Jake White has some big calls to make as Bulls wary of Edinburgh ‘momentum’ for URC quarter-finals

The Bulls have rotated their playing squads often during the season, but now it’s about picking the best possible starting XV and match-23 for Saturday’s United Rugby Championship quarter-final against Edinburgh at Loftus Versfeld (1.30pm start).

Coach Jake White will announce his team on Friday afternoon, and he has a number of major decisions to make to ensure that his team get off to a necessary flying start against the plucky Scottish club.

It was a bit of a surprise to see a virtual full-strength side in their last clash against the Dragons on May 17, with only tighthead prop Wilco Louw and flanks Marcell Coetzee – who was on the bench – and Marco van Staden rested from the regular starters.

The first contentious area that White must consider is the back-three. Willie le Roux, Sebastian de Klerk and Sergeal Petersen were starters against the bottom-side Dragons, with Canan Moodie operating at outside centre, with David Kriel at No 12.

What about Devon Williams? The experienced former Stormers and Western Province flyer has been excellent all season long, and has added a dynamic edge to the Bulls attack with his pace out wide and big left kicking boot.

On form, he deserves to start against Edinburgh, either at fullback or left wing. White is likely to opt for veteran Le Roux at No 15, but then Williams should wear the No 11 jersey.

That decision could be influenced by whether Moodie continues at outside centre, where Stedman Gans has also been overlooked despite impressing whenever he does get some game-time.

Considering Edinburgh have two Scotland Test wings in Duhan van der Merwe and Darcy Graham, perhaps Moodie should return to right wing, with Williams on the left and Le Roux at fullback.

The make-up of the loose trio is also up for debate. White is likely to opt for Cameron Hanekom at No 8, captain Ruan Nortjé at blindside flank and Coetzee at openside – but is that the ideal combination?

Nortjé hasn’t done badly at No 7, but he is an out-and-out Springbok No 5 lock, and should be calling the shots from that position in the lineouts against what will be a competitive Edinburgh pack.

Youngster JF van Heerden has done well in his debut full season of senior rugby, but perhaps he could shift to No 4, as Cobus Wiese could do a worthwhile job as a No 7 ‘bruiser’ with his hard carries and big hits.

It is understood that Nizaam Carr is also over his hamstring injury, and his experience and attacking skills would be invaluable off the bench in the final quarter, where he edges out Van Staden for flexibility and leadership.

Johan Grobbelaar and Akker van der Merwe have rotated regularly at hooker, but the Bulls’ best chance of making that fast start is for Van der Merwe to wear the No 2 jersey and impose himself physically with his lung-busting runs and control at the back of those driving mauls.

The Bulls pack must get their scrum going early on, where Wilco Louw will want to make up for a difficult night in the Challenge Cup quarter-final, where Edinburgh utilised every trick in the book to disrupt the Pretoria side’s set-piece.

“I know Sean (Everitt). Let’s be fair to them... it’s like anything in momentum in sport,” White said this week.

“They were dead and buried, Edinburgh, about six, seven, eight weeks ago.

“And I read articles, he might be out of a job, and they might not make the top eight, and they ended up in the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup and came seventh (on the URC log).

“So, they didn’t even squeak in. They needed five points against Ulster and they got it.

“So, that’s what momentum does. I’m not expecting anything other than the fact they will come here (confident of winning).

“A lot of those players have played international rugby. In fact, I think more of their players have played international rugby than our players.

“We struggled against them. We’ve lost to them (in the Challenge Cup).

“So, I don’t think it’ll be any different I think it’s going to be a tough quarter-final fixture.

“I’ll probably invite him to my house on Friday night to watch the Stormers play against Glasgow.

“I really think it’s one of the wonders of rugby that I enjoy. Me giving him dinner on Friday night is not going to change the result on Saturday.

“Me not greeting him when he comes out of the tunnel and turning left quickly into my change room so he doesn’t see that I see him is not going to determine how the result pans out.”