Wilco inspired by Bulls champions of yesteryear

With the Bulls playing for a place in the URC final, scrum juggernaut Wilco Louw says the team is motivated by a desire to “live up” to the achievements of the union’s former champions.

The Bulls secured their semi-final place after recovering from a 21-8 deficit to beat Edinburgh 42-33 at Loftus on Saturday. Now, they host a Sharks side that advanced to the final four after edging Munster 6-4 in a dramatic penalty shootout in Durban, following a 24-24 draw in regulation time.

“When you walk into the change rooms you see the champions wall with all of this union’s achievements,” said Louw. “You feel that rich history, all the cups they have won. We want to live up to that.

“We don’t do it for ourselves, we do it for this incredible union, for our family and friends. We do it for something bigger than ourselves.”

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The Bulls won three Super Rugby titles between 2007 and 2010, but arguably their biggest achievement since has been in contesting two of the three URC finals to date. A third trip to the big game will be an impressive feat on its own, and Louw believes the mix of experience and youth in the squad deserves much credit for a promising campaign.

“We’ve got experience to the max with Willie le Roux and Johan Goosen, and then we’ve got exciting new talent like Cameron Hanekom,” he said. “The most important thing is we enjoy this company. It’s nice to come into work. There’s a vibe, and the other boys want to be here.”

The Sharks enjoyed their time in Pretoria earlier this season, adding a 29-19 win to go with the 20-17 victory in Durban as they finished the league phase just one place below the Bulls on the overall log. The SA Shield holders boast a squad rich in Bok experience and will challenge the Bulls.

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“The Sharks were incredibly strong throughout the 100 minutes against Munster – they have a strong kicking game, powerful scrum, and effective mauls,” said Louw, whose fearsome scrummaging will be central to the Bulls’ hopes of gaining ascendancy over their coastal rivals.

“If we get dominance early in the scrum, we can build on that to create momentum in the maul or kicking game. It will be a tough challenge this weekend.”

Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images