Jacques-Louis Potgieter
Vodacom Blue Bulls pivot Jacques-Louis Potgieter is confident his team has the right game plan to win playoffs as they prepare for their Absa Currie Cup semifinal against DHL Western Province at Newlands on Saturday.
Potgieter believes the momentum the Bulls have built up, coupled with their game plan will be enough to get his side over the semifinal hurdle against their old rivals.
The Bulls will head down to Cape Town as massive underdogs this weekend, having lost both their league games against Province this year and having very little to counter the Cape side’s expansive game when the teams have met.
But the turnaround came precisely after the Bulls lost their game against Province at Loftus Versfeld and despite a stutter against the Sharks, the Bulls have been steadily building after a poor start to the season to find themselves sneaking into the semifinals and now believe they can go the whole way.
SuperSport
The game plan, so maligned across the country, is the difference, especially with the pressure that playoff games bring. Potgieter believes his team can apply the pressure, impose their game plan and keep on knocking over the points to the extent that they cause a massive upset against the form team of the competition.
“I think we started to believe in the game we want to play,” Potgieter explained.
“The game we’re good at, you can play anywhere, whether it’s windy, raining or dry. That suits us as a team, so if the heavens open, then it will be fine. We can still play our type of game that we’re focusing on and what we’ve put together in training – whatever the weather may bring.”
While the forwards are a key aspect, Potgieter reckons it’s the outside backs that will make the difference and help him play the game plan he wants to impose. By making the right decisions out wide, Potgieter believes the Bulls can capitalise and score points when it is necessary.
“Luckily I’ve played in a few semis and finals in my career. The sort of stuff we’re working really suits our team,” he adds.
“One big thing which people often forget is that it is the outside guys who can make the inside a lot easier. Guys like Akona, Bjorn and Ulrich – if they chat a lot and give you some options then the option-making becomes a little bit easier.
“I’m relying on the guys on my outside to chat a lot. William is a good guy in terms of communication. I’m positive that they will make the right decisions at the right time in the game.”
But he is realistic in saying the forward battle will be where the game will be won or lost, especially with Province boasting a powerful loose trio at the moment.
“The team with the most points on the scoreboard will win,” he says with a laugh. “Up front is definitely where it will be won. They have a good pack of forwards and three good loosies.
“If the battle up front falls in our favour we will have a good game, but yes, it’s those tighties in the front, on set-pieces especially. It will be a game of set-pieces. If the guys up front can come to the party I think we can have a good chance of having a good game.”
Games against the old enemy are always full of emotion, so there’s no need to hype it up this week. The Bulls know what they need to do, and know they need to overcome their underdog tag.
“There is no need for anyone to put more emotion into the game than there already is. It’s special playing at Newlands. There is always a nice crowd there.
“Bulls v WP is always a big game. I can remember when I was a little kid, when the teams faced each other, it’s something people watched.
“We shouldn’t put too much emotion into it this week, the emotion will come in those 80 minutes.”
If the Bulls can put Potgieter’s belief into practice, they will go in with a good chance. But winning at Newlands isn’t easy, and the last time they played there they were on the wrong end of a 40-point loss.
Belief and momentum, and an accurate game plan will be crucial to not repeating that this weekend.
Bulls select Pollard at centre…!! UnbelievaBULL…!!
I can’t believe Pollard was picked at 12!
Meanwhile Rautenbach has been picked as hooker sub by WP – Stephan Coetzee imo is much better. As I have said before Rautenbach has attended the Deon Fourie school of lineout throwing !! WP will be stuffed if Scarra has to leave the field
So Elstadt has been picked at 6. Steggies will have a field day at the rucks with not fetcher in the WP side
@ ufo:
If he has the “skills” he should be fine.
I more worried about JLP potgieter at flyhalf, he is the “safe option” and will halt any attacking momentum.
@ charlesm:
I don’t know why you are worried about Steggies, any advantage the BB’s may get with him is immediately nullified by the other two loose forwards the Blue bulls have.
