Bulls back youngsters to down WP

GONE ARE the days when the first salvo ahead of the North v South Derby would be a war of words by the coaches and players.

Instead this week has seen a rather muted build-up to the clash between the Blue Bulls and Western Province at Loftus Versfeld tomorrow (kick off 7.10pm).

Bulls coach Nollis Marais said the only talking his team must do is on the field against an older and more experienced WP who will fancy their chances of getting another scalp.

Since taking over the reins as Currie Cup coach this season, it’s been Marais who has done most of the talking off the field and his young and eager charges have left theirs to what transpires in between the four lines on match days.

There is no doubt that the Bulls have been impressive in their first two games of this year’s Currie Cup campaign and it will be with a growing belief and confidence in their abilities that Marais will hope for another polished performance from his team – a team that wasn’t given much of a chance at the beginning of the season.

Marais, though, is under no illusion of how difficult a task it will be to topple the reigning Currie Cup champions but believes that whatever the outcome of the game, it will serve as massive experience for a team that is filled with players in their first season of Currie Cup rugby.

“For our guys this is going to be a huge challenge. But the one thing about this team is the belief they have in themselves. I know that if things don’t go their way, they will bounce back.

“The thing about these young guys, they are fearless and it will also be a good learning curve to see where we stand at the moment and what we still need to work on,” said Marais yesterday.

In announcing his team yesterday, Marais brought back some experience in the engine room with forgotten Springbok hooker Bandise Maku set to start in an all Springbok frontrow with Dean Greyling and Werner Kruger, who will become the first player to play in a 100 Super Rugby and Currie Cup matches for the union.

Maku, who replaces Jaco Visagie, is one of three changes to the team with youngsters Roelof Smit coming in place of the injured flank Deon Stegmann while Junior Springbok Dries Swanepoel gets a start for the injured William Small-Smith.

Captain Lappies Labuschagne, pic

tured, is well aware of the danger that awaits them and says the focus should be on his team building on the platform they have laid in their convincing wins over the Cheetahs and Griquas. “It’s a new week, a new game and we’ve had a lot to focus on this week. The first half against Griquas we made a lot of unforced errors and, hopefully, we can rectify that. WP are a quality side and can play any type of rugby but our focus will be on ourselves and we want that to show on the field,” Labuschagne concluded.