Elrigh Louw is speaking from bitter experience when he backs World Rugby's incoming hip-drop and knee-drop tackle laws, having lost nearly a year of his career to exactly that kind of incident. He's candid about where his form is: back in the green and gold, but not yet back to his best. The more immediate focus is Saturday's Champions Cup opener against Stade Français at Loftus, where Louw is flagging a heavy set-piece contest — and pushing back on any notion that South African sides treat this competition as secondary. The Bulls' record against Stade is strong (47-8 last time out), but Louw is taking nothing for granted against a team built around scrum and maul, with dangerous backs behind them.