ON SONG Willie le Roux may just feature at number 10 regularly in future for the Bulls, if he wishes. Photo: AFP
Image: AFP
It seemed almost bizarre to see Springbok fullback Willie le Roux at flyhalf for the Bulls in their United Rugby Championship clash against the Stormers over the weekend, but it may just be a sight to which fans will have to become accustomed in future.
The talismanic backline player filled a key role in the Bulls 33-32 victory over their coastal foes in Cape Town.
The Bulls have now won seven of their nine matches this season for third place on the log with their 35 points.
Only the Glasgow Warriors (37) and Leinster (48) are ahead, with both having played one game more.
Playing the veteran Le Roux at number 10 was always going to be a gamble, but Bulls coach Jake White’s hand was forced.
"We missed a goal-kicker, that was obvious! That was always going to be a risk, and I thought David [Kriel] kicked quite well under the circumstances. It's very different when you are picked as the designated goal-kicker,” White told sportsboom.co.za.
"At times he [le Roux] was good, at times he looked like a fullback trying to slot in at 10. It would be unfair to say he was either bad or good and I always knew there would be highs and lows in the fixture. The Stormers would ask us questions that no other team would. I wrote down in my book actually, it's very difficult when you move a guy like Willie to 10 and expect everything to click.”
Whether Le Roux continued to ply his trade just behind the scrum, was largely up to the player himself, White explained.
“Now, I’m going to ask him: if you want it, you must take it. You can’t only have it when you want it.
“He’s always a 10, so the more he plays there... I’m sure if I always move him around, it’s not going to be easy – sometimes he needs to settle into that 10 berth.”