THE Bulls are known for the quality they produce in their factory of locks and they have unleashed another beast in one of their most recent products Paul Willemse.
His chubby baby-like cheeks and calm demeanour might not completely bring fear to those who come across him off the field, but not so when the 2m, 127kg frame comes galloping at you on it.
The 21-year-old Willemse, who joined the Bulls last year from the Lions south of the Jukskei River, has proven to be one of the Pretoria side’s hardest men, and has also been one of the standout features for the Bulls in their Super Rugby campaign this year.
There’s a quote attributed to former Bulls lock Bakkies Botha, one of the players Willemse looks up to, which goes: “When I see fear in an opponent’s eyes, I smile”.
Whether these were really the words of one of rugby’s most feared hard men remains unclear, but it seems Willemse lives by this philosophy.
“The number four lock for the Bulls has always been the more physical one – physical in the tackles, the rucks and everywhere. Getting in all the big hits, the bumping, all the rough stuff,” Willemse said after a hard training session yesterday.
“That’s why I wanted to play here at the Bulls since forever. I love getting involved, being physical.”
The Bulls lock has been just that – putting in some of the biggest hits in the tackle and shoving off anybody in his way – in the matches he has played for the Bulls so far.
With the likes of Flip van der Merwe and David Bulbring being some of the men he has had to compete with for the number four jersey, few would have thought the former Baby Bok would be such a crucial feature in the side so early in his career.
Helped by injuries and the recent suspension of Van der Merwe, Willemse has received opportunities to get a spot in the starting team, and he has utilised every chance that fell his way.
“I had a few chances at the beginning of the season, and now these three caps in Flip’s absence is great for me,” he said.
Coach Frans Ludeke is also pleased with his progress.
“The fact that he plays with Victor (Matfield) next to him means a lot for him. He is playing very well. Every weekend he probably gets in the biggest hit for the team,” the Bulls coach said.
Willemse described playing alongside Matfield as a “boyhood dream come true” but there is one other dream that the former Baby Bok wants to accomplish – to become a senior Springbok.
“The main thing I want to do is to play for the Springboks. In order to do that I have to be the best in the position,” he said. “There are still a few areas I need to sort out first. But whenever I get the chance, I’ll hold on to it.”
Willemse has another chance to prove his worth and stake his claim as one of the candidates as a possible Springbok this weekend when the Bulls take on the Stormers at Loftus on Saturday.
He will be in a starting lineup that has seen coach Ludeke making one change to the team that beat the Cheetahs in Pretoria last weekend.
The coach has brought back outside centre JJ Engelbrecht to reclaim his spot from William Small-Smith, who had his first starting berth last week, while the rest of the team remains the same.
The Bulls team is: Jurgen Visser; Akona Ndungane, JJ Engelbrecht, Jan Serfontein, Bjorn Basson; Handre Pollard, Francois Hougaard; Grant Hattingh, Jacques du Plessis, Jono Ross, Victor Matfield, Paul Willemse, Marcel van der Merwe, Callie Visagie, Dean Greyling. Reserves: Bongi Mbonambi, Werner Kruger, Jacques Engelbrecht, Wimpie van der Walt, Rudy Paige, Jacques-Louis Potgieter, William Small-Smith, Morne Mellet.
Bulls lock stamps his authority
His chubby baby-like cheeks and calm demeanour might not completely bring fear to those who come across him off the field, but not so when the 2m, 127kg frame comes galloping at you on it.
The 21-year-old Willemse, who joined the Bulls last year from the Lions south of the Jukskei River, has proven to be one of the Pretoria side’s hardest men, and has also been one of the standout features for the Bulls in their Super Rugby campaign this year.
There’s a quote attributed to former Bulls lock Bakkies Botha, one of the players Willemse looks up to, which goes: “When I see fear in an opponent’s eyes, I smile”.
Whether these were really the words of one of rugby’s most feared hard men remains unclear, but it seems Willemse lives by this philosophy.
“The number four lock for the Bulls has always been the more physical one – physical in the tackles, the rucks and everywhere. Getting in all the big hits, the bumping, all the rough stuff,” Willemse said after a hard training session yesterday.
“That’s why I wanted to play here at the Bulls since forever. I love getting involved, being physical.”
The Bulls lock has been just that – putting in some of the biggest hits in the tackle and shoving off anybody in his way – in the matches he has played for the Bulls so far.
With the likes of Flip van der Merwe and David Bulbring being some of the men he has had to compete with for the number four jersey, few would have thought the former Baby Bok would be such a crucial feature in the side so early in his career.
Helped by injuries and the recent suspension of Van der Merwe, Willemse has received opportunities to get a spot in the starting team, and he has utilised every chance that fell his way.
“I had a few chances at the beginning of the season, and now these three caps in Flip’s absence is great for me,” he said.
Coach Frans Ludeke is also pleased with his progress.
“The fact that he plays with Victor (Matfield) next to him means a lot for him. He is playing very well. Every weekend he probably gets in the biggest hit for the team,” the Bulls coach said.
Willemse described playing alongside Matfield as a “boyhood dream come true” but there is one other dream that the former Baby Bok wants to accomplish – to become a senior Springbok.
“The main thing I want to do is to play for the Springboks. In order to do that I have to be the best in the position,” he said. “There are still a few areas I need to sort out first. But whenever I get the chance, I’ll hold on to it.”
Willemse has another chance to prove his worth and stake his claim as one of the candidates as a possible Springbok this weekend when the Bulls take on the Stormers at Loftus on Saturday.
He will be in a starting lineup that has seen coach Ludeke making one change to the team that beat the Cheetahs in Pretoria last weekend.
The coach has brought back outside centre JJ Engelbrecht to reclaim his spot from William Small-Smith, who had his first starting berth last week, while the rest of the team remains the same.
The Bulls team is: Jurgen Visser; Akona Ndungane, JJ Engelbrecht, Jan Serfontein, Bjorn Basson; Handre Pollard, Francois Hougaard; Grant Hattingh, Jacques du Plessis, Jono Ross, Victor Matfield, Paul Willemse, Marcel van der Merwe, Callie Visagie, Dean Greyling. Reserves: Bongi Mbonambi, Werner Kruger, Jacques Engelbrecht, Wimpie van der Walt, Rudy Paige, Jacques-Louis Potgieter, William Small-Smith, Morne Mellet.
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