VIDEO: Benched Boks hold key to Cape Town crunch
Some pre-match media hype focussed on players who are supposedly in and out if the Springbok alignment camps.
However, the real focus is on the high number of Springboks already in the Stormers and Bulls matchday squads for Saturday’s rescheduled United Rugby Championship Round 13 match.
The Stormers starting XV features Boks like Damian Willemse, Herschel Jantjies, Marvin Orie, Siyabonga Ntubeni and captain Steven Kitshoff.
The Bulls can bank Lionel Mapoe and Marcell Coetzee.
However, it may well be other internationals that have the final say.
Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White said the replacements will play a key role in the Cape Town crunch.
“That is why it is important there is a bit of depth,” the artful Bulls boss told a pre-match media briefing.
White pointed to the Springboks on his bench – Bismarck du Plessis, Arno Botha, Morne Steyn and Cornal Hendricks.
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“I am hoping that helps in our favour,” White said of a Bulls bench that has seemingly more experience than the Stormers’ replacement roster featuring just two Boks – Frans Malherbe and Warrick Gelant.
“I have a guy like Morne [Steyn] that has kicked a [series-clinching] winning goal against the British and Irish Lions on that field,” he said of the Green Point-based venue.
“He knows how to kick goals on that field and at the back end of the game, having him Arno, Bismarck and Cornal on the field – four Springboks – is a nice way to end the game.
“The bench played a significant part in our last encounter,” he said of the Stormers’ 30-26 upset at Loftus Versfeld back in January.
“I have no doubt the bench will play a massive part in tomorrow’s game as well.”
White admitted that a lot of the pre-match debate has been around the form of individuals – such as form loose forwards Evan Roos (Stormers) and Elrich Louw (Bulls), who are two of the rising stars of the URC.
However, he feels there are so many other players who could also make an impact.
“I rate Marcell [Coetzee] incredibly highly,” he said of the team’s captain.
“People don’t even talk about Cyle Brink and he is a phenomenal player as well.
“I don’t believe it is one person, we have to play well as a group.
“I don’t want to make a big son and dance about who should play and who will win the contest between two players.
“It is the bench and the [starting] XV who will decide how this game pans out.”
@rugby365com
