De Klerk: Favourites tag doesn't affect Bulls
02/18/2025 08:07 AM
Winger Sebastian de Klerk says the Vodacom Bulls want to go into every match as favourites.
On several occasions over the past two seasons, the Bulls have lost matches they were expected to win, most notably last season’s Vodacom URC final against the Glasgow Warriors at a sold-out Loftus and both of their games against an injury-depleted Sharks team this season.
However, De Klerk on Tuesday insisted that the Bulls embrace the favourites tag rather than shy away from it, and that it doesn’t affect their performance.
"Being the favourites is never a bad thing. We are doing something right as a club if we are the favourites going into a final or other big games. We have a very high standard at the Bulls. We want to win every game. We want to be seen as the favourites. We don't want to be the underdogs.
"I just think that in all of those games, it was silly things that really crept in [to our game]. Our biggest thing at the Bulls is controlling what we can control, because at the end of the day, there will be decisions that don’t go your way, but if everyone's on the same page and you keep your error rate low, then you’ll have a good chance of winning.
"So no, I don’t think the Bulls have a problem with being the favourites. I don’t think there's anything to it, it's just unfortunate that we lost those games."
STATE OF THE URC: Lions, Sharks gain ground
The third-placed Bulls will have the favourites tag again going into Saturday's URC Jukskei derby at Loftus against the 12th-placed Lions, having won 35-22 at Ellis Park a month ago.
The Bulls conceded some soft tries in their 29-19 home defeat to the Sharks last weekend, and De Klerk said they would need to shore up their defence against a confident Lions side that beat the Stormers 30-23 at Ellis Park to boost their playoff hopes.
"The Lions are a very good team with really good outside backs. Last weekend, there were about three or four times when [fullback] Quan [Horn] got the ball and beat the first defender.
"We made some defensive errors against the Sharks – whether individually, system-wise or everyone not being on the same page – and if you switch off for a bit at this level, teams are going to exploit that.
"Like I said, we are working hard on the things we can control. You can't always prep for everything in a game, but we are working on our defence and obviously we don’t want to give soft tries away again this weekend."
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De Klerk has been rewarded for his performances this season with a call-up to the Springboks' first alignment camp of the year, and it’s a chance the 24-year-old is determined to take.
"I’m very excited, over the moon actually. To see your name in that squad is unbelievably humbling. You have the opportunity to learn from coaches who have won two World Cups and be in an environment with players who have an extraordinary amount of experience.
"I'm really excited just to go learn, absorb everything and enjoy the moment. You work so hard to be in that situation, so you don't want to let yourself down."
Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
The post De Klerk: Favourites tag doesn’t affect Bulls appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
