Pumas star Devon Williams gives Bulls, URC the thumbs up

Bulls fullback Devon Williams says exposure to the United Rugby Championship has been eye-opening and has massively improved his game.

Williams, who is on loan from the Pumas until the start of the new Currie Cup season, has had a great start to his Bulls career, deputising at fullback in the absence of the Springbok Willie le Roux.

The 31-year-old has not shown any signs of being shell-shocked by the Bulls jersey and level of competition, as he’s hit the ground running in the URC, scoring three tries and forming a dangerous back trio with Sebastian de Klerk and Sergeal Petersen.

‘Open to learning’

“As a rugby player, you must always be able to adapt and be open to learning,” Williams told the media on Tuesday.

“Making the step up is up to the player, and the guys around me made it quite easy for me to make the step up and just slot in.

“I have known Sergeal for a while, and I have played with Sebastian at the Pumas for some time, so it was easy for me to slot in,” he said.

Based on his time with the Pumas and now the Bulls, Williams was able to share where the two sides are similar and different.

“I think both franchises give you a platform to express yourself,” he said.

“The Pumas and the Bulls approach the game in different ways though and the way they prep during the week. There will be much more in-detail focus here at the Bulls while we look at the broader spectrum at the Pumas,” Williams said.

Tour life

The Bulls have returned from their four-week overseas tour in the URC where they won two matches and lost two. For Williams, playing in the URC and touring has been an experience that has elevated his game. 

“I think it has improved my game massively,” said Williams when asked about the tour.

“Firstly, the chat has always been about the 4G pitch, and that was something to get used to. Being away from home for so long was another point. But it was easy to adapt, the guys were open to chat about anything.

“If I had any questions or didn’t know what was going to happen, doors were always open. We have a great group of guys and a great family bond.

“We set a goal for ourselves to get 14 points on tour, a lot of positives came from the tour, and we got two wins on tour. It’s never easy going over there,” he said.

The Bulls are in seventh place with 14 points on the URC log. They continue their playoff charge on Saturday when they take on Connacht at Loftus Versfeld (5pm).