“We are going to have to be much better and cope much better with that pressure… We know they are a world-class outfit.”
The pressure of facing a top Irish side like Munster, especially when they’re in good form, will be compounded by playing in front of their passionate home fans.
This is what Bulls club captain Ruan Nortje told media ahead of the Bulls–Munster United Rugby Championship (URC) match at Thomond Park in Limerick on Saturday (kick-off 6.15pm).
The Bulls’ 34–28 loss to Edinburgh in the Challenge Cup last weekend was a wake-up call in a few areas, and Nortje – returning to the starting XV for the first time since a long injury layoff – admitted that calling line-outs and leading the team had been difficult under the pressure the Scottish side created.
He said they were working on their line-outs and tempo, while building on their already-strong maul, ahead of the Munster clash.
This, while flyhalf Keagan Johannes said game management and playing in the correct areas will be key as they chase a tournament they have come close to winning on a few occasions.
The Bulls lost to the Glasgow Warriors in last year’s URC final at Loftus (final score: 21–16). They also lost the 2021/22 final against the Stormers at Loftus (final score: 18–13). They only got as far as the quarter-finals in 2022/23, crashing out to eventual runners-up, the Stormers.
‘We are going to have to be much better’
“It’s tough in the moment. In the game, it feels like things are happening 10 times faster than they really do,” Nortje said of pressure-filled matches.
“For me it’s all about staying calm. There is a lot of noise, a lot of voices from different sides. It is just about staying calm and trying to feed off the guys around me who also have a lot of experience, and trying to make the best decision on the field.”
He said there would be a lot of noise and pressure playing in front of Irish fans at the 25,600-capacity Thomond Park stadium.
“We are going to have to be much better and cope much better with that pressure.
“[Those are] the games you want to play. Munster in Limerick, I don’t think you get much better than that. We know they are a world-class outfit.”
Bulls prepare for ‘massive’ set-piece battle with Munster
Nortje said the fifth-placed Irish side were finding their feet at the back end of the competition, and a “massive set-piece battle upfront” would likely determine which way the game would go.
“It’s a great game for us to be part of and to test ourselves to see where we are really at. The biggest challenge for us is to implement what the plan from the coach is, and not fade away from that.”
He said the coaches had formed the plan after analysing their opponents, knowing it would put Munster under pressure. “The obvious thing is to just be clinical, make sure we execute in the set-piece and give it our all.”
