While playing down talk of revenge for last season’s mauling, Jake White wants to see Investec Champions Cup rivals Northampton Saints try to run the Vodacom Bulls ragged on the Highveld.
The Bulls host the Saints at Loftus Versfeld in round 2 of the EPCR competition and White’s charges will look to make the most of homeground advantage and the warm weather conditions following an opening-round defeat against Saracens in London last week.
The Herd’s 2023-24 Champions Cup campaign was cut short in April by a 59-22 quarter-final defeat to Northampton at Franklin’s Gardens.
The Saints arrive in the Republic off an emphatic victory against Castres and, speaking in a Bulls conference on Friday, White is eager to see how the visitors adapt to the venue’s notorious high-altitude factor.
“I do not talk about revenge and the old days of, ‘we do not like them; they do not like us’ is old news. Rugby is different now,” the director of rugby told reporters.
“[Saints] beat us last year, and they beat us fair and square. So what happened last year has now become immaterial, modern rugby players do not feed off the revenge perspective.
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“They have five international backs and the other backs are just as dangerous, and they were there when they carved us to pieces last year. What I am looking forward to is to see if they can play their way at altitude with the heat and travel, and if they do, then hats off to them,” he said.
“If they can come to Loftus and run like they like to run, play like they want to play and can play, and beat us here; then you have got to say that they are a good team.”
On the pressure of having to win to keep their tournament hopes alive, White adds, “Our progression in the tournament is not necessarily pinned on tomorrow’s results but every Saturday is a must-win for us.
“Even if you are playing a friendly or pre-season, that’s the club we represent.”
Skipper Elrigh Louw is one of eight changes to the Bulls lineup this week, The back-row powerhouse is set to make his first appearance since returning from Springbok duty, but fellow flanker Marco van Staden has been ruled out due to surgery.
“Marco [van Staden] has had to go for an ankle repair, Mpilo [Gumede] is still serving his suspension and Nizaam [Carr] had his appendicitis removed,” White remarked on selection and squad availability for the Bulls.
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