Vodacom Bulls scrumhalf Embrose Papier said the loss of captains Ruan Nortje and Elrigh Louw was a huge blow for the team, however, their replacements are just as capable of leading them to a win over the DHL Stormers on Saturday at 14:00 (SA Time) in Cape Town.
“Those are tough losses for us because they are big leaders on the field. They are the two main captains of our team and they usually give us front-football.
“For a scrumhalf, when you have time on the ball you can make better decisions and make them earlier, so it’s important for these guys to give us possession on the front foot."
“But we have big guys like Marcell Coetzee and Wilco Louw who can step up, drive the team and bring their leadership.”
Papier said there will be more pressure on the Stormers as they will be desperate for a win to improve their overall position on the log and to qualify for the playoffs.
“The Stormers have planted the seeds in our head that it’s difficult to play them. They always have a huge crowd which makes it tough, they thrive off the energy the stadium gives them."
“But we don’t have as much pressure on us, the Stormers have to win because of their position on the log. They love to move the ball around so it’s important for us to stay tight as a unit to absorb all the pressure."
“It’s going to be a tough one. It’s going to be a physical battle. The guys who want it the most will take the win.”