What Exeter can expect from Jake White's Bulls selection
The Bulls head off to England on Tuesday for the next assignment on their European Cup journey, where they will face former champions Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park on Saturday.
European champions in the 2019-2020 season and twice Premiership champions, the Chiefs started with an impressive 27-12 away win over Castres this past weekend.
In contrast, the Bulls – fielding very much a back-up team – had to hang on desperately against a hard-charging Lyon for a bonus-point 42-36 win at Loftus Versfeld.
Injuries and a pre-planned selection policy will further complicate matters for the Bulls.
However, lock Jacques du Plessis – just back from a long-term Achilles injury – has suffered a suspected hand fracture.
“It is a massive loss for us,” Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White said.
Seasoned utility back Marco Jansen van Vuren also suffered a patella injury that could rule him out of the trip to Exeter.
White is ‘splitting’ his squad, with a group heading off to Exeter and the rest staying home to prepare for the December 23 URC encounter with the Stormers in Cape Town.
That means there is set to be a substantial number of the players who edge a hard-charging Lyon 42-36 in Pretoria at the weekend on the flight to England.
Part of the reason for that is player management.
As per the collective agreement with the players’ union, MyPlayers, they are only allowed to play 32 games a year.
That means Springboks who featured in most of the 13 internationals this year, are left with a lot less ‘wiggle room’ in other competitions – such as the United Rugby Championship and European Cup.
“We are fortunate that we don’t have too many players who played a lot of Tests,” the Bulls boss told @rugby365com.
White reiterated that they take the Currie Cup very seriously and still regard it as a “premier competition in South Africa” and need a substantial number of frontline players available for that as well.
“There is no way the same group of players can play in the Currie Cup, URC and EPCR [Europe],” he said.
“You could get to the back end of a competition where [suddenly] you can’t play them.
“I have worked a plan out,” he said about the balancing act of not giving some players too many games early in a competition, adding that he is “going to stick to it”
“The plan is clear and the players have bought into it.
“Barring injuries, I am going to try and get two teams that are competitive and can win.”
He said the youngsters who featured in the win over Lyon at the weekend have put up their hands for many more ‘big’ games.
“You have guys knocking the door down to play in the frontline selection,” White said, adding: “We are in a good place.”
The Bulls’ Director of Rugby said the challenge is now to see if they can also play well away from home.
Having held off last season’s Challenge Cup winners, Lyon, at Loftus Versfeld this past weekend, they will be looking to get more points on the road in the drive for a place in the last 16 in Europe.
Comments on RugbyPass
The shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to comments