Bulls to treat Munster clash like a URC playoff match, says Steenekamp

The United Rugby Championship defending champions, Munster, are in Pretoria to take on the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday with plenty riding on the outcome of the match (kick-off at 5.05pm).

The game is crucial for both sides’ ambitions of finishing in the top two on the URC points table. As things stand, the Bulls are in third place with 45 points while Munster are below them in fourth with 43 points, making things interesting for this weekend’s game.

The Bulls are in a position where they can’t afford to drop the ball in their run-in that will see them play four home games with the clash against Munster the first of the key clashes.

The Champions Cup quarter-final loss at the hands of English Premiership outfit Northampton Saints means the Bulls can solely focus on the URC, a competition they have declared their intention to win.

Playoff mode for the Bulls

Following their controversial 59-22 loss to Northampton, the Bulls are looking to regroup against Munster and approach all their remaining regular season games as playoff matches.

“We need a big rebound, that’s our biggest focus,” said Bulls prop Gerhard Steenekamp when speaking to the media this week.

“I think we are going into playoff rugby at the moment where we have to win everything that’s coming our way to end up on top, and that is the goal.

“We are going to look at every game as a knockout game and give it our all as if it’s our last game,” he said.

The clash against Munster is a tricky one for the Bulls as it won’t be a walk in the park. Munster are also left with only the URC to play for and they will be keen to upset the applecart at Loftus Versfeld.

The Irish province have brought their strongest core to South Africa, including Springboks lock RG Snyman, Ireland captain Peter O’Mahony and the likes of Tadhg Beirne, Jack Crowley and Conor Murray. They also face the Lions next weekend.

World-class Munster team

Despite the internationals and pedigree Munster will bring to Loftus, the Bulls are not worried; instead, they are focused on themselves.

“They are a good world-class team with a lot of international players so it won’t be an easy match,” said Steenekamp.

“This week we have been focusing on ourselves, on what we want to do and our plans. We can’t worry about what they are going to do, we are concentrating on ourselves,” said the Springbok prop.

Meanwhile, Bulls loose forward Cameron Hanekom is free to play on Saturday after his citing complaint from the Champions Cup quarter-final against Northampton for a dangerous tackle was dismissed.