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Cape Town - What's done is done, and Western Province could do with internalizing that notion ahead of Friday night's Currie Cup clash against the Blue Bulls at Loftus.
Province's two trips to the Highveld so far this season have been substandard to say the least - a 47-29 loss to the Bulls followed by a 62-32 thrashing from the Golden Lions in Johannesburg.
And lock Ruan Botha this week made no excuses for his side's showing on their last journey to Pretoria.
"I think one thing people say is that altitude cost us, but altitude wasn’t a problem," Botha said this week.
"I think it was just a proper mental focus … nobody was focused. We slipped and looked like an amateur team … missing easy tackles and one-on-one stuff. I think that’s going to be the difference this weekend."
Botha was expecting a tough battle among the forwards.
"It’s always a big challenge going up against the Bulls," he said.
'It’s all about the eight on the field and the guys coming out. You have to man up to each guy in front of you. We’re not putting them on a pedestal and we’re not saying that we’re the best as well, but on any day it’s the pack that’s willing to work that is going to make the difference at the breakdown and lineouts and moving bodies."
Kick-off on Friday is at 19:10.
Teams:
Blue Bulls:
TBA
Western Province:
15. Cheslin Kolbe, 14. Dillyn Leyds, 13. Johnny Kotze, 12. Juan de Jongh (captain), 11. Seabelo Senatla, 10. Robert du Preez, 9. Nic Groom, 8. Nizaam Carr, 7. Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 6. Rynhardt Elstadt, 5. Ruan Botha, 4. Jean Kleyn, 3. Wilco Louw, 2. Bongi Mbonambi, 1. Steven Kitshoff
Substitutes: 16. Michael Willemse, 17. Oli Kebble, 18. Chris van Zyl, 19. Jurie van Vuuren, 20. Jano Vermaak, 21. Kurt Coleman, 22. Huw Jones
