The Vodacom Bulls have taken a novel approach to their Investec Champions’ Cup clash against French side Castres - they’ve based themselves at the home of Champions Cup six-time winners Toulouse.
Coach Jake White, who has previously coached in Montpellier and won the EPCR Challenge Cup with the French club, decided this week to fly earlier than normal - arriving early Monday morning instead of the traditional Wednesday, and has based the team at the Stade Ernest-Wallon, the home of the defending champions.
White is obviously hoping the impressive surroundings, and the aura of success of the leading rugby club in Europe will not only rub off on his charges, but also inspire them to greater heights this week.
In the past White has lamented that the players perhaps haven’t realised the scope of the competition, and that it is literally “test rugby in club jerseys.”
That will be underlined this weekend back in South Africa, where the Springbok-laden Hollywoodbets Sharks side host Toulouse and their galacticos, while the Bulls make use of their facilities to prepare for the game against Castres.
They will move later in the week into the small French town, famous for being the home of French pharmaceutical giants Laboratoires Pierre Fabre, named after its founder and also the patron of Castres rugby club.
So moving from Toulouse’s 19 000 seater to the 12 000 seater in Castres may not sound like a difference, but in rugby terms it is a world apart.
Other than the -2 degrees Celcius expected temperature at kickoff and the rain that will accompany it, it seems White has brought a younger than normal squad to the game, meaning he likely rested several of his stars for this trip.
FRINGE PLAYERS TO THE FORE
While the Bulls have stayed mum about their touring squad, their media duties this week have been of fringe players such as Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Sintu Manjezi, Keagan Johannes and Boeta Chamberlain, underlining the fact that the team selected is likely to be very much a look at the wider squad rather than the Bulls' best team.
This may well indicate that with two losses thus far, that White has decided to concentrate on the Vodacom United Rugby Championship rather than the Champions’ Cup because given the circumstances, the best the Bulls can hope for is a low seeding, meaning an away trip in the last 16 against a powerhouse side.
But even if it is a squad of fringe players, the same side came close to beating Lyon last season away from home, and should have won was it not for an inexplicable refereeing performance late in the game that cost them dearly.
Toulouse’s six stars in the Champions’ Cup have come on the back of a star-studded side, a magnificent home fortress and some incredible performances in the competition.
It won’t be lost on the Bulls that the French side has a budget that is close to four times what White has to work with, but all this forms part of the learning process.
Wessels explained the rationale behind training at Toulouse, and said the Bulls wanted to make a statement this weekend against the French side.
“We're staying in Toulouse. We're training the week here and we'll be travelling on Friday, to Castres. The captain's run is there and obviously we will stay there for the match,” Wessels said.
“Being in Toulouse and training at their ground, we're seeing what the pride is around the Champions Cup. We're obviously not in the competition to just participate.
“We want to pride ourselves against proper French teams, Premiership teams, and we're going out to win matches. It's a big competition and it's probably the best club rugby competition in the world.
“We're obviously pushing hard and I don't think we're not coming to France or sending a B-side or there's not anything involved in that. We're obviously travelling and we want to win games.”
Saturday night will provide proof if the shift in strategy pays off, and if the Bulls can meet the challenge they will face.