Don’t write us off, warns coach
HUMAN: ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN IN A PLAY-OFF GAME
To their credit, Province will not take the Bulls lightly.
Despite being given little chance in their attempt to upset firm favourites Western Province in their Currie Cup semifinal battle at Newlands today, Blue Bulls coach Pote Human believes anything can happen in a play-off game.
After Province destroyed the Bulls at scrum-time at Loftus Versfeld last week, en route to a 34-7 win in wet weather, few people outside Pretoria would bet against an easy Province win in today’s clash, but Human said they had done their homework.
“We had to take a good, hard look at ourselves and the efforts we dished up last weekend,” Human said.
“That performance was not who we want to be as a team.”
Human sprang a surprise by retaining Manie Libbok at flyhalf, but he believed the player retained an “X-factor”, while the introduction of Dillyn Sage at outside centre could test Province on defence.
“We get the ideal opportunity to rectify that effort (against Province) a week later, and although it is in Cape Town this time around, it creates a great opportunity for us to show what we are really capable of.
“We have not won the Currie Cup in a while and there is no doubt we have the ability in this squad to do so this year.”
Meanwhile, chief Province scrum destroyer, prop Wilco Louw, insisted they were not taking the Bulls lightly, despite the hosts being the outright favourites.
“We are not going to change anything because it’s a semifinal,” Louw said.
“We prepare for a rugby game as normal, as we did the entire year, but obviously the Bulls will come up with a few new plans of their own.”
Louw was given the “pig” award by his team, he revealed, for showing plenty of fight last weekend.
“In the week we give awards out to guys who have performed well and after our scrums went well, I got the award, but I must say the award has been more intended for the pack as a unit.”
As the weather had not played along at Loftus, Louw admitted it did not feel like he had played 50 games, but more like 49-and-ahalf.
“Hopefully the weather plays along so that we can play more attractive rugby, but at the same time we want to build on last weekend and the season so far.”