Defence coach Gethin Jenkins says Cardiff are in an ‘exciting position’ heading into the final two rounds of the BKT United Rugby Championship season.
The Blue and Blacks are 5th in the table after bonus point wins against Ospreys and Munster, but are now expecting two of their hardest games of the season in South Africa.
They face Vodacom Bulls this Saturday, and Stormers next week with both teams also primed to reach the knockout stages.
However, bonus points could be enough for Cardiff to reach the playoffs for the very first time in the competition.
“It’s probably our two hardest games of the season,” said Jenkins.
“It’s been good to get where we are. We targeted 10 points for the last two games against tough teams in Munster and Ospreys, and we put some good performances in to get that.
“It’s an exciting position to be in, but we know we’ve still got two tough weeks ahead of us in terms of putting in our best game out in the field against what’s going to be two tough challenges.”
Jenkins has been delighted with the commitment and effort shown by the team this season.
“All of the boys have been excellent. We’ve got a good culture within the group at the moment and we’ve got a good leadership group.
“They put in everything out on the field on the weekend and sometimes we may come up short.
“All we can ask for is that they are working hard through the week, building on each performance and trying to put across what we put in place during that training week.
“You can’t fault some of the effort and the drive to try and get us into the position that we’ve got ourselves in.
Heading into the final two rounds of the competition, three Welsh teams still have a chance to reach the knockouts.
“We’re all quite close in the table. I’m sure the Ospreys and the Scarlets will be driving forward towards those playoff spots just as much as we are.
“It is good to see three up there and they’ve worked hard to get into those positions too.
Playing away in South Africa throws up a variety of different challenges, including extended travel and alien conditions, but Jenkins says the team is in a ‘good place’ going into the weekend.
“It’s been a bit of a different week. Obviously we got a lot of our prep towards the end of last week and Monday and then a bit of a break to get out here and get used to the conditions and the travel so we haven’t done a huge amount of stuff out here yet, but I think the boys are in a good place.
“It’ll take a bit of adjusting tomorrow I think with the heat but I think the boys are really looking forward to getting out there.
“Great stadium, we’re staying right next to it so boys are seeing it every day so they’re looking forward to getting out there.
Jenkins is expecting Bulls to put out a stacked side, with Cardiff preparing for a big physical challenge.
“I think at this stage of the season you almost expect teams to have their best teams out.
“During certain periods, there might be people who are not playing but we expect them to have all the players fit and ready to rock.
“We know the challenge that’s going to come. It’s going to be a physical Bulls team.
“They play a certain way and they’re very good at it. Hopefully the boys have a good performance in terms of how we put our game on the pitch.”
Since coming on board as a full time defence coach at the beginning of the season, Jenkins has made some small tactical tweaks to Cardiff’s defence which is bearing fruit.
Cardiff’s defence has improved, especially in the last two games, where the attack and defence has been more in sync according to Jenkins.
“I’m not going to lie, sometime defence does come second in the agenda but we’ve got a good group of coaches, we all get on quite well so we all understand if your attack goes well then you’re defending less.
“In essence, sometimes that gives you more energy to defend, gives you more time to put pressure on other teams, your kick strategy, and if that’s all right and that’s working well, your defence goes well.
“The boys have put some good stuff in the last two games. We have had some good defensive sets.
“I think the pleasing thing from the last two games was some of the stats where possession and territory are a bit more even than we’ve probably had in the couple of games before that.
“It’s given us a chance to get our system right, to get off the line and put pressure on teams.
“When I came in, it was a heavy, jackal-focused team, but we’re getting away from that a little bit and probably tweaking it in certain ways so that we can get the ball back a bit quicker.
“I think that’s always your aim in defence, how quick can you put pressure on teams or get the ball back or create time to get organised and go after them.”