Vodacom Bulls’ Cobus Wiese said on Tuesday that the Bulls must be more "desperate and physical" to overcome a "hurting" Munster side following the Irish team's recent 45-0 loss to the Hollywoodbets Sharks.
Wiese said he expects a massive battle up front, noting that Munster is a well-coached side that historically "stays in the fight" at Loftus.
“Munster are obviously a top Irish team and a well-coached side,” said Wiese on Tuesday. “They stay in the fight at Loftus, and it’s definitely going to be a massive challenge.”
“We’ve spoken all week about the fact that they’re going to come out after their loss against the Sharks, wanting to prove a point, so we have to prepare for that. They got the better of us the last time they played here in 2024.”
He highlighted that the Bulls cannot afford another "sluggish" second half and must match the intensity shown by teams like the Stormers to secure a victory.
“If you look back at the game, it might seem sluggish, but often it’s just about finishing the play when you have momentum,” he said.
“It’s easy to go out of structure, and that’s where the discipline of the team and the game drivers have to step in to keep the momentum and the pressure going.”
“We could have finished Cardiff off better than we did, but it’s something we’ll work on, to stick to task and keep doing what’s working for us.”
Ahead of this fixture, Wiese confirmed he has signed a three-year contract extension with the Bulls, citing family reasons and a strong fit in Pretoria as the primary factors for staying despite interest from the Stormers.
“It would’ve been an easier decision four years ago with just myself and my fiancé to move around, but now I’ve got a family. I now have a wife, a little girl and had a boy just two months ago… it’s just not yourself you’re thinking about.”
“We just thought that Pretoria is the best fit for us at this stage. My daughter is in a very good school, and we enjoy the people of Pretoria. It’s a good set-up we’ve got going here now.”
“Definitely, coach Johan whispered one or two things in my ear that I took into consideration, but for myself and my family, Pretoria is the best fit for the next three years.”