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JJ Harmse
Pretoria – The Bulls know that they will be up against desperate and dangerous opponents for the full 80 minutes on Saturday.
And leading the Lions onslaught will be former Bulls star Wikus van Heerden.
That is the view of Bulls centre Jaco Pretorius, who previously played for the Lions.
“His return is a huge boost for the Lions. His team-mates will definitely gain confidence because Wikus is known for the commitment and passion with which he plays,” says Pretorius.
The two were Lions team-mates before the former Springbok flank joined the Bulls.
When Van Heerden left for Saracens, Pretorius joined the Bulls and he has subsequently won the Super 14 and Currie Cup.
“He (Wikus) is such a quality player that it’s nice to know that he is in your team. As an opponent he will be in your face for 80 minutes,” said Pretorius.
Pretorius believes that the Lions will also be motivated by the prospect of playing at Loftus.
“The Lions have already indicated that they know how to win at Loftus and that they believe they can. The fact that they are desperate makes them a team that cannot be taken lightly. This one is about passion and pride. The position on the log will be secondary.”
Pretorius is not shying away from the challenge.
“We have definitely become a target for other teams, but that is how it works in sport. The champion is always targeted by the rest because you want to measure yourself against the best. Everybody wants to beat the Bulls.”
For Pretorius that simply means that they must be at their best every week.
“You’ll get a hiding if you aren’t. Everybody is coming for you.”
He believes the Bulls’ experience, confidence in one another and knowledge of tough matches should see them through against the Lions.
“We have to draw on the experience that we have. We know what to do to win. Everybody knows how the Bulls play, but if we do it correctly with the players at our disposal, it’s very difficult to beat us,” said Pretorius.
“Doing the basics right and forcing down Bulls rugby on other teams is part of the recipe for success. We have our ducks in a row.”
Pretoria – The Bulls know that they will be up against desperate and dangerous opponents for the full 80 minutes on Saturday.
And leading the Lions onslaught will be former Bulls star Wikus van Heerden.
That is the view of Bulls centre Jaco Pretorius, who previously played for the Lions.
“His return is a huge boost for the Lions. His team-mates will definitely gain confidence because Wikus is known for the commitment and passion with which he plays,” says Pretorius.
The two were Lions team-mates before the former Springbok flank joined the Bulls.
When Van Heerden left for Saracens, Pretorius joined the Bulls and he has subsequently won the Super 14 and Currie Cup.
“He (Wikus) is such a quality player that it’s nice to know that he is in your team. As an opponent he will be in your face for 80 minutes,” said Pretorius.
Pretorius believes that the Lions will also be motivated by the prospect of playing at Loftus.
“The Lions have already indicated that they know how to win at Loftus and that they believe they can. The fact that they are desperate makes them a team that cannot be taken lightly. This one is about passion and pride. The position on the log will be secondary.”
Pretorius is not shying away from the challenge.
“We have definitely become a target for other teams, but that is how it works in sport. The champion is always targeted by the rest because you want to measure yourself against the best. Everybody wants to beat the Bulls.”
For Pretorius that simply means that they must be at their best every week.
“You’ll get a hiding if you aren’t. Everybody is coming for you.”
He believes the Bulls’ experience, confidence in one another and knowledge of tough matches should see them through against the Lions.
“We have to draw on the experience that we have. We know what to do to win. Everybody knows how the Bulls play, but if we do it correctly with the players at our disposal, it’s very difficult to beat us,” said Pretorius.
“Doing the basics right and forcing down Bulls rugby on other teams is part of the recipe for success. We have our ducks in a row.”
