VIDEO: Bulls star reveals key to beating Premiership giants
VIDEO: Springbok and Bulls loose forward Nizaam Carr says one has to show toughness when playing Northampton Saints.
The Bulls left South African shores on Tuesday evening for their Champions Cup quarterfinal fixture on Saturday night.
The Bulls’ No. 8 has intimate knowledge of playing against teams like the Saints after spending two years with English club side Wasps.
Carr spoke to the media this week shortly after their last training session in the rain in Pretoria and he shared his thoughts on what the Bulls can expect from one of the top sides in the competition.
“I think they are coming off a few good wins now. The game I specifically watched was the one against Saracens.
“I’ve been up north and I’ve always lost to Sarries. I think I’ve beaten them once out of the seven times I’ve played them.
“And Sarries had their top team, their international players as well. So to put them away, I thought that was really impressive,” Carr said.
“And last week the Munster game, I thought they were really good. Their variation on attack from defence, how they create points from turnover ball. That is something that they are obviously known for and dangerous for.”
He indicated that the Bulls had to limit unforced errors and stick to a forward-orientated game.
“I think we have to keep it tight and try to keep it to a forward game. Because that is maybe something that they are not looking forward to.
“But every time I have played them, you have to show a real toughness about the thing that you are doing on the day.
“Against any team, they don’t like it if you are up in their faces the whole time.”
On what the Bulls had to do to pull off a victory, Carr was quite adamant and once again falling back on his experience of the type of conditions to be expected in England.
“I think we will have to be a little bit tighter, we can’t pass big passes, unless it’s a miracle pass.
“The ball is wet so you have to change your catching plan and things like that. And if it’s windy, your kicking game changes.
“Obviously we’ve got some plans up our sleeve preparing for both types of games.
“As you would’ve seen, we are always adding another string to the bow to maybe move the ball, kick the ball, play territory or up with the forwards, stuff like that.”
Carr has special memories from his Wasps days playing against the likes of Lewis Ludlam and Courtney Lawes, two of the big guns in Saints’ armour.
“I remember Courtney tackling me on my hip flexes and I couldn’t run after that and I had to go off, so that’s not a good memory I have of him tackling me. I know how physical he is.
“What an absolute legend, same as Ludlam. Really tough, fights it out to the end, really fit and he pushes his body and he puts his head in the dark places that not every normal rugby player wants to do.
“So, if you can kind of stay away from those guys and them getting over the ball for poaching, it will be a good day for us,” the big friendly No.8 shared.
