Springboks head coach Jacques Nienaber says it’s a good thing that Bok players will be playing in the United Rugby Championship (URC) final as it will increase their experience of playing in pressure games.
The Stormers and Bulls will lock horns in the first-ever final of the URC on Saturday at the Cape Town Stadium at 7.30pm.
From the squad of 43 players named for the Springboks international season, a total of 11 players from the Stormers and Bulls will be in action over the weekend.
The likes of Steven Kitshoff, Frans Malherbe and Evan Roos of the Stormers will go to battle with Bulls players such as Ruan Nortje, Marcell Coetzee and Elrigh Louw before they link up in the Boks camp for national duty.
Nienaber is happy to have his players play in the final of the URC as the experience they will get from it will be invaluable.
“For us, having two teams in the final is huge,” said Nienaber to the media ahead of Saturday's final.
“If you look at the long-term development of the players that are playing these big quarterfinals, semifinals and finals of the URC, that is a development of a player you can't buy.
“You want players to play in big games like this, the development and experience they gain in big matches are invaluable. So, it's great for us to see them operating in games like this.
“It also counts for the Top 14 (French Premiership) and (English) Premiership, that's where you want to see a player play. We want to see South Africans play in big competitions, so it's good for us,” Nienaber said.
Boks' presence in final a boost for Nienaber
Stormers, Bulls lock horns in first-ever final of URC
Image: David Rogers
Springboks head coach Jacques Nienaber says it’s a good thing that Bok players will be playing in the United Rugby Championship (URC) final as it will increase their experience of playing in pressure games.
The Stormers and Bulls will lock horns in the first-ever final of the URC on Saturday at the Cape Town Stadium at 7.30pm.
From the squad of 43 players named for the Springboks international season, a total of 11 players from the Stormers and Bulls will be in action over the weekend.
The likes of Steven Kitshoff, Frans Malherbe and Evan Roos of the Stormers will go to battle with Bulls players such as Ruan Nortje, Marcell Coetzee and Elrigh Louw before they link up in the Boks camp for national duty.
Nienaber is happy to have his players play in the final of the URC as the experience they will get from it will be invaluable.
“For us, having two teams in the final is huge,” said Nienaber to the media ahead of Saturday's final.
“If you look at the long-term development of the players that are playing these big quarterfinals, semifinals and finals of the URC, that is a development of a player you can't buy.
“You want players to play in big games like this, the development and experience they gain in big matches are invaluable. So, it's great for us to see them operating in games like this.
“It also counts for the Top 14 (French Premiership) and (English) Premiership, that's where you want to see a player play. We want to see South Africans play in big competitions, so it's good for us,” Nienaber said.
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