10 October 2026
Bulls captain Hanro Liebenberg has laid down the law ahead of their looming clash against the Lions, demanding absolute discipline from his squad. The loose forward stressed that emotional control will decide the high-stakes encounter.
Liebenberg acknowledged the squad's desire to play with a ferocious physical edge but warned against overstepping the mark. He stressed that self-restraint is non-negotiable if the Pretoria-based franchise wants to secure a win.
“I think we’re all adults. We’ve all got to take care of our emotions on the field,” Liebenberg said. “At the end of the day, there’s a captain, but everyone’s got to control themselves and look after themselves.”
The skipper knows that unforced errors will hand the opposition the momentum. The team cannot afford to gift their rivals easy territory through indiscipline.
“Yes, we want to be on that edge and be ready to go and have that aggressive nature, but there is also a line,” he explained. “I think if you’re going to cross that line against the Lions and give away penalties, they’re going to punish you.”
The Lions pose a dangerous threat with their expansive, high-tempo brand of rugby. The Bulls' defensive structure will be tested by a side that thrives on rapid ball movement and piercing the defensive line.
“We see the way they play. They want to throw the ball around and make linebreaks and put you under pressure that way,” Liebenberg noted.
Unnecessary whistles from the referee will only compound the defensive workload for the Bulls. Survival depends on denying the Lions quick front-foot ball.
“And if we’re going to put ourselves under pressure by giving away penalties, we’re going to make it a long afternoon,” he added.
Reflecting on recent performances, the captain highlighted the unpredictable nature of the sport. He believes a repeat of their recent work rate, coupled with sharper finishing, will yield the right result.
“Rugby is a funny game. Sometimes you’re the better team, and you lose; sometimes you’re the better team, and you win. It’s just the bounce of the ball sometimes,” Liebenberg stated.
The focus in training has been on turning pressure into points. The Bulls must capitalise on every entry into the opposition's 22-metre area.
“The work and the effort we put into last week’s match, if we can have that the same this weekend, I think we’ll be in a good place and just take the opportunities a bit better.”
On a personal note, the veteran forward is relishing his return to South African shores after a lengthy stint abroad. The move back to Pretoria has completely revitalised his career.
“It’s almost brought that love of the game back to me a bit,” Liebenberg admitted. “I was away for seven years, a bit out of touch, out of feel with South African rugby. But since being here, I’ve loved every minute.”
The transition back into the Loftus Versfeld setup has been seamless. The current team environment has allowed him to hit the ground running.
“We have a great group of boys, a great coaching team, and it makes it easy to come back and fit in again.”