Willie le Roux and Akker van der Merwe Call for Collective Bravery as Bulls Eye URC Glory

Taking on Leinster at their Croke Park lair in the United Rugby Championship final on Saturday, the Bulls will have to be brave on attack and take risks, according to veteran fullback Willie le Roux.

Leinster have won all four of their previous matches at Croke Park in Dublin, the largest stadium in Europe that is not used primarily for soccer, and they have had crowds of more than 80,000 watch them at the home of Gaelic games.

The 35-year-old Le Roux is no stranger to big venues or major finals, having played 98 times for the Springboks and won the World Cup twice. 

He is also the main creative force of a Bulls attack that has scored 80 tries, second only to Leinster, and while acknowledging the importance of game-management and winning the territory battles, Le Roux said the visitors had to be open to any opportunity to attack, even from deep in their own 22.

"It's all about getting the balance right, knowing when to attack and when to kick. You want to make sure you get your forwards in the right field position. But in a final against a team like Leinster, you might only get one or two chances to break through and score," Le Roux told SportsBoom.co.za on Wednesday.

"A turnover on your own tryline might be a chance, that might be your best chance of the whole game. If your chance happens in the first minute of the match, then you must be able to pull the trigger. Finals are about fine margins and they can come down to one moment, whether that be a mistake or a piece of brilliance."

"We need to treat this match the same as we did our first game of the season, you don't want to put it on a pedestal and not be willing to try something, not be willing to run from your own half. If you see an opportunity, you must take it, you have to take your chances."

"Sure, field position is very important, but we want to try and get our hands on the ball and do as much as we can, and then you'll have no doubts afterwards. We want to go out with smiles on our faces and show everyone what we're about, even though everyone is writing us off," Le Roux said.

Arcing run

Whether employing an arcing run to manufacture space or cutting straight through the line, Le Roux's vision and passing skill has earned him the nickname 'King of Assists'. 

He is comfortable in his creative role but has also kicked 99 times this season, showing he has the boot and experience to manage the game as well.

"Everyone has their own strengths and that's what they need to bring on Saturday. Like a wing must not wait for the ball, he must come in-field and work for it. It's all about putting yourself into battles."

"As the senior group, we need to make calls and it's all about making the right ones at the right times. We have a good core of players, they know their roles and we are very tight as a group. We understand what the plan is, and then it's just about taking your chances," Le Roux said.

He who dares wins

He who dares wins could be the Bulls motto, and bustling hooker Akker van der Merwe, who is likely to come off the bench and lift the intensity, reiterated that they would be bringing a positive attitude to Croke Park, trying to win the final rather than just trying to stop Leinster from triumphing.

"It's obviously a big game, but we don't want to make it bigger than it is. It's easier to say than do, but we just want to go out and enjoy ourselves. Rugby is about the big moments, but you also can't afford any soft moments, especially in a final."

"We know what a good outfit Leinster are. They come at you everywhere, they have threats everywhere and for the entire game. So the bench will be massive. Rugby is not a 15-man game anymore, it is a 23-man effort. We need to stay calm and in control, it doesn't help if we come on and be erratic and off-script. That's an area where we have made a massive step up this season," Van der Merwe said.