- Bulls assistant coach Chris Rossouw said pivot Johan Goosen should be up for selection in Saturday’s United Rugby Championship clash against Munster.
- Goosen missed the Bulls’ 35-21 loss to the Glasgow Warriors as the Bulls coaching staff didn’t want to risk him at Scotstoun Stadium’s artificial pitch.
- Rossouw said he was disappointed by how they played against Glasgow.
Bulls assistant coach Chris Rossouw said Johan Goosen is a definite playing option for Saturday’s United Rugby Championship fixture against Munster in Limerick.
As per Bulls director of rugby Jake White’s pre-tournament assertion of not risking Goosen in Glasgow, the 30-year-old Bok-capped pivot wasn’t in the match-day 23 for last week’s disappointing 35-21 loss to the Glasgow Warriors at the Scotstoun Stadium.
Goosen sustained his long-term knee injury at the ground’s synthetic 4G pitch when the Bulls also lost there last season.
READ | Five SA players fans enjoy watching in the URC right now
Goosen has recovered sufficiently enough to feature in two URC games for the Bulls, and while Chris Smith was a victim of his forwards’ inability to do something tangible with the ball, Goosen is a Springbok probable who in need of game time.
With the uncertainty surrounding Elton Jantjies and Handre Pollard, Goosen, who has already been positively singled out by Bok management as the third No 10, becomes the most viable experienced option if he remains fit.
“There definitely are a few players who are available and Johan is one of those players. He’s an option,” Rossouw said.
“He didn’t play last week because of the injury he sustained at the same place, and Jake also has a plan in terms of how the squad will be rotated.
“The one thing that does need to be made clear is that changes are made in the process of building a squad.
“Munster may not have started the season well, but they have some very good players in their group.”
Rossouw lamented the manner in which they didn’t show up in Glasgow on Saturday, saying that it was a big disappointment considering how they started the tournament.
ALSO READ | Rugby safety: ‘My body’s falling to pieces, but I’d do it again’
“It was a surprise and a big disappointment. If you’re off your game, you’re going to get points,” Rossouw said.
“It’s very similar to Super Rugby and the good start that we had meant that we were looking forward to the tour.
“It was disappointing for us to perform in the way that we did.”
Discussion about this post