VIDEO: Rassie bug bites Jake White
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White has stepped outside his usual selection box, with a surprise bench for their United Rugby Championship Round Four encounter with Cardiff at Arms Park on Friday.
White, for the first time, named a bench that features six forwards and just two backs.
The selection will see the Bulls’ version of the Boks’ famous ‘Bomb Squad’ – with Johan Grobbelaar, Gerhard Steenekamp, Mornay Smith, Ruan Nortje, Elrigh Louw and Cameron Hanekom the forward replacements.
Keagan Johannes and Johan Goosen will cover all the backline positions off the bench.
The team will be captained by 32-year-old Springbok Nizaam Carr from No.8.
“I have to try something different,” White said, after revealing the team to tackle the Welsh outfit at the famous Cardiff venue.
“We know [captain] Marcell [Coetzee] and Elrigh [Louw] play all the time.
“Elrigh has played every game 80 minutes.
“This is a chance to get some fresh legs.
“We signed Mpilo Gumede, while Cyle [Brink] and Nizaam [Carr], played a lot last year.
“It is a new combination, but we do have Elrigh [Louw] and Cameron [Hanekom] on the bench, so we could finish [the match] with those two.”
(Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White explains his decision to go for a 6-2 bench split against Cardiff…)
Turning to his two backline replacements, White pointed out that staring flyhalf Chris Smith has featured in 40 of the team’s 43 URC games since the competition started in 2020.
“He is not a newcomer, he has been part of the group since day one and understands how we play.
“The game is on [a] 4G [pitch] and week three of the tour.
“Keagan Johannes, who plays No.9 has played No.10 before and fullback.
“Johan Goosen has played centre and flyhalf, so we are covered for most positions in the backline with our two backs.”
* Meanwhile, loose forward, Celimpilo Gumede has been handed his debut for the Bulls.
Gumede – a former SA Schools and Junior Bok player – will start at No.8, bringing his explosive game to the pack.
Carr will start at blindside flank, whilst Cyle Brink will be on the openside with the duo of Reinhardt Ludwig and Janko Swanepoel completing the second row as the lock pairing.
Embrose Papier (scrumhalf) and Chris Smith (flyhalf) will direct traffic flow at halfback with an unchanged backline behind them.
Sergeal Petersen, who had an impressive debut will be on the left wing, and will combine with energetic Sebastian de Klerk on the right wing.
Devon Williams starts at fullback.
David Kriel hopes to add more tries to his tally from inside centre, with Stedman Gans on his outside.
* Hanekom is player No.23, but will run out in jersey No.24, because of size constraints
Bulls: 15 Devon Williams, 14 Sebastian de Klerk, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 David Kriel, 11 Sergeal Petersen, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Mpilo Gumede, 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Nizaam Carr (captain), 5 Janko Swanepoel, 4 Reinhardt Ludwig, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Simphiwe Matanzima.
Replacements: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Mornay Smith, 19 Ruan Nortje, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Keagan Johannes, 22 Johan Goosen, 24 Cameron Hanekom.
Date: Friday, November 10
Venue: Arms Park, Cardiff
Kick-off 19.35; 21.35 SAST; 19.35 GMT)
Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Tom Spurrier (Wales) and Steff Edwards (Wales)
TMO: Stefano Penne (Italy)
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