Bulls can't afford to rest on their laurels
Bulls flanker Wikus van Heerden has warned his team-mates that they can't afford to rest on their laurels when they face the Crusaders on Saturday.
The defending champions will be without their six All Black superstars, but will still be as dangerous as ever as they will be playing to cement their places before the stars return next week. But there is a sense of self-confidence in the Bulls team - not least because they have won two on the road so far, but also because there is a sense that they can pull off a famous victory in Christchurch this weekend.
The Bulls remain the only South African side to win in Christchurch in the history of the southern hemisphere competition, but that was 11 long years ago in 1996 and the drought has been unbroken since.
According to Van Heerden, who has settled in as one of the heroes of the revived campaign thus far, the Bulls will need to be at their best this weekend.
"It's a last game scenario for most of these guys," said Van Heerden. "Most of them won't be playing next week when the All Blacks return and they'll want to put in a last hurrah for the competition to remind their coach how good they are. We know that will make them just as dangerous as if their national players are in the team."
The game presents the Bulls with a significant mindshift as well, knowing that they had a chance last year in the semifinals, but fluffed it after a long trip from South Africa.
This year, the tables have been turned and the Bulls are on a high, while the Crusaders are on a strange plane where they are in limbo, waiting for their stars to return to begin their final assault on the title in coach Robbie Deans's final year in charge.
Meanwhile, while Frikkie Welsh arrived safely in Christchurch, it seems he will warm the bench this weekend with SA Under-21 winger Marius Delport making only his second start at outside centre in his career.
Delport has played wing and fullback at junior level, but never at outside centre. But the Bulls have little other choice than to blood the youngster, as Welsh first needs to work off the effects of jetlag.
It seems also that Meyer will rest only captain Victor Matfield this weekend, with the suspension of JP Nel hampering his plans to rotate the squad more. Fourie du Preez is certain to take over the captain's armband if that happens.