Rugby: Blues get ready for Bulls' monster maul

Mention the Bulls and talk turns quickly to the rolling maul. It's not always their weapon of choice, but certainly a destructive part of their arsenal and sure to be on show tomorrow at Eden Park.

The Blues have worked on methods to counter the damage but know they have to bring an entire rugby package if they are to deliver the first defeat this season for the Super 14 leaders.

If not, it will be over to the Chiefs next weekend.

Trickles of concern about New Zealand sides' lack of defensive clout against the rolling maul have developed into more of a stream of anxiety as the competition and the Bulls have rumbled on.

That apprehension is now being projected into concern for the All Blacks.

Talk around the Blues camp is upbeat though. They have been warned, they have done their homework and they believe if they are united they can foil the manouevre.

Coach Pat Lam talks about systems and the collective grunt needed to defend against the Bulls.

One of those in the thick of the organisation is All Blacks and Blues lock Anthony Boric who has fielded inquiries all week about the lineout and maul tactics against the Bulls.

"They are very good there and I think in their attacking zone, 75 per cent of their lineouts they use to maul. For us that means first we have to compete as best we can in the air and then we have to work on the ground stopping them," he said.

"It is a simple low-risk strategy they use and they are very good at it. Body height and technique are a huge part of countering them."

The Bulls have a great lineout with captain Victor Matfield leading a clutch of jumping targets, said Boric.

The Bulls put a great deal of work into that area of their game to make sure their throws, lifting, timing and defence were all in unison.

On their own lineout throw, you will see the Bulls walk slowly to the setpiece as they discuss their choices and decisions.

"They have a lot of patience and a lot of options at their disposal," said Boric.

"They do not rush and Matfield assesses the situation and makes a call. That can let us down, at times we do not have enough patience and we make individual errors.

"It is all about repetition and trusting in the system."

The Blues suffered several lineout malfunctions late in their loss to the Waratahs which ruined their attacking chances. It would have been galling for the South Africans as the Waratahs had not been exerting any great defensive heat in those setpieces.

The Bulls have picked their moments to attack opposition lineouts. They have targeted certain times in games and areas on the field as the prime opportunity to intimidate. By just getting in the air they placed extra pressure on the lineout delivery.

Boric applauded the collective authority about the Bulls' rolling maul. They have been very patient setting up the platform before they started shunting upfield.

"They build that pressure; build that momentum slowly as they keep trudging forward until they work with that advantage," Boric said.

The 26-year-old admired rolling mauls and the bite they could bring to a game.

Defending them was energy-depleting while being part of an attacking maul was a very fulfilling part of the game.

While not fashionable in New Zealand rugby, the rolling maul is legal and delivers success to some teams. It was an area of the game more sides needed to work on and incorporate in their repertoire, Boric said.

"It creates space and halts the defensive lines and makes them wait. There are all sorts of spin-offs," Boric said.

The Blues used the tactic sometimes. It might pay to use it more. Their strategy was to give more ball to their backs who could create greater problems for defenders.