Veteran fullback Willie le Roux can’t wait to get back on the field on Saturday, as the Vodacom Bulls look to pick up speed against Dragons in Wales.
The Bulls will kick off a two-match tour in the Vodacom URC at Rodney Parade, followed by a clash against Leinster in Dublin next week, before returning to Pretoria for the Champions Cup playoff against Lyon at Loftus Versfeld.
In second place on the URC log, Jake White’s charges are firmly in the title hunt with seven rounds left in the league stage, and Le Roux emphasises the importance of building momentum after a hiatus for The Herd – and some personal highlights.
Speaking in a Bulls conference this week, he told reporters: “I got married, went on honeymoon; there were a lot of stop-start games [in the URC] so it was the right time to do that. There are other things in life other than just rugby!
“Like I said, it was a bit stop-start with the Six Nations so it was difficult to build momentum but we’re going all out again from this weekend, and with the training, and I’m refreshed and rested and looking forward to it.”
“We’re now in the middle of the season and this is where the ‘big’ rugby gets played,” Le Roux added. “The knockout matches and big matches that you need to win if you want home quarters and semis.
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“This is a make or break period in the season, so we can’t rest on our laurels of the Stormers game and need to build on that and get stronger as a team going forward and take a step back.”
Back in the Republic for what may be his swansong, the 93-Test Le Roux is among a quartet of 2023 Rugby World Cup-winning Springboks in the Bulls camp.
He has already made an impression on the younger players at the Pretoria outfit, serving as a mentor and leader in training, yet the 34-year-old playmaker believes it is a two-way street.
“You get to a stage in your career when you’re not as agile, if I can say, and it’s a bit different and you’ve learned a lot of things along the way,” Le Roux said.
“When I started I learnt from the older guys and how they do things, how they prepare and what they look for, and it’s instinct for me to share what I’ve learned.
“I’m always open to talking to anyone … and there are a lot of young guys who want to learn. But even me, I want to learn from the younger guys. It goes both ways; it’s not just me [teaching but] I’m learning from them.”
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Src: sarugbymag.co.za
