Akker van der Merwe urges Bulls to play with ‘a smile on their faces’ in Leinster URC final

Akker van der Merwe will celebrate his 34th birthday next Tuesday, and enjoying the moment with the United Rugby Championship trophy would be a nice touch.

In fact, the word enjoyment was the theme in many of the Bulls hooker’s answers when addressing the media this week ahead of Saturday’s URC final against Leinster in Dublin.

That was in stark contrast to one of his nicknames, ‘Angry Warthog’, which describes his usually aggressive, confrontational style of play.

Perhaps turning 34 next week has made him a bit more philosophical, but Van der Merwe – first name Armand, and older brother of Scotland wing Duhan – stated that the Bulls must avoid getting caught up in the occasion of the ‘Grand Final’ at Croke Park.

There might be over 50,000 Leinster fans in the 82,300-seater arena baying for the Bulls’ blood, but the visitors need to take it in their stride.

Maybe such a mindset will see them clinch a long-awaited URC title after losing in the 2022 and 2024 finals.

“Since the tour (where they beat Munster and Glasgow away), we have driven that a lot – just enjoying each other’s company,” Van der Merwe said.

“We have developed a very good bond between the players, and everyone enjoys each other. So, I think that carries over to the field.

“At the end of the day, it would’ve helped to play at Loftus – that would have been lekker.

“But it is also lekker to spend time together as a team at the hotel, and just spend time together.

“That’s probably been the one thing we’ve been driving since the tour – Munster, Glasgow – just excitement all around.

“To just have a smile on your face when you get on the field, and just enjoy everything you do. That’s been a massive turnaround for us.

“It is easier to say than do, but for us, it’s just another match.

“We mustn’t make the occasion bigger than what it is, and not put too much pressure on ourselves.

“We must go out and enjoy ourselves. That is why we play rugby: to take in these big moments, have fun and go out to express yourself.”

On the actual rugby, Van der Merwe is hoping that the Bulls can prevent Leinster’s juggernaut lineout from disrupting them like the Sharks did in the set-piece in last week’s semi-final.

Locks Joe McCarthy and James Ryan are two excellent jumpers for the hosts, and then the big frame of Springbok star RG Snyman will loom large in the second half.

The Bulls, though, have some fine operators themselves in captain Ruan Nortjé and youngster JF van Heerden, although they will miss the agile injured No 8 Cameron Hanekom at the back of the lineout.

Van der Merwe has been part of a superb ‘Bomb Squad’ bench for the Bulls in recent weeks, and is confident that the replacements can make a significant impact in the second half once more in Dublin.

“It’s Bulls tradition to be forwards-dominant. We pride ourselves on our set-piece. It’s never perfect, as there were a few this week (in the Sharks semi-final) that we aren’t very proud of,” he said.

“It just needs to be better, especially in a final – there can’t be any soft moments.

“They’ve got a pretty good spread of variations from lineout attack.

“It’s going to be important for us to put them under pressure, so that it’s not too easy for them to strike from lineouts.

“It’s (the bench) going to be massively important, because it’s not a 15-man game anymore – it’s a 23-man effort.

“Everybody has to stay calm and in control. It doesn’t help that the bench comes on and we’re erratic and go off script.

“It’s a 23-man effort, and although everyone wants to start, it’s not an individual thing.

“The team comes first, and I think that’s where everyone actually made a massive step-up this season.

“There are no egos, which makes it a lot easier. Everyone talks about brotherhood and that bond, and I actually think that we have it here.

“It took us a bit (of time) to get here, but I think the team as a whole is actually at a very good point.”