Jake White says the Bulls will learn from their previous meeting with Glasgow Warriors when the teams are reunited in tomorrow evening’s URC grand final.
The South Africans had “the foot on their throats” as they hared into a 37-10 lead in the league match between the sides at Loftus Versfeld last month.
A strong Glasgow comeback, however, saw them finish within six points and claim two losing bonus points.
READ MORE: Five things we learned as Glasgow fightback falls short against the Bulls
Bulls will be heavy favourites to come out on top on home soil in front of a 52,000 sell-out crowd but White, their charismatic director of rugby, knows they can’t afford to take Warriors lightly.
“One thing we did take away from that game is that we had the foot on their throats but dropped the ball when we could have been 40 points ahead,” he recalled. “David Kriel went through a hole on their 22 and tried to offload but the ball went to ground – and I think what we then realised that Glasgow just don’t go away.
“Sometimes as a coach, and as a group of players, when you allow them to come back like that it is probably a good thing for us, because we will never go into this game underestimating the fact that it won’t be one-sided.
“We were told we were favourites last week against Leinster as well so it’s something that we’re getting used to now. Those days of everyone thinking we are underdogs [are gone]. But favourites count for nothing.
"As I said last week people told me that Leinster should be underdogs but I don’t get involved in that.
READ MORE: Bulls rookie dismisses favourites tag ahead of URC Grand Final
“I’m fully aware of the fact that Glasgow played really well against Munster. Not many teams have beaten Munster, not just in Munster but anywhere. This year they won about 11 games in a row and last year they won about 9 in a row to win the competition. So to do what Glasgow did last week – I’d probably make them favourites.”
There was good and bad news on the injury front for the Bulls. Springbok full-back Willie le Roux misses out with the head injury sustained in the semi-final win over Leinster but that’s offset with the return of Kurt-Lee Arendse on the wing just a fortnight after undergoing cheekbone surgery.
“With Willie, I think in the old, old, old days probably a doctor would have asked, ‘Can you see my three fingers?’ and he would have said yes and he would have been available to play,” joked White.
“But you can imagine now with protocols and concussion and the fear of head injuries, which I understand, there’s no way we could fast-track anything.
"He failed his HIA, there’s an obligatory time that you have to be off. He wants to play, he keeps saying he thinks he’s fine, but that’s a great sign for where we are as a group, because everyone wants to be part of this final.
“And with Kurt-Lee, Antoine Dupont had a cheek fracture and played in the quarter-final of a World Cup against South Africa. The doctor was impressed and really happy with how Kurt-Lee has recovered.
“Obviously you can’t target anyone’s head - it’s actually illegal to play a guy around his head - so there’s no fear of anything other than the fact that he wants to be a part of it.
“Doctor says he’s happy, specialist says he’s happy. To have him back, especially because we’re losing a guy with Willie’s experience, is fantastic for us.”
Read the rules here