Brains to beat brawn in Super Final
Wed, 26 May 2010 22:36
Cool, calm and collected: Bulls coach Frans Ludeke.
The ability to remain calm, and focussed, under the most intense pressure is what wins major play-offs. That is why the Bulls have become such a formidable foe on both the domestic and international stage in recent years.
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke, speaking to rugby365.com in the build-up to Saturday's Super 14 Final against the Stormers, admitted that mental fortitude will play a major role in the Soweto showpiece.
The Bulls will aim to win their third Super Rugby title in four years, which will see them join the Blues in second place on the all-time list - with the Crusaders' seven titles putting them well clear as the competition's most successful outfit.
However, despite being the only South African team to have won this SANZAR showpiece, Ludeke knows that his men will need to produce something special against a quality Stormers outfit on Saturday.
At least the experience of previous Super Rugby finals will come in handy.
"It doesn't matter if it is a Final or not, on the day of the game it is more mental," Ludeke told rugby365.com, when asked what it will take to win the big game.
He said a lot depends on your preparation in the build-up, because that is where you sow the seeds of success.
"You can so easily lose the plot, if your planning is not done well and you are not properly prepared."
He felt that the ability to "make the right decisions under pressure" comes through doing the hard work in training.
"Obviously a lot of factors come into play, but on the day of the game 90 percent of it comes down to your mental state.
"During the build-up, throughout the week, it is about the physical work you put in, because you require those skills on matchday."
The Bulls, in their two appearances in finals - 2007, when they beat the Sharks 20-19 with a last-minute try, and 2009, when they blew the Chiefs away, 61-17 - they showed they have the grit to grind out a win and the skill to run the opposition ragged.
However, the Orlando Stadium in Soweto on Saturday will present them with another huge challenge and a very different challenge in a quality Stormers outfit.
"Every Final is unique in its own way and every season is unique," Ludeke said, adding: "There are a lot of things that happen during the season that makes it special and very different from other seasons.
"We are privileged to be in the Final and having won two Finals is a blessing - it tells you, you are doing something right."
Some of the lessons learnt from the many finals the Bulls featured in in recent years, both domestic and international, have taught them a few valuable lessons.
"It is about the team that use their chances, that stay calm and stick to their systems - it is the opportunities you finish in the game that counts.
"Yes, the fact that we know exactly how it is in a Final is an advantage.
"The systems we have in place and have used all year will again come into play in the Final. There will be nothing new or out of the ordinary, we believe in what we do.
"Just look at the players, they are a group that works very hard, they are playing for each other and they want to be successful.
"And once you have tasted that success, you hunger for more.
"We know this is a specially occasion and a great opportunity and we are all looking forward to it."
By Jan de Koning