Pressure on Bulls ‘good for growth’
PROP Lizo Gqoboka has admitted the Bulls players are feeling the pressure following their stuttering start to the Super Rugby campaign.
The Bulls have won only one out of five starts in this campaign.
“There is definitely pressure on us as players but pressure is one of those things that make you grow as a player‚” he said.
“The Blue Bulls have won this competition on a couple of occasions in the past and that in itself brings pressure.
“It is something that I believe will help us to grow as people and players.
“We have done well in terms of staying positive and working hard‚ despite the fact that results have not been going our way – which we want to change.”
This weekend‚ the Bulls are up against the Sunwolves‚ the only team they have been able to beat so far‚ in Tokyo.
Gqoboka said they would have to express themselves and eliminate elementary mistakes.
“We want to express ourselves without fear and be responsible, with a proper structure.
“We want growth and progress in the way that we play and we believe that if we do that we can get a win.”
Gqoboka said they managed to watch the Sunwolves in their last match before they got a bye, against the Stormers two weeks ago in Singapore, where they troubled the Cape Town-based side.
“We don’t have a right to underestimate anyone. The Sunwolves have the most line breaks in the competition if I am not mistaken and they almost got that win against the Stormers,” Gqoboka said.
“We just want to go out there and execute our plan so we can end this overseas tour with a win.
“We have played against teams that mostly keep the ball in hand and create pressure.
“There have been some improvements from our first match of the season.
“We have been winning penalties‚ having steady scrums and setpieces, and line outs are coming along as well.”
Gqoboka has not been playing regularly for the side but said he understood coach Nollis Marais’s rotation policy, which was explained to him and Pierre Schoeman.
“The coach sat us down. It is something that we have an understanding of and are happy about.
“We are given equal opportunities. We are both good props and there is good competition.
“We help each other to get better and we put what is best for the team first.
“What is important is that there was honesty, because everything was clear from the beginning‚” he said.
We have done well in terms of staying positive and working hard‚ despite the fact that results have not been going our way