VIDEO: Former Bok coach will prep Leinster says Bulls captain
VIDEO: Bulls captain Ruan Nortje reckons Jacques Nienaber, senior coach at Leinster, will use his knowledge of the South African players to prepare his team for the big United Rugby Championship clash in Dublin on Friday.
The World Cup-winning coach has already made his mark and led the Irish team to dominate the URC standings and the Champions Cup.
Nienaber’s meticulous planning and inspirational aura have earned him worldwide acclaim and he will not disappoint in preparing his side for the top of the table clash with the Bulls.
Nortje says there is not doubt that Nienaber will ensure his side for this weekend’s game, brimming with international stars, will have intimate knowledge of Jake White’s Bulls.
“We know coach Jacques is very good at what he does and he will most definitely make sure his players understands us like a book,” Nortje said.
“So I think at the end of the day it will be for us more about making sure we are well prepared.
“We will have to bring huge effort and show up on the day.”
He said he was expecting more of what the Dragons brought against them last week, which were a lot of pressure at the breakdowns.
“The Dragons targeted us hard at the breakdowns and I think this weekend it will be even worse.
“I think they will try and disrupt us and will try and make the game as slow as possible.
That is where one wants to be, to test yourself against the best and to be in a position to play against some of the best players in the world,” the captain said.
“I think it is important to embrace that opportunity, to prepare as well as we possibly can and to enjoy the moment.”
Asked what he thought the reason would be for the South African teams to have delivered such good results over the weekend, two of them away from home, Nortje said the more teams travel, the better they get at it.
“Travelling has always been a talking point, but I think the more you do it, the more you can learn and adapt how to be better.
“That’s probably how the South African teams are doing better. I think it is more about learning from previous experiences and what can be done to recover quicker to get your mindset right.”
He talked about the difference in sizes of the crowds in South Africa compared to those overseas, and said the local derbies are always a massive affair.
“With the big derbies in South Africa it is always nice to have all the fans there.
“But for me, I love playing in Ireland. If you go to Munster, Belfast – it is awesome to see how the fans interact and how they get behind a team.
“And after the game, the respect they have for you and how they interact with visiting teams. For me personally I really enjoy it. It’s awesome to see how much the people love their rugby.”
