VIDEO: Kurt-Lee Arendse took his fine form for the Springboks straight into the United Rugby Championship for the Bulls as they remain unbeaten in the tournament.
The Bulls are in Cardiff where they are preparing for the second game on tour against Scarlets on Friday night.
Initially, it wasn’t clear if the Bok wing would go on tour with the Bulls or if they were going to rest him for the Springbok cause.
Unlike the other South African franchises, the Bulls’ Director of Rugby, Jake White, opted to take his Springboks on tour in an effort to bag as many points as possible early in the competition.
Arendse is set to join his Japanese club Dynaboars for a sabbatical after the Springboks’ end-of-year tour, and the Bulls are banking on his efforts before his departure.
The 28-year-old Arendse has been dynamite at international level and took that form into the URC.
He scored twice against Ospreys taking his tally to three tries across two URC matches this season.
The humble Arendse spoke to reporters from Cardiff this week and credited the impeccable Bulls forward pack for the opportunities they create for the backs.
Asked by Rugby365 if the weather conditions in Europe make it difficult for him to play his natural running game, Arendse agreed that one must adapt and stay clinical.
“We know that we are not going to run the ball a lot, so just adapting to the weather and being clinical.
“I think it’s credit to the forwards. They lay the foundation for us as backs, and if they can get us the momentum, we use that opportunity,” Arendse explained.
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“So, all credit to the forwards. With the type of players we’ve got, the guys see space relatively well, and that is why we as wings and backs can be so good at the end of the day.
“It doesn’t matter whether you have the ball or not, it’s about staying connected, even with the forwards. You never know – maybe the ball bounces your way, then you are ready. It’s about staying connected to the play.
“Before we came on tour, we knew the conditions won’t be perfect, as it is back home. We said we must adapt, and that is what we did well over the weekend.
“We want to make sure we get points in these three games. It is always difficult to play away from home but we want some points to make sure we go home with a good record on tour.”
