Bulls can bring in fresh blood to tame Lions SA URC derby

25/01/2024

Despite the Bulls’ 46-40 bonus-point win over Bordeaux, which secured their Champions Cup play-off spot, coach Jake White wasn’t quite happy with their performance.

One of the phrases he used to describe the display at Loftus Versfeld last weekend was “flat”, while he felt his team looked like they were “dead on our feet” after the return trip home from England, where they had beaten Bristol 31-17 the previous weekend.

So, that suggests there will be changes in the offing for Saturday’s United Rugby Championship clash against the Lions at Loftus in Pretoria (3pm kickoff).

White has stated several times this season that he has corrected one of the mistakes from the previous campaign, where he stuck with generally the same starting line-up for the major matches.

That led to some of those players running out of gas at the business end of the season, while also resulting in the rest of the squad not getting enough game time.

Bulls captain Marcell Coetzee said this week that “trust” was a big part of the rotation policy being successful.

“The competition (among) the loose forwards – and in all departments, with the Boks coming back as well – keeps everyone on their toes and forces everyone to be at their best every weekend,” the 32-year-old said.

“If you have that healthy competition in the squad, it pushes you to the best of your ability. But in saying that, everyone is aspiring to help each other. We all know that everyone is going to get game time eventually, with the depth that we have and everyone putting their hands up.

“That comes with the trust system as well, and whoever comes in or combines with you, you get on with the job.

“With the loosies we have now, I really enjoy working with the likes of Mpilo (Gumede) and Cameron (Hanekom), and obviously Elrigh (Louw) and Marco (van Staden) – it’s also good to have that new energy and talent on the rise. It’s a good place to be.”

Three definite newcomers to the starting line-up will be World Cup-winning Springboks Kurt-Lee Arendse, Canan Moodie and Van Staden at left wing, right wing and openside flank respectively, but the Bulls could do with some fresh blood in a number of other positions too.

Inside centre David Kriel has been in outstanding form, but has played a lot of rugby over the past few months, so perhaps a recall for the powerful Harold Vorster might be the right tonic to counter Lions captain and No 12 Marius Louw’s physicality.

Johan Goosen has improved steadily as well at flyhalf as the season has progressed, although there are perennial question marks around his defence.

This is perhaps the right time to give Jaco van der Walt a rare start, as the Scottish international has hardly seen any action since moving to Pretoria from Edinburgh this season.

Van der Walt is a wonderful organiser on attack, and his distribution skills and kicking game could aid the likes of Arendse, Moodie and Willie le Roux out wide.

At scrumhalf, Keagan Johannes is another shrewd operator who needs time on the pitch, with Embrose Papier the first-choice No 9 and in fine form.

Johannes also plays a similar attacking style to Papier with his electric pace, but possesses subtle kicking elements as well, having played at flyhalf during his career too.

Van der Walt and Johannes’ potential clash with Lions halfbacks Gianni Lombard and Sanele Nohamba should be thrilling to watch, and could decide the outcome of the game.

The Bulls have been blessed with several options among the loose forwards, and with Coetzee, Gumede and Cameron Hanekom having featured regularly over the past few weeks, someone like the experienced and skilful Nizaam Carr should get a look-in now that he is over his ankle niggle.

Elrigh Louw has been used off the bench recently and would welcome a start at No 7 alongside Van Staden at openside flank.

Janko Swanepoel – along with Reinhardt Ludwig – was outstanding in the absence of the injured Ruan Nortjé and Ruan Vermaak, and having sat out the past few games, Swanepoel is due a recall.

The same applies to Akker van der Merwe at hooker, where Jan-Hendrik Wessels has taken major strides forward, while Khutha Mchunu and Simphiwe Matanzima must also experience the pressure of starting at prop, where the now-injured Wilco Louw and Gerhard Steenekamp have been excellent.

Possible Bulls Team

15 Willie le Roux, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Jaco van der Walt, 9 Keagan Johannes, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortjé (captain), 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Khutha Mchunu, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Simphiwe Matanzima.

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