Bulls aim for high standards

Bulls captain Victor Matfield dismissed suggestions that there is pressure on the side following their three title wins in four years, especially now that a number of players are in their last year of Super Rugby.

Matfield is set to retire after the Rugby World Cup, while his lock partner Bakkies Botha has also indicated he will not renew his contract with the Bulls. Whether Botha decides to farm, play rugby at the Lions or in France is still undecided, but it is certainly the last Super Rugby tournament the duo will face together.

Fellow lock Danie Rossouw, scrumhalf Fourie du Preez and a number of others are all either moving overseas or looking at alternative offers after the World Cup, which is sure to bring down the curtain on an amazing dynasty of players cultivated by Heyneke Meyer and taken further by current coach Frans Ludeke.

But for now, as Matfield says, all that counts is the next six months – where they will try and live up to their own high standards. While aware that the annual “write the Bulls off” brigade are doing their utmost to convince fans that many of these players are past their prime, the big Bok lock knows only one thing will convince South Africans – and that is doing the talking on the field.

“It is a difficult one, it is a new season and there are 15 teams that want to win this one,” Matfield said. “We have our own high standards though that we try to live up to and we’ve set higher standards this year in terms of fitness and defence in our training.

“Hopefully if we live up to those then we will be successful again.”

Matfield dismissed suggestions the squad had something to prove as it was many players last season, saying the same tried and tested formula would guide them through the season this year.

“We’re very positive, and we’re happy to have a squad that has experience. That experience will be very important at certain stages of the season but we also know that even if you have experience, if you don’t have heart, and you aren’t in it 100 percent, then you will fail.

“We’re in this game 100 percent and we have to go and give everything on the field if we want to be successful again. I still believe the best is still to come for the side, and if we continue to take a step forward in every game this year, we will do well.”

The Bulls have a tough opener against a resurgent Lions side on Saturday, and while they are expecting a hostile environment from Lions fans at Coca Cola Park, they have been in such environments before.

Meeting their own high standards is what counts, and if they do that, the Lions may find it tough on the park on Saturday night.