Chris Rossouw, an assistant coach with the Bulls, is sure that his team can defeat Lyon despite severe snowfall in the area that has left the stadium’s playing surface covered in ice.
On Friday evening, the Bulls are slated to face Lyon at the Stade Gerland in France for a Champions Cup match.
Nizaam Carr will lead the Bulls to victory in Lyon.
When the South Africans arrived in Lyon — the second largest metropolitan area in France — on Thursday, there was heavy snowfall and the city, including the stadium where they are scheduled to play, was covered in a layer of white ice.
Willem Strauss, president of the Bulls, sent this image of a snow-covered Lyon stadium on his personal Twitter account.
This morning at the stadium in Lyon!! pic.twitter.com/ER58vPW2Ok
— Willem Strauss (@willemStrauss9) January 19, 2023
Rossouw spoke on the climate and how the Bulls’ traveling group has adjusted since arriving in Lyon, stating that the intense cold is a whole new experience for everyone.
“This will be our first trip to France, and it will be an adventure. With the current snowfall and intense cold, it will be a difficult task for us. The men are pretty enthusiastic.”
“If I look out the window, the snow has ceased and the sky is cloudy. Extremely cold temperatures will have an impact. However, our strategy will remain the same, so the focus will be on how we handle game-changing events.
“It will be fascinating, since we play at 9 p.m. (French time), so it’s a late game, and it’s the first time we’ve played so late in such extreme temperatures.
“It is an artificial pitch, which is a bit different from a natural pitch, which freezes rather easily. I’ve just seen photographs of them cleaning the area with a tractor and some form of machine. I do not foresee too many games being canceled on this side of the world, therefore I believe it will continue.”
Additionally, the Bulls announce a new high-profile signing.
Rossouw said that the Bulls are aware of the additional obstacles and pressures that come with these harsh weather circumstances, but he is certain that his players will rise to the occasion and still produce magical moments, particularly outside backs Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie.
“The circumstances will always restrict your skill set. The key for these players will be to ensure that they develop into more complete players who can play in all conditions.
“Kurt-Lee will make you appear foolish on any surface. I do not believe he will be constrained. The challenge will be to maintain a traditional approach under circumstances that need you to be more conservative. Here, our game management will have a significant impact.
“For these players, it is a matter of assessing the conditions and adopting the necessary measures. If it is not snowing, I believe they will feel at ease expressing their skill sets.
“It is manifestly extreme. Last week, we played at home in temps of 35 degrees during training. Now we are experiencing sub-zero temperatures on an artificial field covered in snow,’ explained the Bulls’ stand-in manager.
“Over time, we’ve arrived at a place where we embrace difficulty and view it as a benefit. We’ve never played on an artificial pitch in the snow, but I believe the ball will slide more.
“The last time we played on a synthetic field was in Glasgow, where they sped up the game a bit. This time, the snow may make things more difficult.”
Starting XV: No. 1 Simphiwe Matanzima, No. 2 Bismarck Du Plessis, No. 3 Francois Klopper, No. 4 Dan Carter, No. 4 Ruan Vermaak, 5 Janko Swanepoel, 6 Marco van Staden, 7 Cyle Brink, 8 Nizaam Carr (c), 9 Embrose Papier, 10 Johan Goosen, 11 David Kriel, 12 Cornal Hendricks, et al. 13 Wandisile Simelane, 14 Canan Moodie, 15 Kurt-Lee Arendse
Johann Grobbelaar, Gerard Steenekamp, Mornay Smith, Ruan Nortje, Elrigh Louw, Zak Burger, Chris Smith, and Lionel Mapoe serve as substitutes.
Forecast for Lyon, France, where the Bulls will play.
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