Bulls winger Kurt-Lee Arendse makes a welcomed return in the starting line up ahead Llaneli encounter with Scarlets.
Image: BackpagePix
The Bulls have beefed up their starting pack for Saturday’s clash with the Scarlets in Llanelli, but it is in the backline that coach Johan Ackermann reckons the finishing touches could come from a returning Springbok.
It is Kurt-Lee Arendse that Ackermann has in mind. The left wing returns from injury, as does another strike force in the electric youngster Cheswill Jooste, who is on the right wing.
With the powerful Stedman Gans at 13, and the experienced Harold Vorster at 12, plus the dangerous David Kriel at fullback, the Bulls have a potent backline combination.
“Kurt-Lee is world-class,” Ackermann said. “He’s been unlucky this year with not having continuous games. He came back from the Boks with a sore knee and then had one or two niggles, so we hope to get a run of games with him.
“Players like Kurt-Lee have world-class abilities, and they don’t need a lot of games to get back to their best, so hopefully it’ll start tomorrow.”
A big talking point is Ackermann’s decision to start with destroyer Wilco Louw, who has previously been used to spearhead the bomb squad. Louw had been out of the picture on the Bulls’ tour because of a death in the family.
The reasoning would be that at this crucial part of the URC season — there are just three rounds to go before the quarter-finals — Ackermann wants to dominate from the word go.
An unfortunate absentee from the match 23 is Springbok Canan Moodie.
“We treated Canan for his hamstring strain and started to test him on Tuesday, but on Thursday, there were still signs that it’s not 100 percent,” Ackermann explained.
“At this stage of the season, it’s too big a risk to push him and potentially worsen the injury. With a break next week, we’re hopeful it’s not too serious and that he’ll be ready when we return.”
The Bulls resume in Pretoria with home games against Benetton and Zebre.
On paper, the Bulls have arguably the strongest side they have picked this season, and should have too much class for the 14th-placed Scarlets, but Ackermann is demanding caution.
“The Scarlets are a very good team,” Ackermann said. “Just because they’re not in the top half of the table doesn’t mean they are not a good team — if you think that, you’ve got it totally wrong.
“Just look at the quality they’ve got on the field. They haven’t been outplayed by any team this season and could have won a lot of games by small margins.
“So, if you analyse them, there’s a lot of quality. They’re one of the higher-ranked sides in terms of scoring tries when they get into your 22. They have a good set-piece and a lot of experienced players.
“We need to be at our best.”
Scarlets: 15 Blair Murray, 14 Callum Woolley, 13 Joe Roberts, 12 Eddie James, 11 Macs Page, 10 Joe Hawkins, 9 Dane Blacker, 8 Fletcher Anderson (captain), 7 Jarrod Taylor, 6 Taine Plumtree, 5 Max Douglas, 4 Sam Lousi, 3 Henry Thomas, 2 Ryan Elias, 1 Kemsley Mathias Replacements: 16 Marnus van der Merwe, 17 Josh Morse, 18 Harri O’Connor, 19 Jac Price, 20 Dan Davis, 21 Archie Hughes, 22 Carwyn Leggatt-Jones, 23 Ioan Jones
Bulls: 15 David Kriel, 14 Cheswill Jooste, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marcell Coetzee (captain), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp Replacements: 16 Marco van Staden, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Francois Kloppers, 19 Cobus Wiese, 20 Mpilo Gumede, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Willie le Roux, 23 Jeandre Rudolph