The Vodacom Bulls director of rugby Jake White said at a pre-match press conference that they are going to go all out to beat Leinster who he sees as the overwhelming favourites for the URC semi-final.
He said: “We are going to have a go and we will not die wondering.”
On his opponents, White says; “They (Leinster) hold onto the ball and if you are just comfortable giving them the ball, they will keep it for 20 phases and we have to find a way to get it back. We also have to be accurate at the breakdown.”
White adds: “This is probably the biggest club game we have had in a really long time. This Leinster side has 25 internationals, a World Cup-winning coach and a team that is desperate to win. Their current group of players has played at the World Cup, three European Cup finals, they have played in VURC playoffs and they have played and won the Six Nations. All they have done over the last three years is switch the colour of their jerseys, blue this week and green the next,”
“That is where we want to be as a franchise too, where it does not matter who starts and who is on the bench and we are not there yet; but, the nice thing about sport is there is no given on who should win and who shouldn’t and we have all been in situations where you think a guy didn’t have a chance but ends up winning.”
Explaining his selection Jake White said: “I am lucky enough that I have rotated my squad enough times this season that bringing in anyone into the match will not feel like we are throwing them into the deep end, they have had game time and the match fitness required at this level,”
“Cornel has trained well for us every time and it was always a matter of when he would get the opportunity. Now he gets the chance against an Irish backline and this is what Sport is all about. He is excited, has been around, played SA Schools and he is quick and he adds a different dimension for us and he is good under the high ball and skilful with the boot as well,”
“The guys who will come off the impact squad will be important for us in a game where we will have to fight for 80 minutes because this Leinster side is a quality team that took Toulouse to extra time.”