Test match feel for Bulls v Leinster clash, says Wilco Louw

Bulls prop Wilco Louw is excited to test himself against some of the best in the business when they tackle Leinster in their United Rugby Championship (URC) semifinal at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday afternoon.

The Irish giants will be bringing a slew of international stars to SA for the encounter as they attempt to reach their first URC final, after being dumped out at the semifinal stage over the past two editions.

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With the Springboks also taking on Ireland in their incoming series in July, many see this game as the perfect appetiser ahead of the kick-off of the international season, and it will be interesting to see who gets the upper hand.

“The URC is such a healthy competition. I don’t think there are any easy games and most weekends feel like a Test,” explained Louw.

“It is a big game, like any other playoff. It’s a good challenge for us and it’s nice to measure yourself against players who have played quite a few international games.

“We aren’t a young pack, and we are still getting to know each other. There are a few new faces, but we’ve grown a lot as a team and a pack.

“It’s definitely going to be a tough battle this weekend, but we are looking forward to it and it’s good to have this chance to measure ourselves against some of the world’s best.”

Front row battle

The Bulls front row are set to come up against an all Irish front row featuring Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadgh Furlong, and Louw believes they are one of the most experienced front rows in the competition but not necessarily the best.

“They are one of the most experienced because they have played a lot of games together, so they are possibly one of the tougher front rows,” said Louw.

“But scrumming against Ox (Nche), Vincent (Koch) and Bongi (Mbonambi) is also tough. So I think we’ve had some good prep from playing against them (the Sharks a few weeks ago). It will be good to see how we can scrum and maul against a quality side.”

A packed Loftus is expected for the match, with fans set to turn out in their numbers to cheer on the Bulls in their quest to secure a place in the competition’s final for the second time in three seasons, and Louw is excited for the pressure that the fans will add.

“It is lovely to play at a full Loftus. So we are hoping that there will be a lot of people so that we can first play a good game for ourselves and our families and secondly for the Loftus faithful,” said Louw.

“We want to see the stadium filled up and although that might bring a bit of extra pressure, we are looking forward to responding to it positively, because the more pressure there is the better you can measure yourself as a player.”