'It's personal': Bok prop fires challenge to Lions ahead of Bulls showdown
SPOTLIGHT: Lions prop Boan Venter concedes his side will have to ‘match fire with fire’ when they square off against the Bulls in Round Three of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
The Juskei Derby will present the Lions with an opportunity to notch up a third straight win after a flawless start to their campaign.
After edging Leinster 27-26 in the opening round, Ivan van Rooyen’s men dispatched the Ospreys 35-19 last week in a display of brute power and dominance upfront.
The Lions’ scrum was a wrecking machine, while their rolling maul was equally ruthless, producing two tries.
Venter was one of the key figures behind his side’s dominance, and is set to play in his first derby for the Lions against the Bulls on the weekend.
With the fixture holding massive significance, Venter admitted there has been a different feel around the Lions camp, and intensity at training has increased.
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“It’s definitely a bit more personal,” he said.
“We know all of the guys personally on that side of the Jukskei, and we’re definitely looking forward to the game.
“As I said, it’s always a bit more personal because you know the guys, you know everyone by name, and some of them we’re good mates with. It’s a completely different challenge, but it’s a good vibe in camp.”
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Unlike the Lions, the Bulls will be desperate to get back to winning ways after going down to Munster last week.
Johan Ackermann’s troops were in a position to win the match but let it slip and were left to rue missed chances. As a result, they succumbed to a 22-26 loss in Limerick.
Despite the loss, Venter believes they will still be a handful to deal with.
“It’s tough to judge [the Bulls] two games in.
“They’ve had a good start as well; their set-piece is going strong as always.
“They are physical, and that’s what they’ve been known for for the last few years. We kind of know what’s coming; we kind of just need to match fire with fire and see who comes out on top.”
Venter, who joined the Lions from Edinburgh, made his debut for the Johannesburg side against the All Blacks during Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry.
He said he’s adapted well to the team’s systems and calls, but has also brought back valuable lessons and experiences from the Bok camp, which he’s imparting on to his teammates.
“The experience at the Boks is just a different class.
“The guys you get to scrum against in the Springbok camp, I think that in itself gives you a lot of experience and teaches you a lot of lessons.
“It’s nice to be able to bring that back here, and work with the younger guys and keep learning so we can move forward.
“The set-piece plays a massive role, as you saw in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry with the Boks. If you get that done right, the rest just falls into place much easier.”
The loosehead prop will have to bring his A-game on Saturday, with fellow Springbok stars set to line up against him in what promises to be a tasty scrum battle.
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