Jake White has slammed accusations that the Vodacom Bulls are fielding a second-string side against Northampton Saints as a “slap in the face”, while affirming they have the experience to win Saturday’s quarter-final. DYLAN JACK reports.
White named a Bulls team for the Champions Cup quarter-final missing a host of Springboks, including backs Embrose Papier, Johan Goosen, Canan Moodie, Willie le Roux and Kurt-Lee Arendse, while co-captains Marcell Coetzee and Ruan Nortje have also remained in Pretoria.
Nizaam Carr will captain a side that, although not lacking in experience, has consequently been perceived as a B-team and an attempt to prioritise the URC over the Champions Cup.
The Bulls host defending URC champions Munster next week and White explained that he couldn’t risk many of his senior players, who are carrying knocks, due to the strenuous travel schedule.
“One of the things I learned last year was that I didn’t rotate my squad enough,” White said. “I kept the same players over and over and over and it came back to bite me at the end of the season.
“It has nothing to do with the Munster game, it has everything to do with where we are as a group.
“Six of the guys on this tour have played in three Super Rugby finals. Probably about eight guys have beaten Leinster [in the URC semi-finals] in Dublin. Cameron Hanekom and Stravino Jacobs have come back from injuries and were the number-one starters before they got injured.
“Rotation is very important for where we are as a group. More importantly, I’ve received medical advice that some guys who have bumps and bruises after the last massive game we had against Lyon, would be a massive risk to bring them overseas.
“With the travelling and their injuries, they might not be ready for Saturday. That would mean I would be here with a big group of injuries that would be at risk not to start on Saturday.
“I can’t have four, five, six, seven guys that are 50/50 when we travel and they aren’t ready by Saturday, because the chances of being able to replace them are minimal.
“It’s the best team, I’m confident and looking forward to seeing how this team does.
“They have been training together for a while. Guys like Zak [Burger] and Chris [Smith] have played many games together. Sebastian [de Klerk] and Devon [Williams] won the Currie Cup and played many times for the Pumas. Akker van der Merwe played against Northampton when he was at Sale Sharks. I think it’s quite an exciting team.”
When the game-shy nature of the Bulls’ lineup was raised, White reaffirmed that he believes that it is the best side he could have chosen for the game.
“All these guys, every single one of them, have started in the URC or Champions Cup, or both. Every single one of them,” White said.
“When is the right time to play them, if they haven’t got lots of game time? If I leave it another week, it means another week of not playing. If I play them against Munster, we are seen as being disrespectful to the defending URC champions.
“There is no right time. This is the best team we have, on medical advice. We’ve had some guys who have had an operation, some guys have been told not to travel, some guys have gone for scans today.
“I told the group at the beginning of the year that there will be times that they will be asked to play. It might not be the team that they or I choose, because of circumstances.
“When is the right time? Do we only play certain players in games when it’s not important? Then why would you have a squad? I’m under the planning that I want to give them opportunities in games that are important too, not just games that the public think they should play.”
White brushed aside suggestions that the team selection showed that he is not taking the Champions Cup seriously, adding that he sees Saturday’s playoff as a big opportunity to create competition in the Bulls’ squad.
“We want to win. We are the one union that took the Currie Cup seriously when other unions were playing guys who weren’t seasoned provincial players. So every competition that I coach in, is to win.
“It’s a slap in the face. People are talking about A and B-teams. This team played nearly every game two years ago.
“We want to get to a point where there is no A or B-team. We have to create depth. I want the Bulls to become a powerhouse club where it doesn’t matter which team or combination you put on the field. We have to get to the point where we are competitive.
“These guys have a wonderful opportunity in a great game, a quarter-final of the European Cup. It’s a wonderful opportunity to use and make memories.
“The one thing I know about this team is that there are no niggling injuries, no guys that are 50/50. These combinations have been very good at training. Sometimes as a coach, you have to reward them with big games.
“First prize is a win and with that win, I would like to create competition for the jersey.”
Photo: Thinus Maritz/BackpagePix
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Src: sarugbymag.co.za
