Bulls brace for ‘tough’ conditions in search of first URC win

The Bulls will have another mountain to climb in adapting to European rugby on Friday night as they take on Connacht at The Sportsground in Galway, but there is no cable car to quickly take you to the peak when it comes to the experience they will require to be contenders in the United Rugby Championship.

On Thursday, the Bulls were warned by one of the local journalists in the virtual pre-match press conference that “all we can offer you is wind and rain” and coach Jake White likened the importance of the conditions to a cricket match when winning the toss is vital.

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“It’s going to be tough conditions with rain and wind. I know Connacht from being there before, it’s a very open field, a bit like UCT. You can struggle into the wind and when you’re with the wind you have to take advantage,” White said.

“The conditions are a great leveler and you need experience to handle that properly. It’s like a cricket match when batting or bowling first becomes very important.

“Connacht train to play their game in that weather every day and it’s another opportunity for our young group to see what it’s like to play against a very adaptable side who know what their strengths are. If they graduate to Test rugby then every game is always different, like it is in the URC.”

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While White wants the Bulls’ game plan to be based 50/50 around both forwards and backs, he knows Friday night’s match is likely to become a forward-dominated kicking battle. Which is one of the main reasons he has chosen Ruan Combrinck, who can kick off either foot, as starting fullback for the first time.

“I don’t think there’s going to be too much attack and Ruan is good under the high ball and he’s a Springbok,” White said.

“His kicking game gives us left and right-footed options at the back and I think this will be the game that suits him most. It’s going to be all about kicking and territory.

“He has also not had much game time since joining us, so we wanted to look at him, and we need to find another back-up option to David Kriel at fullback.”