Ken Borland

Bulls director of rugby Jake White once again bemoaned how bare his cupboard is when it comes to Springboks, but he seemed still fairly confident on Friday that his team will be able to “play some rugby” and see off the Ospreys in their United Rugby Championship clash at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

The Bulls will still field half-a-dozen Springboks in their starting XV and Morne Steyn on the bench, and White hinted that there will be no lack of ambition from his side on Saturday from 3pm.

“Ospreys drew with last season’s champions, the Stormers, which means they can play,” White said. “I know a couple of their main guys are not here, but Wales rugby is under pressure and their players could see this as an opportunity to put their hands up for national honours.

“They were tough to beat last year and I don’t foresee an easy game, but we would like to play through our centres and Harold Vorster and Lionel Mapoe can tick that box.

“They played three Super Rugby finals together, so imagine the hours they have spent practising and playing together, they’re probably the most experienced centre pairing in South Africa.

“And then Nizaam Carr is unbelievable on attack, he will add something running between and linking off the backline players. WJ Steenkamp as well,” White said.

With both the URC challenge and the European Rugby Champions Cup on his immediate radar, White said the Bulls had entered something of a new phase with a new generation of core players. He pointed out that when he arrived at Loftus Versfeld in 2020, his leadership group was Ivan van Zyl, Steyn, Gio Aplon, Duane Vermeulen and Arno Botha, all Springboks.

Now they have a new captain in lock Ruan Nortje, and fellow leaders in Johan Grobbelaar, Elrigh Louw, Chris Smith, Johan Goosen and Vorster.

“The whole dynamic has changed and I would like this group to have their own personality,” White said. “Ruan is quieter and doesn’t talk as much as Marcell Coetzee, but all my captains are totally and utterly driven to do well.

“But I am excited to see him stay the same Ruan Nortje, I would encourage him to bring his own personality and captaincy style.

“But South African rugby needs to find a new model post the next World Cup, we have to make sure our regions are strong, we keep our best players and keep our teams together.

“Why would we want to play in the Champions Cup if we don’t have a realistic chance of winning it? My salary cap of R70 million compared to the R180 million of Leinster or Munster, and even more for the French teams, is what I have to worry about,” White said.

Bulls:Wandisile Simelane, David Kriel, Lionel Mapoe, Harold Vorster, Stravino Jacobs, Chris Smith, Embrose Papier, Elrigh Louw, WJ Steenkamp, Nizaam Carr, Ruan Nortje (c), Janko Swanepoel, Francois Klopper, Bismarck du Plessis, Gerhard Steenekamp. Bench – Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Simphiwe Matanzima, Mornay Smith, Ruan Vermaak, Cyle Brink, Zak Burger, Morne Steyn, Marco Jansen van Vuren.

The Bulls are in the healthy position of having a settled line-up and a well-established game-plan that works, and that is why coach Jake White says he is confident that if they play to the best of their abilities then they will see off Western Province in their Currie Cup semi-final at Loftus Versfeld on Friday night.

Marcell Coetzee returns to captain the Bulls, with White happy he has been able to choose his strongest team. Western Province have been able to add more experience to their line-up with the return of Springbok hooker Scarra Ntubeni.

“The players are very confident because we have had a consistent game-plan through the year and it’s working for us. It’s important that the players are just relaxed and trust their preparation enough to get the result. This same group of players had the same pressure last year and they came through with flying colours. Plus we have added some wiser heads to the squad.

“So I really don’t need to say much to the team, we are where we want to be, which is exciting. I’m very confident that we have done the work and if we play as well as we can, then we don’t have to worry about being nervous. John Dobson said we have nothing to lose, but of course we are here to win the trophy. But we won’t go into the game thinking Western Province will just roll over either,” White said on Thursday.

When asked how the Bulls would counter chunky, in-form fetcher Deon Fourie, White simply said: “We’ve picked Marcell Coetzee”, and the Bulls loose trio is one of their great strengths. Veteran Arno Botha has been playing great rugby lately and eighthman Elrigh Louw has been one of the finds of the last year.

While White said Western Province locks Ernst van Rhyn and Johan du Toit deserve credit for stepping up during a second-row injury crisis, he pointed out that the Bulls have many locks to choose from and Ruan Nortje and Janko Swanepoel have grown considerably as players in the last year.

Lionel Mapoe and Harold Vorster are a well-established, experienced centre combination and their battle with Juan de Jongh and Dan du Plessis will be a meaty affair. Western Province have pace (Edwill van der Merwe) and power (Ruhan Nel) on the wings, up against the accomplished Bulls pairing of Cornal Hendricks and Madosh Tambwe.

Perhaps it will be Bulls flyhalf Johan Goosen though who will take control of the game and be the stand-out figure.

Teams

Bulls – David Kriel, Cornal Hendricks, Lionel Mapoe, Harold Vorster, Madosh Tambwe, Johan Goosen, Zak Burger, Elrigh Louw, Arno Botha, Marcell Coetzee, Ruan Nortje, Janko Swanepoel, Mornay Smith, Schalk Erasmus, Gerhard Steenekamp. Bench: Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Simphiwe Matanzima, Jacques van Rooyen, Jacques du Plessis, WJ Steenkamp, Keagan Johannes, Chris Smith, Stravino Jacobs.

Western Province – Sergeal Petersen, Ruhan Nel, Juan de Jongh, Dan du Plessis, Edwill van der Merwe, Tim Swiel, Paul de Wet, Hacjivah Dayimani, Marcel Theunissen, Deon Fourie, Johan du Toit, Ernst van Rhyn (c), Sazi Sandi, Scarra Ntubeni, Leon Lyons. Bench: Andre-Hugo Venter,, Dian Bleuler, Neethling Fouche, Justin Basson, Nama Xaba, Godlen Masimla, Rikus Pretorius, Tristan Leyds.

*The Sharks host Griquas at Kings Park in Durban on Saturday in the other semifinal.