You can teach an old dog new tricks, just ask Bulls coach Jake White who has changed his approach at Loftus Versfeld ahead of the new United Rugby Championship (URC) season.
The Bulls kick off their campaign at home against Wales’ Scarlets on Saturday and as they hunt for silverware, White, speaking to the media earlier in the week, emphasised the need to improve their defence and also being bolder in team selections this season.
Having signed the likes of Willie le Roux, Wilco Louw, Akker van der Merwe, Henry Immelman, Jaco van der Walt, Jannes Kirsten and Sergeal Petersen and a klompie new assistant coaches namely , White says: “I’ve decided this year... [that to] go with the tried-and-tested from last season is probably the comfortable thing.
🚨 COME HOME 🚨
— Official Blue Bulls (@BlueBullsRugby) October 17, 2023
Witness our Vodacom #URC season opener 🏆
🎟️ TICKETS: https://t.co/yOYPu6yXwM
🐂 Vodacom Bulls Vs Scarlets
🗓️ 22 October
📍 Loftus Versfeld
🍻 OKTOBERFEST
⏰ Party starts at 12:00
🎶 Live Entertainment #BackTheBulls#DefendTheHerd#LoftusIsLekker pic.twitter.com/5JTgI65iaw
“But [I’ve decided] to get out of my comfort zone and pick guys who maybe haven’t played, and trying different combinations.
“If you look at what Rassie [Erasmus] has done, it’s a phenomenal thing to see. During the course of the year, they changed their flyhalves, they changed their front row... they weren’t scared to put different combinations on, and there is a success to it…
🍺 OKTOBERFEST 🍺
— Official Blue Bulls (@BlueBullsRugby) October 18, 2023
Witness our @vodacom #URC season opener 🏆
🎟️ TICKETS: https://t.co/yOYPu6yXwM
🐂 Vodacom Bulls Vs Scarlets
🗓️ 22 October
📍 Loftus Versfeld
⏰ Party starts at 12:00
🍻 OKTOBERFEST
🎶 Live Entertainment #BackTheBulls#DefendTheHerd#LoftusIsLekker pic.twitter.com/miw7SCYRot
“I was probably a little bit bang to do it…”
dailyvoice@inl.co.za