Coach Phiwe Nomlomo has made it clear that Saturday’s clash against the Lions in Johannesburg will define the Bulls’ Currie Cup campaign.

Sitting outside the top four with just 10 points from five matches, the Bulls are six points behind the Lions. With only two rounds left, Nomlomo knows defeat would almost certainly end their playoff hopes.

That equation leaves no room for error. The Bulls coach admitted that the prospect of failing to qualify is unthinkable. “It would be a disaster if the Bulls weren’t in the semi-finals. We are expected to win games and competitions and this competition has been no different,” Nomlomo told reporters on Tuesday.

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“It’s always a tough battle against our neighbours ,” he said. “We are looking forward to the game and it’s a match we have to get a result out of, with our aspirations of progressing further into the competition.”

The Lions showed their attacking edge in Bloemfontein last week, initially pacing the Cheetahs before losing 47-31. That performance reinforced the challenge the Bulls will face against the Lions.

“They have been piling on points and defensively they have been sharp. They are one of the better sides from the defensive aspect, when it comes to not leaking too many tries,” Nomlomo said. “The Lions have approached this year very differently to last year, they are a bit older and playing less rugby in the back 50m, they manage games incredibly well.”

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Despite injury setbacks, the coach insisted his squad cannot afford excuses. “We are putting everything into making sure we get a result,” he said. “Mathematically we can still qualify. We have two matches where we can get 10 points, which will take us to 20 points.”

For him, the message is clear: beat the Lions or face elimination. “I think they are going to impose themselves as much as they possibly can, especially looking at our current squad. But we are still in the running for the playoffs. It’s a must-win match against the Lions.”

Photo: Lee Warren/Gallo Images