The Lowdown on Bulls' Currie Cup plan
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Bulls are more than ready to put the ‘negative and sad’ European season behind them and focus on the Currie Cup says loose forward Elrigh Louw.
The Bulls’ United Rugby Championship season came to an end courtesy of a 21-33 defeat to the Stormers in the quarterfinal at Cape Town Stadium last weekend.
Their Champions Cup campaign was just as troubling, ending after a 9-33 defeat to Stade Toulousain in the Round of 16 last month.
Louw said the team is energised and fully focused on their plan for the Currie Cup.
“There is a huge sense of disappointment. We are negative and sad about how our European seasons [Champions Cup and URC] played out,” Louw said.
“We have nobody to blame for our misfortune. However, for us, it’s about putting the past behind us.
“Obviously there are a couple of ways to do stuff. Some teams did it one way and we did it another way. It was all trial and error.
“If we won the URC, we would’ve been praising the way we did stuff but it didn’t go our way, so I think it’s easy to point fingers and say this person did that wrong and that decision was not right and so forth.
“But we have learned a lot of lessons in the URC, so I wouldn’t say we did something right or wrong.
“We have a new refined energy after the URC. We are extra motivated to finish the Currie Cup on a high note.
“We have a goal and plan for what we are going to do the rest of the season.”
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He added: “Even though there are two or three competitions running at the same time, you can never take away how special the Currie Cup is.
“So if all goes well and if we do get an opportunity to play in the play-offs there would be nothing more special for me than to lift that trophy again.”
The Bulls are in another difficult conundrum. The side, who are currently in second-last with just three wins (17 points), need to win all their remaining Currie Cup fixtures should they want to secure a play-off spot.
The first task is to dispatch last year’s finalist Griquas in Kimberley. The last time these two sides met the Bulls recorded a 40-3 win in Round Five.
“It is going to be a very different Griqaus team, especially when you travel to their home.
“If they get their tails in the air you have a long day ahead of you.
“For us, it’s focusing on us and our plan and the plan for the weekend.”
Far from perfect
Louw has become a vital cog for the Bulls squad. The former Junior Springbok delivered some impressive performances and one can’t deny his talent will make sure he dons the Springbok jersey again in the future.
Commenting on his season, the 23-year-old revealed he is far from content with his own performance.
“The way things went, we [Bulls] weren’t playing the way we want to so in some respect I take that on my personal game as well,” Louw said.
“I’m not where I would like to be in terms of playing but it is part of the lessons learned.”
When asked about Marcell Coetzee’s possible return to the loose trio combinations for this weekend against Griquas, Louw said he is very excited.
The Bulls will announce their team to face the Griquas on Friday.
