Head to Head

At Provident Stadium	Last 8 Meetings	Away from Home
WIN 24-22, 03/04/2011	WON 5 LOST 3 DRAW 0	WIN 16-30, 04/06/2011
WIN 19-12, 26/03/2010		LOST 35-18, 09/07/2010
LOST 14-22, 02/08/2009		WIN 18-42, 08/08/2009
WIN 32-24, 24/03/2008		LOST 36-24, 03/08/2008

Magic Weekend fixtures will display as either home or away

Stats over last 8 encounters

BULLS		London Broncos
128	TOTAL POINTS	113
22	TOTAL TRIES	19
20	TOTAL GOALS	18

In this week’s Bulls Eye, Head Coach Francis Cummins looks ahead to Saturday’s game at Adams Park High Wycombe, when the Bulls take on the Broncos

 

FRANCIS CUMMINS

 

YOU MUST BE PLEASED TO COME THROUGH EASTER UNDEFEATED.

 

“We knew they would be tough game and the schedule is punishing, so to come through like we did was very pleasing.  I was very satisfied with the performance at Headingley.  There were things I’d have liked us to have done better but to stand toe to toe with the Champions and then come away with a draw in the last minute was great.  I was really happy we backed up with the win on Monday.  On paper that was going to be the easier game but it’s the accumulation of what Thursday’s game took out of us and coming up against a side that had just beaten Huddersfield,  that made it a very good win for us.

 

It was a good fillip for us to get the three points because, as I have said before, it’s usually the sides with small squads that kop it on Easter Monday, so we have done really well there.

 

DOES THE CONFIDENCE OUTWEIGH THE FATIGUE FACTOR AT THIS TIME?

 

“You could see in the second half – and we didn’t start that well after the break – that the confidence was there but there were some people just running on empty.  I thought we were a little naive at times.  We got into a great situation at half time; 24-6 up and all we had to do was play it set for set but we had to defend three back to back sets at the start of the half and then we gave to ball away easily in yardage and that put us back in the ‘deep end’ as it were!  I am glad that we eventually got back to an even keel and went set for set with them because we looked really good again.  The confidence is there but we always seemed to be going for the knockout punch when if we had traded a few jabs we would have got the job done a lot easier.”

 

WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING FROM LONDON?

 

“I looked at their team and it looks like they rested a few players. They had a real dig at Catalan and they have probably thought it would be tough at Warrington so it looks like they prioritised and they are going to have a real go at us this week.  That’s a challenge for us because they may be a bit fresher but we want to win because Easter doesn’t finish for us until after Saturday’s game and then we have a massive eight day turnaround before our next game!

 

The game has been moved but I don’t know if it will affect them or give us any advantage.  They are in a strange position anyway- looking at their crowds- because it’s not like playing at those grounds where the crowd is like an extra man and you know they are going to get a few penalties because the crowd get on the Referee’s back.  But it means that they’ll be travelling and so will we but I wouldn’t read too much into that.

 

Craig Gower is a massive player for them.  We have a very young side and you just can’t buy that experience but there is a trade off.  If you are still playing this game at his age then either you have a great knowledge of the game or are very fit or your knowledge gets you through.  We have to be wary of him but we have to target him as well and make him play.  Chad Randall is another who we need to make play and be aggressive because if you stand and watch them then these guys can really play and they can pull the strings and box you in.

 

SQUAD NEWS

 

Bulls Coach Francis Cummins has named his 19 – Man Squad for the game.  

 

Jamie Foster and John Bateman, who both picked up knocks against Salford, are not fit to play but Chev Walker and Matt Diskin are both available.  Luke Gale and Ben Evans come into the side for the first time this season.

 

The squad is: James Donaldson, Adam Sidlow, Jamie Langley, Manase Manuokafoa, Luke Gale, Brett Kearney, Nick Scruton, Heath L’Estrange, Adrian Purtell, Keith Lulia, Elliott Whitehead, Elliot Kear, Jarrod Sammut, Danny Addy, Tom Olbison, Chev Walker, Ben Evans, Adam O’Brien, Matt Diskin

 

MILESTONES

 

CHEV WALKER needs 1 Try for a career total of 100.  He has scored 99 Tries for Leeds, Hull KR, Gt Britain, England and Bradford Bulls. 

 

ELLIOT KEAR needs 4 points for a career total of 150.   He has scored 29 tries, kicked 15 goals for a points’ total of 146 in 74 games for the Bulls, Crusaders RL, Hunslet and Wales.