A herniated disc in his lower back — on two levels — kept young Bulls captain Reinhardt Ludwig out of rugby for almost half a year.
After making his return as a replacement in last weekend’s defeat to Ulster, the 23-year-old will now be thrust straight back into the spotlight, carrying the pressure of leading the side against Connacht on Friday evening (kick-off 8.45pm) in a must-win United Rugby Championship (URC) clash.
It will be the Bulls’ second away match following their 28-7 loss in Belfast, and Ludwig will share the responsibility with the senior players to help the team bounce back and salvage their tour.
This isn’t the first time Ludwig has captained the Bulls in the URC — he previously led the team against the Sharks and Lions last season — but this occasion brings added pressure as the Loftus outfit desperately chase a result to reignite their campaign. Another defeat could see them slide further down the URC log.
Ludwig says it’s a privilege to lead the side, but one that carries significant responsibility given the Bulls’ proud history and recent success in the competition. The squad, he says, is well aware of the expectations that come with three final appearances in the past few seasons — yet their focus remains firmly on the task at hand.
“We are hurting after the loss last week,” Ludwig said. “But we know where we went wrong, and I’m sure we will bounce back with some great character.
“Winning in Galway last year gives us some confidence, but what happened in the past is in the past. Here in Connacht, the weather can change at any minute — sunshine one moment, rain the next. You can’t rely too much on history. The focus will be on us and what we can control.”
After starting the season with two home victories in Pretoria, the Bulls’ early momentum stalled in Belfast. They showed promise in patches but failed to capitalise on scoring opportunities, allowing Ulster to pull away through a combination of small errors and lapses in concentration.
Handling mistakes, defensive lapses, and discipline issues cost them dearly, while the backs struggled to ignite despite the scrum dominance established by the forwards for most of the contest.
The Bulls have since opted for a balanced side to face Connacht at the Dexcom Stadium, with the pack expected to lay a solid platform for an energetic backline to attack from.
With Handré Pollard returning to South Africa to support his pregnant wife, Keagan Johannes takes over at fly-half alongside exciting scrumhalf Paul de Wet. If the forwards can secure front-foot ball, the halfback pairing will look to spark the attack.
“This will be a massive test of our character and a real challenge,” Ludwig said. “It will be a forward-based game, but Connacht like to move the ball around and keep it in play for long periods. We expect them to run a lot, and we’ve prepared for that.
“We’ll stick to what we’re good at — the maul and the scrum — and the rest will take care of itself. As forwards, our job is to give the backs a good base. You can’t play at the back if you don’t win your lineouts or generate go-forward ball in the scrums. We’ve got a quality backline, and they’ll do their thing.”
