As the Vodacom Bulls await the outcome of another disciplinary hearing, forward Reinhardt Ludwig welcomes the “great learning curve” that comes with playing under pressure, reports DEVIN HERMANUS.
The Bulls, currently fourth on the overall Vodacom URC standings, are looking to finish their three-week European tour on a high when they face Benetton in a round 6 clash in Treviso on Friday.
Speaking in a Bulls conference from Italy on Tuesday, Ludwig addressed the Bulls’ need for improvement following a narrow defeat to the Scarlets last week. That match was marred by a dubious red card for hooker Johan Grobbelaar, which played a crucial role in the Herd’s first loss of the season.
“It definitely has an influence going forward for the rest of the week, planning the squad,” said Ludwigg. “It’s probably more difficult for the coaches than the players. But it definitely has an influence on preparations.
“That’s rugby and we need to adapt, but it can be frustrating.”
This was the second consecutive match in which the Bulls saw red after David Kriel’s dismissal against Ospreys two weeks ago, with his card later rescinded.
“A red card is never nice for a player but what’s heartbreaking for us is when red cards are later downgraded… But in the moment of the game it doesn’t help anyone,” Ludwig added. “We’ll prepare as if it’s [Grobbelaar’s] a red card and if it isn’t, we’ll work around that.”
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The 22-year-old Ludwig, who took over as captain during the final stages of the Scarlets game, reflected on the pressure that came with leading a team while down a man.
“It was challenging to lift the boys because we were one point behind, but it was a great learning curve for me as a leader in the team, to make decisions under pressure and keep the boys calm,” he said.
“Unfortunately, it’s not always easy, but I think if it was easy, anyone could be a leader or captain.”
Despite leading at half time, the Bulls missed several chances to close out the game. “We still had a chance at the end and had a lot of opportunities that we missed, so we can only blame ourselves for that loss,” Ludwig admitted. “It was a great learning curve for a lot of the guys.”
With one round left of the current URC block of matches before the international break, Ludwig knows the importance of finishing the tour with a victory.
“Mentally, it helps to know you only have one game left and you’re off for a couple of weeks,” he said. “It’s one week we have to stick together and fight it through.”
The Bulls face a Benetton side that has shown signs of revival this season, winning against the Dragons in round 5. “Benetton is a physical pack, big forwards, they love to run the ball, and their ruck speed is one of the quickest of the competition,” Ludwig explained.
“The things we can improve on from last week definitely include our set piece, to help create strike pressure. It was messy, it was scrappy… that’s a work-on for this week.”
Photo: Chris Fairweather/Gallo Images
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