Better equipped and more settled than last season, the Vodacom Bulls are seriously looking to make a massive impact in this year’s Investec Champions Cup.
Last season was a blip - Johan Ackermann was not settled as Bulls coach and the Springboks had been back for a few days when they had to take on the best in Europe - and lost a shootout to eventual champions Bordeaux-Begles at Loftus.
That, and their losses to Northampton and Bristol in the campaign cued the annual talk of why South African sides are in Europen and, understandably, that stung a bit.
But now, more settled and with their Boks back, as well as being off a fresh 50-point derby win over the 10bet Lions, the Bulls are looking forward to the one-off nature of round one of the Champions Cup, and they want to make a point.
Ask Elrigh Louw, who was sidelined for 10 months with a horror knee injury and wants to make amends for the time he lost on the sidelines.
“I think we let it slip last season at home,” Louw said ahead of his side’s big opener against Stade Francais at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
“So definitely we want to win the games at home and then make a statement overseas.
HAPPY ABOUT LAW CHANGE
“There’s a perception about the South African sides’ participation in the competition. We take it as seriously as any other team, and we want to win it.”
That might sound like big talk, but from a side that can happily field a dozen Springboks and are confident at home, they know they have to put their money where their mouths are.
Stade Francais have lost three of their last five games in the Top 14, and suffered a few injuries this past weekend as well.
It is unlikely that they will send their top side for the opener, and rather concentrate on winning their home games to qualify.
Still, the Bulls know the forward-based campaign that the French sides bring, and their physicality, is always a threat.
“French teams always have a big, heavy forward pack, rely a lot on scrums and mauls, so that’s a massive battle for us,” said Louw. “And then they have a lot of flair in the backline.”
Louw had some praise for World Rugby, who last week outlawed the so-called “Hip drop” tackle, following the lead of NFL and Rugby League.
Louw was injured in one such incident and it almost cost him his career.
““I think they’ve implemented that rule in a few different sports,” he said.
“I know it’s also against the laws in the NFL, so I think it’s a great adjustment to rugby. I think there are a lot of injuries. We saw last weekend against New Zealand and Australia, again an ankle injury with the hip drop, so I think it’s a great addition to the laws.
“It does hit me quite personally, but just for future players’ safety, I’m very happy that they changed the law.”
And on Saturday Louw will want to make an impact, and live up to the claim that the Bulls want to impress in the competition.