Keep calm and win the URC final against Leinster, says Bulls’ Willie le Roux
CALM UNDER PRESSURE Bulls' Willie le Roux emphasised staying calm and seizing opportunities to help his side beat Leinster in the URC final. Photo: Backpagepix
Image: Backpagepix
Such is the enormity of the United Rugby Championship final against Leinster in Dublin on Saturday, that the Bulls cannot afford to put any extra pressure on themselves as they approach the trophy match just like any other fixture of the competition.
That’s according to veteran Bulls and Springbok fullback Willie le Roux.
The Bulls are big underdogs against a Leinster outfit at home, littered with Ireland internationals.
At 35 and a two-time Rugby World Cup winner, Le Roux has seen it all before and has some sage advice for his teammates.
Le Roux’s Strategy for Seizing Opportunities in the Final Against Leinster
“We need to treat this match the same as we did our first game of the season, you don’t want to put it on a pedestal and not be willing to try something, not be willing to run from your own half. If you see an opportunity, you must take it, you have to take your chances,” Le Roux told SportsBoom.co.za.
“It’s all about getting the balance right, knowing when to attack and when to kick. You want to make sure you get your forwards in the right field position. But in a final against a team like Leinster, you might only get one or two chances to break through and score.”
Known for his enterprising play throughout his career, Le Roux would always be alert to every hint of an opportunity.
“A turnover on your own tryline might be a chance, that might be your best chance of the whole game. If your chance happens in the first minute of the match, then you must be able to pull the trigger. Finals are about fine margins, and they can come down to one moment, whether that be a mistake or a piece of brilliance.”
Meanwhile, Bulls hooker Akker van der Merwe echoed the sentiments of Le Roux.
"It's obviously a big game, but we don't want to make it bigger than it is. It's easier to say than do, but we just want to go out and enjoy ourselves. Rugby is about the big moments, but you also can't afford any soft moments, especially in a final."