Western Province’s slogan for this week is simple: “Whatever it takes”.
Coach John Dobson and his charges are keen to turn the tables on the Blue Bulls following their 47-29 drubbing at the hands of the Pretoria side in the third round of the Currie Cup.
But Dobson is also carefully managing the emotions ahead of Friday’s return encounter at Newlands, and is trying to keep his players calm, yet focussed on trying to avenge that defeat.
“We are going into the weekend with full intensity. It is balls to the wall and everything we can get. Whatever it takes,” Dobson said on Monday.
“You don’t want to be too caught up in negative emotion, but I think if you are a South African rugby player, those 25 minutes at Loftus is something that will rankle anybody. This is a chance to put things right.
“We have had to read over the last few weeks that Bulls are the future of SA rugby and how they out-Provinced Province. The reality is, if we get five points and they don’t get any, then we are on the same amount of log points. It’s about restoring the pride.”
WP are probably a better side than the team who faced the Bulls last month, as two bonus-point wins against Griquas and the Sharks have again put them in striking distance of the second-placed rivals in light blue.
But the thing is, the supporters haven’t quite seen the best of WP yet, as they have regularly mixed the sublime with the daft this season. But there is a feeling that things are slowly coming together, and when they do click for 80 minutes, this team could be very hard to stop.
WP showed in 10 minutes against the Sharks what they are capable of when everything just came together like the notes of a Mozart piece.
They scored three brilliant tries to take the game away from the Sharks, and then held on by executing their scrum and lineouts to perfection.
However, they are still a bit off key in many departments, including their tactical kicking, discipline at the breakdown and handling errors on attack. “The Bulls derailed our campaign and there were elements of that game that were embarrassing,” Dobson said.
“Our defence was an issue, and stopping the Bulls’ momentum. These are two key areas we have to improve on from our last match. We are still not where we should be. Our discipline was poor and our kicking game wasn’t good on Saturday.
“We have shown glimpses against Griquas and the Sharks about what we can do. We just need more of that now.”
Dobson has a bit of a headache in terms of selection this week following the performances of some of the rookies against the Sharks.
Young Robert du Preez is set to continue at flyhalf as there still seems to be some doubt surrounding Kurt Coleman’s calf injury he sustained ahead of the Sharks game.
Du Preez had a good outing against the Sharks, and looks a bright prospect for the future. A run at No 10 against the arch-enemy at Newlands will also be a great experience for him if Coleman is not fit to play.
Centre Huw Jones also laid down a big marker with an impressive display against the Sharks. The Englishman broke through a few tackles to set up Dillyn Leyds’s try in that thrilling 10-minute period in the second half.
Jaco Taute is fit again to play again after a tight groin last week. Dobson also revealed yesterday that injured captain Juan de Jongh could be ready for the match against the Lions on October 2. So the competition in the centres is going to be fierce over the next few weeks.
A call will be made about the fitness of No 8 Nizaam Carr today after he missed the Sharks game with a tight hamstring. - Cape Times