No chances at Newlands
The Blue Bulls have shown some variety on attack this season, but they are not likely to take too many chances at Newlands on Saturday.
It is always a tense occasions when the North-South rivalry is reignited, and with neither side keen to slip off the pace in the six-team Currie Cup the stakes are already quite high just a few weeks into the season.
The Blue Bulls have shown a willingness to mix it up on attack this season, but given the nature of the opposition and their strengths the Pretoria outfit are likely to stick their familiar structure in what should be a pressurised environment this weekend.
Coach Pine Pienaar admitted to this website that the union is trying to use the Currie Cup as a means to develop their attacking game in Super Rugby, which means that the players are being given more freedom to express themselves in the right situation.
"One thing that I definitely said to the players in the Currie Cup is that here and there I want them to make their own decisions and give them a bit more freedom to play what they see.
"I want to give them a bit of freedom so in one game it might come through and in other games maybe we will struggle a bit more but we have definitely focused on getting a bit more variation on attack to see what we can use in Super Rugby," he said.
However Pienaar explained that Western Province's defensive strength and their desperation for a win at home will make them particularly tough customers, which means that neither side is likely to complicate things too much.
"You have to prepare differently for each game, Province this coming weekend will ask us different questions. They are definitely the union with the best defensive structure so we will play a little differently against them.
"They will definitely come out all guns blazing. You know it is a short competition so you want to win your home games. I know they lost their first home game against the Sharks, but it is the old North-South derby and they will have their backs to the wall.
"They get a lot of energy out of defence so if you carry the ball a lot against them and they knock you back and turn you over, that is where they normally come into play," he said.
Pienaar said that despite their issues up front, he expects Western Province to provide a stern physical test, and added that he is also aware of their counter-attacking potential which will demand an accurate performance from his side.
"I know that is something that a guy like Matthew Proudfoot will sort out, again I think having a guy like Tiaan Liebenberg out makes a big difference, but with a guy like Rynhardt Elstadt back they will have some extra physicality.
"They are a very well-drilled defensive side so they will always ask you questions on defence, and if you make mistakes I think with the type of backs they have like Marcel Brache and Gio Aplon they will definitely punish you," he said.
By Michael de Vries
