He didn’t want to say too much about facing fellow Springbok lock Jean Kleyn just yet.
But Bulls captain Ruan Nortjé is confident that they can fix their lineout issues ahead of Saturday’s United Rugby Championship clash against Munster in Limerick (6.15pm start).
Nortjé is the ultimate lineout guru in the mould of a Victor Matfield with the way in which he analyses the set-piece.
Bulls coach Jake White has often stated how Nortjé studies the lineout hour after hour on the pitch and his laptop to fine-tune the operation.
But things didn’t always work out in last weekend’s 34-28 Challenge Cup quarter-final defeat to Edinburgh, where the Pretoria side wasted a number of attacking opportunities by failing to secure their own throw-ins.
“It was frustrating. Our lineout is a big part of our game, where we implement ourselves and then we try to create momentum,” Nortjé said this week from Biarritz, France.
“I think that first half especially, there was maybe a skew throw, a miss, a knock-on – just fundamentals that we missed that put us under a lot of pressure.
“The way Edinburgh started that game the pressure just compounded. Each time we don’t get the ascendancy, it’s more pressure.
“It’s one that we as players take on the chin. We were not good enough, so that’s something where we have to be much better this weekend.
“Set-piece-wise, we’ve just got to sort out the small fundamental stuff. We can definitely be a bit better in our tempo.
“This past weekend, something we picked up is sometimes where we slowed it up way too much, and that might be due to us being under pressure.
“So, massive focus for us to get a bit of a better tempo.”
Nortjé will have his hands full once more at Thomond Park on Saturday, as Munster boast two excellent locks in South African Kleyn and Irish master Tadhg Beirne – although they also lost several lineouts in their 47-29 Champions Cup quarter-final defeat to Bordeaux in France last weekend.
On facing Kleyn, Nortjé said: “These are the matches in which you want to play, and measure yourself. So, very excited about this opportunity.”
Loose forward Peter O’Mahony and Gavin Coombes are solid options in the lineout as well, so White may look to bring back Reinhardt Ludwig at blindside flank to be another strong jumper alongside Cameron Hanekom, Nortjé and JF van Heerden.
Munster will be determined to stay in the URC playoff race. They are currently fifth on 39 points, while the Bulls are third on 50 and pushing for a top-two spot.
Nortjé also warned his team to be ready to deal with a passionate home crowd in Limerick.
“I think we are pretty happy with how we are mauling at the moment,” the 26-year-old, six-cap Springbok said.
“We just want to keep on building on that. And then obviously we know Munster, Ireland teams, it’s a massive breakdown battle.
“So, I think the big, big thing this week is going to be the breakdown.
“It’s the games you want to play. Munster in Limerick, I don’t think you get much better than that.
“We know they are a world-class outfit, and I think it’s going to be a massive set-piece battle. Upfront is going to determine where the game is going to go.
“This week is all about focusing on what we can do much better than last weekend.
“This weekend again: Thomond Park, massive crowd. We all know Munster fans are so passionate.
“It’s definitely going to be a lot of noise somewhere in the game. It’s a great game to be a part of, and test ourselves to see where we are really at.
“So, I think the biggest challenge for us is just to implement what the plan is from the coaches and not fade away from that.
“If we implement the plan... that can put them under pressure.
“Our biggest thing is just to be clinical, make sure we execute in our set-piece, and give it our all.”