@ MacroBlouBul:
I know your views about Ross and I can’t disagree. Du Plessis has improved though.
@ charlesm:
lol im not as bad as the other guys regarding ross… but carr is just a much better player.
Jacque dup had a good year so far, he started it by running full speed back at players while last year it used to be a mere jog… It feels like that jog is back and he does not seems overly committed.
I think Carr will play more a fetcher role anyway, with both Rhodes and Rynardt at his sides.
@ charlesm:
Ross is about as usefull as a marzipan dildo.
@ MacroBlouBul:
If you take the letters from the names Rhodes and Elstadt they spell red card.
gunther wrote:
Well i suppose, we do have that going for us 😀
3 @ MacroBlouBul:
why would play the best flyhalf in the franchise… and the country… at 12…?
he was brilliant over the last few tests… why not let him build on that for his franchise… and his country…
but maybe i’m tangled up in blue… 😉
2 @ charlesm:
with you on rautenbach… stephan coetzee should be there…
also can’t believe that pat howard is not there but EW is…
EW may be ‘promising’… but pat is ‘producing’…!! which do we need in a tough semi…?
@ ufo:
I agree with you, I would rather play him at ten.
12 @ MacroBlouBul:
yeah bud… we’ve struggled for many years now to find a decent flyhalf… pat lambie has been messed around but finally proved himself to everyone… i think…
and hendre has produced the goods big time too… really very exciting young player… with a mature head on his shoulders…
why would anyone play either hendre or pat anywhere but at flyhalf ever again…?
i really don’t understand it… hope it doesn’t mess with the young guy’s mind… (even if he has an old head on his shoulders..).
@ ufo:
I agree – Pat should have been on the bench !
@ ufo:
Fully agree with you and Charles re Rautenbach and Howard.
Rautenbach is a liability and if anything happens to Scarra we will most likely not win any further lineouts on our own throw. Howard has been drawing the short end of the stick for quite a while.. AC just does not seem to want to give him a fair chance to establish himself in the team.
The only reason that I can possibly think of to justify the selection of EW is that they are worried about the fitness of Kolbe as EW can cover fullback and wing.
@ charlesm:
i’m starting to worry we’re gonna lose pat howard… he should be in the team before michael… imo… and definitely before EW…
pat had very good games in just about every chance he’s been given… and then been dropped immediately thereafter…?
sheesh… AC really needs a pipe upside the head sometimes…!!
15 @ robzim:
hi rob… yours must’ve gone up while i was scrawling mine…
yeah… agree with all your comments… obviously…
after EW’s ineffectually first outing… I’d still go with pat to cover fullback…!!
@ charlesm:
I can only imagine Pat is injured, he is an awesome player and potent Center.
14 @ charlesm:
at least…
as rob says… he’s been pulling the short straw for a good while now…
he’s gonna get whipped from under ac’s nose any second now…
Why play Pollard at 12 when Cat and Groom are at 10 and 9 and defensively they not highly rated.
Makes no sense.
@ ufo:
I dont see a future for Pat Howard at PW to be honest.
Pollard at 12 is not such a bad thing?
Carter, Le Roux, Honniball, Morne and a few others did it.
@ Jeraldjay:
Frans Ludeke wants to remove all sort of hype of a possible upset 😀
Ball.art and JLP will switch around alot too. Our type of Bulls rugby 🙂
@ shooter:
The biggest problem the bulls face is JLP at 10, renders pollard and WSS ineffective… then again, Polly might slip into the 10 channel on attck.
Pollard played a game at 12 recently for bulls, in S15.
He was great 12 in Varsity cup.
In the S15 the defence was a bit up.
Maybe he is more conditioned now. He will create problems again.
21 @ MacroBlouBul:
well, not if they don’t use him…! 👿
Indeed. JLP what a beaut.
@ ufo:
Where would they use him though? People would scream murder if he was ever selected ahead of JDJ? and JDJ pas another 3-4 years at least
How welcome is the Sharks and JW going to be at Ellispark this weekend. 🙂
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