Ruan Nortje highlights where Bulls must improve as they resume URC campaign

After their Challenge Cup campaign came to an end courtesy of a 34-28 quarter-final defeat against Edinburgh last weekend, the men from Pretoria will resume their URC challenge but are expecting a tough assignment against a Munster outfit, who suffered a 47-29 loss in their last-eight Champions Cup encounter against Bordeaux-Begles.

Nortje called the Bulls' lineout until he was replaced midway through the second half against Edinburgh and admitted that he was not happy with his team's performance in that department.

"Lineouts are a big part of our game where we implement ourselves and try to create momentum," said the Springboks lock.

"I think that in the first half, especially, there was a skew throw or a miss, a knock-on - just fundamentals that we missed.

"It put us under a lot of pressure and the way Edinburgh started that game - the pressure just compounded.

"It's one that we as players take on the chin. We were not good enough. It's something that has to be much better this weekend."

The 26-year-old also pinpointed the tempo with which the Bulls played against Edinburgh as an area which they can improve on.

"Last weekend, we slowed it down too much and that might be due to us being under pressure," added Nortje. "So there's a massive focus for us to get a better tempo."

Nortje only returned to action recently after a lengthy stint on the sidelines with a knee injury which he sustained in January and said it's good to be back with the Bulls.

"It's wonderful to be back. It was a frustrating few months for me personally but injuries happen and I've been blessed for five or six years before that without any injuries," he added.

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