Springbok lock Cobus Wiese has revealed that a conversation with current Vodacom Bulls coach Johan Ackermann was the determining factor on why he chose to stay in Pretoria and not accept an offer from the DHL Stormers to return to Cape Town.
Wiese, who became a Springbok during his time with the Bulls, was previously at the Stormers before he had a stint at Sale Sharks. On returning to South Africa, he decided to join the Bulls and has been at the union ever since.
But while Wiese said family was a big consideration for staying in Pretoria, ultimately it was a conversation with Ackermann, who he referred to as a “mentor” that swayed him to stay in Pretoria for good.
LOCK WHISPERER
“Definitely, coach Johan whispered one or two things in my ear that I took into consideration, but for myself and my family, Pretoria is the best fit for the next three years.”
The Bulls beat off a massive challenge from the Stormers for Wiese’s services but the big lock is happy in Pretoria at the moment.
“It would’ve been an easier decision four years ago with just myself and my fiancé to move around, but now I’ve got a family,” Wiese said.
“I now have a wife, a little girl and had a boy just two months ago … it’s just not yourself you’re thinking about.
“We just thought that Pretoria is the best fit for us at this stage.
“My daughter is in a very good school, and we enjoy the people of Pretoria. It’s a good set-up we’ve got going here now.”
MUNSTER WILL BE DESPERATE
For now though, Wiese is looking ahead to the clash on Saturday against Munster, a team ahead of the Bulls on the log and a game which is a must-win match for the Pretoria franchise.
But with Munster being blanked by the Sharks last weekend, the Bulls lock is wary and knows they will be desperate to leave South Africa with a victory.
“Munster are obviously a top Irish side and a well-coached team; they stay in the fight at Loftus, and it will be a massive challenge,” Wiese added.
“We saw how desperate the Stormers were when they came to play us on the back of losses, and we lost.
“We have had a long chat about how they are going to come out after their defeat to the Sharks, and want to prove a point. We have to prepare for a hungry team that got the better of us last time they were in Pretoria.”
NO NEED FOR CONCERN
The Bulls were in top form last weekend against Cardiff, beating them with four first half tries before they went off the boil in the second half to secure the 40-7 win. Wiese isn’t concerned about that second half slump though, and believes the side will be ready for Munster’s challenge this weekend.
“If you look back at the second half, it seemed sluggish, but often it is just about finishing the play,” Wiese explained.
“When you have momentum, it is easy to go out of structure, and that is when the discipline of the team and the game drivers must step in to keep the pressure on in the right way.
“Yes, we should have finished Cardiff off better than we did, and sticking to the task is something we will definitely work on this week. It takes discipline to keep doing what is working for you.”
Wiese said the team were bracing themselves for a physical battle, especially with Munster receiving some test players back in their squad.
“This is going to be a highly physical battle. If you look at it a bit deeper, any team coming to Loftus wants to make a statement. It’s a tale as old as time — if you dominate the forwards, you’re going to put yourself in a good position to win the game.
"So, for me personally, and as a pack of forwards, we have to pride ourselves on being physical. That’s not to say we’re more physical than Munster, because they’ve got a quality pack. But for us now, it’s focusing on ourselves and moving forward as a unit.”
BOOST WITH IRISH TEST STARS’ RETURN
The return of halfbacks Jack Crowley and Craig Casey will boost Munster as will prop Jeremy Loughman up front.
“Jeremy Loughman is one of the few props in Ireland who can play both sides, so we’ve definitely taken note of that. He’s a quality player and got some game time in the Six Nations,” Wiese said.
“If you want the simple answer about what we must do to win, it is to be more desperate than they are. And then Jack Crowley and Craig Casey: I think Crowley is the best 10 in Ireland at the moment. He reads the game well and manages it well. So we expect Munster to bring a massive fight.
"They’ll want to bounce back, and what better way to do it than to beat the Bulls at Loftus?”
Wiese and co will be doing everything in their power to make sure that doesn’t happen.
The Bulls name their side for the clash on Friday.