Bulls urged to turn Loftus altitude into weapon against All Blacks

Rudy Paige believes the Bulls must use Loftus Versfeld’s altitude to exhaust the All Blacks and produce a shock victory when the sides meet in Pretoria on Saturday.

The stadium is about 1,350 metres above sea level, and the former Springbok scrumhalf says the thin Highveld air could prove as influential as the atmosphere inside the ground.

New Zealand have won both matches on their South African tour so far. The Stormers were level with the visitors at 14-14 after 65 minutes before the All Blacks pulled away during the final quarter, while the Sharks were beaten heavily in Durban on Tuesday.

Paige expects Johan Ackerman’s Bulls to remain in contention deep into the second half, but believes they must force New Zealand to work relentlessly if they are to make the altitude count.

“There is an advantage, everybody knows it. But how you use the advantage, that’s the critical part,” he said in an interview with KickOff Rugby.

“Can you take them to a place where they have to make a lot of tackles? Take the oxygen constantly out of them.”

“That is what the Bulls have to do this weekend. Make them stop the maul, come around the corner, play wide. When they kick, counter-attack, make sure that they don’t have time to recover, get water in their body; that way you do drive that altitude factor up to them. And that is the fascinating part. It’s that the Springboks have prepared since the Nations Championship in Johannesburg, using that is effective for the third test coming up.”

The All Blacks only arrived in Pretoria a few days before the match and will experience the conditions at Loftus Versfeld for the first time on Saturday.

Paige, who played for Clermont Auvergne and RC Vannes after his international career, said discipline would determine whether the Bulls can exploit their surroundings.

“If we’re making a lot of knock-ons defensively, giving away a lot of penalties, then altitude is not going to play that big of a role. But if we’re constantly being disciplined, then altitude will play a big role.”

He also believes the Bulls have shown enough in their squad selection to give themselves a chance, with Embrose Papier set to start after being named in a strong team.

The 29-year-old scrum-half was one of the United Rugby Championship’s leading try-scorers last season and marked his return to the Springbok set-up with a try against Scotland, having been away from the national side for eight years.

“I don’t think he’s got anything to prove,” Paige said of Papier.

“He played exceptionally well against Scotland. He had a brilliant past two URC campaigns, a standout scrumhalf for the Vodacom Bulls. I just want him to pick up where he left off.”

“He’s a very smart, brilliant guy, with a lovely head on his shoulders. So he’ll be up for it.”

Elrigh “Sheriff” Louw and Johan Grobbelaar have also been included after being released from the Springbok camp.

Paige welcomed the return of both players and praised Curwin Bosch’s progress since moving back from France. Bosch, he said, had rediscovered his enjoyment of rugby and the freedom to play his natural game.

“You don’t have that presence, scrutiny that you’re constantly under, and you learn and get to enjoy your rugby again.”

Paige’s understanding of the South Africa-New Zealand rivalry comes from first-hand experience. The match at Loftus is the first All Blacks tour of South Africa in 30 years, adding further significance to a contest that already carries a long history.

He described the Stormers’ performance in Cape Town as impressive, despite their eventual defeat.

“The Stormers were excellent for a team that’s come out of the off-season only a few weeks,” Paige said.

“To be the best team for probably 65 minutes on the field, obviously, the All Blacks took away that last 15 minutes. But it was wonderful seeing all the fans out there and appreciating the moment.”

“Even though it’s a rivalry, we as Springbok and South African fans, we be up for the bragging rights, but the appreciation and respect towards the All Blacks has honestly been amazing.”

He was similarly struck by the reception during the Durban match, particularly when Ma’a Nonu led the Haka towards his fellow New Zealanders.

“Not having any affiliation with the culture, but just understanding the moment as a sporting person myself, it was really, really cool.”

Paige recalled the silence that descends over a New Zealand stadium before the Haka begins, saying: “The entire stadium goes completely silent before it begins.”

He also pointed to South Africa’s narrow 25-24 defeat by New Zealand at Newlands in 2017, when Damian McKenzie scored in the closing minutes, as a reminder of how fine the margins can be.

The lesson for the Bulls, he said, is not to allow the All Blacks to settle into their preferred rhythm.

Paige’s conclusion was clear: “I really think we can be as competitive as the Stormers were.”