We cannot know for sure – when it comes to honouring rugby’s code of inner-sanctum omerta, the Bulls of Pretoria have an air of un-crackability about them.
But in piecing together their strategy for this season’s no-longer-European Champions Cup, did the big beasts of the South African game ask themselves the following question:
“Can we save on our air miles by naming weak teams for away matches, ship 50 points at Northampton, put 49 of our own past Bristol and still lose, win one pool match out of four…and qualify for the knockout stage anyway?”

The answer should have been “fat chance”, b...