Cameron Hanekom Bulls No 8 Cameron Hanekom (centre) has been ruled out of the Zebre game, but lock Ruan Nortjé (left) is back. Photo: BackpagePix
Image: BackpagePix
Cameron Hanekom was set to feature for the Bulls against Zebre on Saturday, but the star No 8 pulled up after training on Friday and was withdrawn by coach Jake White.
That saw Mpilo Gumede promoted to a much-changed line-up announced on Friday from the one that started in the 21-20 win over Leinster last week.
There was at least some good news for the Pretoria side on a wet day in the capital as regular captain Ruan Nortjé was fully cleared from a knee injury.
The No 5 lock will play off the bench against Zebre at Loftus Versfeld (2.45pm kick-off), and it comes at just the right time as the Bulls chase a top-two spot on the United Rugby Championship log.
They are missing a number of key figures for the showdown with the feisty Italians, who were a bit unlucky to lose 35-34 to the Sharks in Durban last week.
The latest casualties for the Bulls are Hanekom and Johan Grobbelaar, in addition to Willie le Roux, Reinhardt Ludwig, Canan Moodie, Gerhard Steenekamp, Elrigh Louw and Johan Goosen.
“There was (a plan to play him), and then he just said he’s feeling a bit tight, and he’s back is a bit sore,” White said on Friday.
“Then I just said we are not going to take a risk. Initially, I was looking at getting him in, but I can’t afford a risk – so I just pulled him out last minute.”
But the Bulls boss was delighted to see Springbok second-rower Nortjé returning to the team.
“He’s very, very special. Just to have him around... He’s the captain, sets the tone with the things he does and says,” White said.
“And if we are away for five weeks, it’s not just the rugby.
“In the lineout, the confidence he gives the throwers and lifters... Hopefully he can get some time off the bench, and next week off the bench again.
“(The six-two bench was because) we have so many forwards coming back from injury, so I can’t have Ruan having to come on for 75 minutes.
“We’ve got to make sure we have our best 23 at the back-end of the competition, so if you have to make tough decisions like not having Cameron for this game, (then it must be done).”
White added that Le Roux’s operation on his neck and shoulder area had been a success.
“The operation went really well. It was more of a clean-out, and I want him to be ready for the Springboks in July,” the former Bok coach said.
“Best-case scenario is four weeks, so he could start training again before the Munster game, so that he can get ready for the business end of the competition.”
Bulls Team
15 Devon Williams 14 Sergeal Petersen 13 David Kriel 12 Harold Vorster 11 Stravino Jacobs 10 Keagan Johannes 9 Zak Burger 8 Mpilo Gumede 7 Jannes Kirsten 6 Marcell Coetzee (captain) 5 JF van Heerden 4 Ruan Vermaak 3 Mornay Smith 2 Jan-Hendrik Wessels 1 Alulutho Tshakweni.
Bench: 16 Akker van der Merwe 17 Simphiwe Matanzima 18 Wilco Louw 19 Ruan Nortjé 20 Marco van Staden 21 Nizaam Carr 22 Embrose Papier 23 Boeta Chamberlain.
Zebre Team
15 Geronimo Prisciantelli 14 Jacopo Trulla 13 Fetuli Paea 12 Enrico Lucchin 11 Alessandro Gesi 10 Giovanni Montemauri 9 Alessandro Fusco 8 Davide Ruggeri 7 Iacopo Bianchi 6 Guido Volpi 5 Leonard Krumov 4 Matteo Canali 3 Muhamed Hasa 2 Luca Bigi (captain) 1 Luca Rizzoli.
Bench: 16 Tommaso di Bartolomeo 17 Paolo Buonfiglio 18 Juan Pitinari 19 Francesco Ruffolo 20 Bautista Stavile 21 Ratko Jelic 22 Giacomo da Re 23 Filippo Drago.