Cameron Hanekom Star No 8 Cameron Hanekom will give the Bulls real impetus with ball-in-hand against Cardiff. Photo: BackpagePix
Image: BackpagePix
The Bulls have opted not to risk Embrose Papier, but have brought back Cameron Hanekom and Willie le Roux for Saturday’s United Rugby Championship clash against Cardiff at Loftus Versfeld (4pm start).
Star scrumhalf Papier picked up a knee knock in the first half of the memorable 26-19 victory over defending champions Glasgow Warriors on April 25 in Scotland.
Papier continued playing until the 60th minute, when he was replaced by Keagan Johannes for the final quarter at the Scotstoun Stadium.
The Springbok halfback, though, will miss out against Cardiff, as the Pretoria side have already qualified for the quarter-finals and wouldn’t want to lose him for the playoffs.
Zak Burger has been promoted to the starting side, with Johannes providing cover at scrumhalf and flyhalf from the bench.
“He’s just precaution. Remember you saw last week against Glasgow, just before halftime, he sort of rolled his knee,” coach Jake White told Independent Media during Friday’s team announcement press conference.
“But he’s had scans. Everything’s fine. It’s just, again, I don’t want to rush him. You know, he’s going to be important in the back end of the competition. I don’t want to rush him in now and risk something that doesn’t need to be risked.
“I did it (rotation) with Embrose (earlier in the season) and then I mean, thank goodness I gave Embrose some time off.
“And the reason for that is because I let Zak and Keagan play. And now, as it turns out, Zak and Keegan need to play because Embrose is not available this weekend.
“So, I mean, it’s not only half-empty, it’s sometimes half-full as well, is that when you do rotate in the middle of the season, you end up getting a guy like Zak – who, by the way, has got more than 50 URC games anyway – starting in the team.
“And you don’t sit here thinking, geez, ‘I haven’t given him game-time. He’s a bit inexperienced. He hasn’t played this season’.
“I mean, both those nines have played enough rugby against big teams and in big games for me to be confident that Embrose doesn’t need to play this weekend.”
Having had a lengthy injury layoff due to a shoulder operation, Le Roux needs to get some game-time ahead of the playoffs, which sees Devon Williams playing off the bench.
Captain Ruan Nortjé continues at blindside flank, with star No 8 Hanekom returning at the back of the scrum from a groin niggle, along with experienced openside Marcell Coetzee, who also missed the Glasgow encounter with a sore knee.
The Bulls (58 points) will be going all out for five log points to keep the pressure on Glasgow (59) – who face Benetton in Italy on Saturday – in the race for second place, with leaders Leinster (67) taking on Zebre in Dublin this weekend.
Bulls Team
15 Willie le Roux 14 Canan Moodie 13 David Kriel 12 Harold Vorster 11 Sebastian de Klerk 10 Johan Goosen 9 Zak Burger 8 Cameron Hanekom 7 Ruan Nortjé (captain) 6 Marcell Coetzee 5 JF van Heerden 4 Cobus Wiese 3 Wilco Louw 2 Johan Grobbelaar 1 Jan-Hendrik Wessels.
Bench: 16 Akker van der Merwe 17 Alulutho Tshakweni 18 Mornay Smith 19 Jannes Kirsten 20 Marco van Staden 21 Keagan Johannes 22 Devon Williams 23 Stedman Gans.
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