“Sebastian has played many games, so he comes in. Nizaam is a Springbok, he’s played many games, and he comes in.”
Bulls director of rugby Jake White is confident they will be able to cope without Springboks Canan Moodie and Marco van Staden in their United Rugby Championship quarter-final clash against Benetton at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday (3.30pm).
Moodie and Van Staden picked up injuries in the Bulls’ URC regular season round-robin clash against the Sharks in Durban.
The experienced Nizaam Carr will slot in at No 6 for Van Staden while Sebastian de Klerk will replace Moodie, wearing the No 14 jumper.
‘I am more comfortable’
Losing two Rugby World Cup winners like Van Staden and Moodie for a knockout game would worry any coach, but White is not panicking, trusting that Carr and de Klerk will do the job.
“It’s interesting because this time last year I would have said ‘We have lost two World Cup winners, what do we do now?’ but at the beginning of the season, I said we were going to change our squad, we were going to rotate, and I’m going to make sure I’m not going to rely on the same players all the time,” White said during his team announcement press conference on Friday.
“Sebastian has played many games, so he comes in. Nizaam is a Springbok, he’s played many games, and he comes in.
“It doesn’t take away the fact that you’ve lost Canan and Marco, who are both World Cup winners, but I’m in a much better place to tell you that this year, I am more comfortable when I have to make a change or someone is not available. The guys who have been playing I’m sure are going to do their job.
“That’s the confidence I get the way they have trained, and the way we have changed the team, the results speak for themselves. Those guys have done well when they have played.”
Strong Bulls team
Despite missing some key players for the encounter against Benetton, the Bulls have put out a formidable team.
Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar and Wilco Louw make up the front row, with Ruan Vermaak and captain Ruan Nortje in the second row. The loose trio consists of Carr, Elrigh Louw and Cameron Hanekom.
Embrose Papier and Johan Goosen are the halfback pairing, while Harold Vorster and David Kriel are in midfield. The outside backs are Kurt-Lee Arendse, De Klerk and Willie le Roux.
The Bulls will have a five-three bench with Jannes Kristen and Sergeal Petersen as the new additions.
Bulls team
Willie le Roux, Sebastian de Klerk , David Kriel, Harold Voster, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Johan Goosen, Embrose Papier, Cameron Hanekom, Elrigh Louw, Nizaam Carr, Ruan Nortje (capt), Ruan Vermaak, Wilco Louw, Johan Grobbelaar, Gerhard Steenekamp.
Bench: Akker van der Merwe, Simphiwe Matanzima, Francois Klopper, Reinhardt Ludwig, Jannes Kristen, Keagan Johannes, Chris Smith, Sergeal Petersen
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