Five players that can help Bulls finally chuck the bridesmaid sash
OPINION: The Bulls will take on Leinster in the United Rugby Championship Grand Final at Croke Park on Friday, and while the hosts will be aiming to go back-to-back, the Bulls will be hoping to finally cross that final hurdle after three attempts.
The men from Pretoria’s runner-up road started when they played in the inaugural Grand Final in Cape Town, a match they lost 18-13 to their old foes, the Stormers.
They went on to feature in a final again two years later, this time against Glasgow Warriors at Loftus Versfeld, but lost 16-21 in front of their home crowd.
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This fixture is a repeat of last year’s URC season Finale – a clash Leinster won 32-7 at the same venue.
Will it be fourth time lucky for the Bulls, or will they be denied the crown once more?
We look at five players who can help the Bulls prevent another runners-up title.
Embrose Papier
The South African Vodacom URC Player of the Season and serial man of the match has been in the form of his life, and at no time will that breathtaking influence be more important that on Friday night.
In the Bulls’ come-from-behind semifinal victory at Murrayfield, Glasgow Warriors tried their utmost to cut down the visiting scrumhalf’s time on the ball and curb his attacking power, but he spotted and utilised the slightest of gaps to score the momentum-swinger in the second half.
He’s the joint top try-scorer (12) in the competition, but it’s not even his visits to the opposition in-goal that makes him such a nightmare for those not on his side.
While he aces his role with his crisp passing and strong tactical kicking game, it’s his vision, reaction time, game awareness, blistering pace, sharp decision-making, and overall natural instincts that set him apart.
That alertness and lightning speed will be especially significant against Leinster’s quick rucks, and in a game where things can come down to fine margins, those split-second heroics he can so easily pull off will be vital.
Handre Pollard
The experienced flyhalf features in third place on the URC points-scored chart with 127 points, and a continuation of that connection with the tee will be much appreciated by the Bulls in a match where every point will count.
The fact that Leinster is the opposition, especially considering their fast starts, adds even more importance to Pollard’s contributions with the boot on Friday as keeping the scoreboard ticking should be one of their primary goals; you don’t want to put yourself in a high-pressure situation by being at the wrong end of a big margin early on.
The Bok 10 has scored the second-most conversions in the URC and wasn’t part of last season’s coach Jake White’s squad for the Final last year as he only returned to the Bulls from Leicester Tigers at the start of this season. The addition of his World Cup-winning experience and aptitude for pulling through in big matches will be valuable, so too his tactical kicking and game management.
Jeandre Rudolph
The breakdown specialist boasts the most turnovers won this season, with 20.
He will have his work cut out for him against the likes of Josh van der Flier and Caelon Doris, should he be cleared after suffering a knee injury in their semifinal victory over the Stormers, but whether the skipper features or not, the breakdown will be an all-important area regardless.
The Irish giants know that there will be backlash should they lose a second final in one season, and efficiently executing their major strengths, like quick recycling to secure their own ball and get it out to their backline or disrupting the opposition at the breakdown and catching their attacking support off guard, will be the goal. And if there is one man who can dampen Leinster’s quick ball plans, it’s Rudolph.
But apart from Rudolph, the Bulls aren’t short on breakdown brawn either, with the likes of Marco van Staden and Elrigh Louw more than capable of providing proper breakdown presence.
Wilco Louw
Not having their superstar loosehead Andrew Porter available for the biggest match of the URC season is a huge blow for the hosts and seeing him go up against Louw would have been an appetising subplot.
Louw, however, is a sight to behold at scrum time all by himself, and whether he or Francois Klopper gets the nod at No 3, the Bulls’ scrum can be a devastating weapon, especially with the former Stormers front-rower, the gold standard when it comes to tighthead props, in their arsenal.
Better yet, the Bulls have the front-row depth to ensure that they maintain the intensity for a full 80 minutes.
Kurt-Lee Arendse
It might be superb tries and pace that take centre stage in one’s mind when the winger’s name is spoken, but he also gets the job done in the more ‘behind the scenes’ roles.
Against Glasgow Warriors in the semifinal, his tap-tackle stopped what looked like a certain try – one that could very well have given the hosts an unassailable lead as they were already 21-3 up – while his kick chases also consistently helped keep the Scotsmen in their own half.
With that said, no piece of play will be easier on the eye for South Africans than Arendse on a direct flight to the try line.
