulls website.

“It’s a memory that will last forever for the players.

“It’s a great opportunity to measure yourself, but also to experience something you’ve probably only ever watched on TV.”

No half-measures despite pre-season status

Although the Bulls remain in the early phases of their preparations for the United Rugby Championship, Ackermann has made it clear they will approach the clash with full competitive intent.

Ackermann confirmed that the fixture will be treated as a proper contest, not as a training exercise in which large numbers of players rotate on and off the field.

“It’s not a warm-up game where you play 30-odd players. This is a full official match,” he said.

The meeting with the All Blacks comes at a time when South African rugby attention is already fixed on the upcoming Test series, with the Springboks working through their own plans and personnel issues ahead of the first encounter with New Zealand.

Bulls chasing third win over All Blacks

The Bulls have twice beaten the All Blacks in previous tour matches and will be targeting a third victory over New Zealand when the visitors arrive in Pretoria.

Those earlier successes form part of the franchise’s motivation as they prepare to measure themselves against one of world rugby’s most storied teams.

Ackermann believes the status and aura of the All Blacks will add extra edge for his players, many of whom grew up watching New Zealand’s national side dominate on television.

The match will serve a dual purpose: providing New Zealand with valuable game time ahead of the Test against the Springboks, and giving the Bulls a rare chance to test their systems and squad depth against one of the sport’s elite international outfits before their own competitive season begins.

While the Bulls’ primary focus remains their United Rugby Championship campaign, Ackermann is adamant that the encounter with the All Blacks will be treated with the seriousness and intensity expected of an official fixture, rather than as a mere pre-season run-out.