Cape Town – Jake White has largely given his under-fire Bulls pack a stay of execution, but re-jigged the backline as Kurt-Lee Arendse and Wandisile Simelane were picked in their preferred positions for Friday’s United Rugby Championship clash against the Dragons in Wales.
Despite coming under enormous pressure upfront, especially in the scrums, in last weekend’s 47-20 defeat to the Sharks in Durban, White – who has been under the weather with a cold in Wales this week – made just a single change to the forwards on Thursday, with Gerhard Steenekamp replacing Simphiwe Matanzima at loosehead prop.
To be fair to White, though, he doesn’t have many other options following the departure of regular captain Marcell Coetzee, lock Walt Steenkamp and loose forward Arno Botha to overseas clubs, while injuries have sidelined hooker Jan-Hendrik Wessels and lock Jacques du Plessis.
Nizaam Carr may have warranted an opportunity again – having been impressive as a starter recently – as the loose trio of Elrigh Louw, Cyle Brink and Marco van Staden have not been particularly effective, while Carr would also have provided much-needed experience.
But the forwards must find a way to win their set-pieces, show better discipline and impose themselves physically against the Dragons at Rodney Parade in Newport on Friday night (9.35pm SA time kickoff) – having come up short in those areas at Kings Park last week – in order for Arendse and Simelane to shine.
The selection of the latter at outside centre is particularly exciting, as the former Lions star has had to operate mainly at fullback this season. Simelane likes to be close to the action and get his hands on the ball as often as possible, and his footwork and pace will be better utilised in a familiar position.
The same applies to Arendse, who has excelled at No 15 for the Bulls, but was at wing against the Sharks, where Johan Goosen started at fullback.
That was largely due to an expected kicking barrage from the Sharks, but it meant that the Bulls didn’t have that cutting edge on attack that Arendse provides from the back.
The Springbok star will hope to take on a Dragons side that last won on October 29, and have lost five and drawn once since then.
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Chris Smith has been retained at flyhalf, so Goosen is on the bench this week, while David Kriel slots in at No 11 for Arendse.
In the other backline change, Zak Burger regained the No 9 jersey, with Bernard van der Linde left out and Embrose Papier on the bench.
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Bulls team: 15 Kurt-Lee Arendse 14 Canan Moodie 13 Wandisile Simelane 12 Harold Vorster 11 David Kriel 10 Chris Smith 9 Zak Burger 8 Elrigh Louw 7 Cyle Brink 6 Marco van Staden 5 Ruan Nortje (captain) 4 Ruan Vermaak 3 Mornay Smith 2 Johan Grobbelaar 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis 17 Simphiwe Matanzima 18 Sebastian Lombard 19 Janko Swanepoel 20 Nizaam Carr 21 Embrose Papier 22 Johan Goosen 23 Cornal Hendricks.
IOL Sport