There is a temptation to describe Willie le Roux’s thoughts on Saturday’s URC final at Croke Park as bullish, but a fairer expression is forthright. The Bulls have come to play and to win.
The 35-year-old fullback has never shirked a confrontation on the pitch. He is occasionally spiky, but with that temperament comes a player of sublime attacking instincts. When the Bulls beat Leinster in last year’s URC semi-final at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, Le Roux helped pick the Irish province apart with his cross-field punting.
It is his running game, though, for which the double World Cup-winning Springbok is acclaimed. He has never shied away from a counterattack, irrespective of field position. It is a course of action that carries its own tariff when things go awry. He preaches this gospel, especially to younger players.
“The bit of advice I can give younger guys is that it (a final) is the same as playing the first game of the season,” he said. “It’s not to put this (final) on a pedestal and make it that much bigger that you go into your shell, you don’t want to try stuff, you don’t want to run from your own half and you don’t want to try something.
“That is not what got us here in the first place. We got here through taking chances. We see an opportunity, we take it. That is what you must do in those big games as well, whether you make a mistake or not. It’s about putting yourself out there, putting yourself in the battle.
You must be able to pull the trigger and take that because you might not get a lot of chances
— Willie Le Roux
“You might lose a few battles, but you might also win. That’s just the little things that I tell the guys. Try and ask for the ball, get your hands on the ball and do as much as you can. You might lose a few battles but it’s about getting back up and putting yourself into as many as you can. And have no doubts.”
He pointed to the disparate strengths of players and the importance of not being overwhelmed by the occasion. “You shouldn’t wait,” said Le Roux. “If you’re a winger, you don’t wait outside on the wing to get the ball; you come in and you work off your wing and you get your hands on the ball as much as you can, because it doesn’t help not putting yourself into battles.”
In continuing the theme, Le Roux spoke about the fine line in game management when it comes to putting the team in the right areas of the pitch and being swift in the decision-making process. “I think the balance is knowing when to attack and when to kick,” he said. “In these types of games, you might only get one or two [opportunities]. That might be a turnover on your try line and that is the time to take your chance.
“It might be in the first minute. You must be able to pull the trigger and take that because you might not get a lot of chances.”
Le Roux emphasised the importance of players making decisions on the pitch. “You’ve got a senior group making the calls. It’s about making the right calls at the right times, the plays: ‘Should we go [for the] posts? Should we go for a lineout?’ Do you feel you have them under pressure or do you feel they have the pressure on you?
“So, it’s a big thing about making the right calls at the right times as well, and taking chances. And I think that it’s a good core group of guys making decisions on the field together, knowing the roles, knowing when to do what.
“I think we are very tight as a group and we understand what our plan is. You can’t not go out there, put a smile on your face and go enjoy it on the biggest stage. So, yeah, we’re looking forward to it.”
[ Six of the best games between Leinster and Bulls ahead of URC finalOpens in new window ]
The Bulls, who have lost two finals in three years, are hoping it’s third time lucky at Croke Park. Scratch that. They are not going to be paralysed by the pressure to end that sequence. It is not a hope thing. Le Roux points to a simple focus, to embrace and enjoy the experience and play for your brothers, one of whom is missing but not forgotten.
He played alongside Cornal Hendricks in several teams. Hendricks, who died of a heart attack last month aged 37, was a friend as much as a teammate.
“He would light up a room when he walked in,” said Le Roux.
The Bulls might have taken a little umbrage with the phrase “mission impossible”, which has been used in some quarters to describe Saturday’s assignment. Bolstered by a strong belief in their ability, uncertainty shouldn’t be a factor. Leinster know that from past experiences.
