The Vodacom Bulls won’t be using Handre Pollard immediately on his return from the Springbok camp but were given a surprise boost with the news that another Springbok - loose forward Elrigh Louw is back and ready to take his spot in the side after almost 10 months on the sidelines.
Louw, who suffered a bad knee injury last season, to the point where several surgeries were necessary and at one point there was even talk of it being a career-ending setback, will start from the bench for the Bulls against the Lions in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship Jukskei derby on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld.
It is a boost the side never expected when they went on the international break a month ago, and coach Johan Ackermann was overjoyed at the prospect of having one of the side’s key players back in action.
MASSIVE PLUS
“It’s naturally a massive plus for us,” Ackermann said in announcing his team. “He is back a lot earlier than expected and it is lekker to have him back.”
Ackermann was a bit more cautious when it comes to another Springbok in Cameron Hanekom, who is weeks away from returning to the field after a long term hamstring tear.
Hanekom will be assessed weekly but isn’t far from returning to the side.
“Cam is still a little way away, and we can’t precisely say when he will play - it is up to his hamstring as to how it reacts to the rehab. He has had a couple of good sessions and then a couple of sessions which weren’t that good and we had to pull him back a bit. So at the moment it is a week by week thing and like any injury it needs to get used to the stress of rugby again.”
The Bulls also had the option of selecting Pollard, who was released by the Springboks, but they decided against it because he has a light injury and they want him to be firing when they face Investec Champions Cup defending champions Bordeaux-Begles next weekend in Pretoria.
TEMPTATION TO USE POLLARD
“There was a desire to use him, but he came back from the Boks with a light calf muscle injury and we needed to make the tough decision not to risk him with a long season ahead and rather give him time to settle into the team because we want him to be ready against Bordeaux,” Ackermann explained.
All that leaves the side that will take the field on Saturday, one which sees a relatively young packk - which includes SA under-20 stars JJ Theron and Jaco Grobbelaar but has some experience in Akker van der Merwe and is captained by the impressive Reinhardt Ludwig.
Out wide there is a lot more experience with the likes of Embrose Papier, Jan Serfontein, David Kriel and test centurion Willie le Roux.
Springbok Cobus Wiese heads the bench along with Louw while 18-year old wing sensation Cheswill Jooste is also there.
Ackermann said he expected the Lions to bring a fast game to Loftus.
“Obviously, I've been on that side, and I know the thought process that they're going to believe that they can come and win. Any team must believe that they can come and win, and they've played well before the break, so they've got confidence, and then I think they'll try and chase the intensity.
“I expect them to play a fast game, so we must be ready for that, and obviously, make sure we match them physically, because they will always come with physicality and move the ball around.”
Vodacom Bulls: Willie le Roux; Sebastian de Klerk, David Kriel, Jan Serfontein, Stravino Jacobs; Keagan Johannes, Embrose Papier, JJ Theron, Reinhardt Ludwig (captain), Jeandre Rudolph, JF van Heerden, Jaco Grobbelaar, Francois Klopper, Akker van der Merwe, Alulutho Tshakweni.
Replacements: Jean Else, Sti Sithole, Mornay Smith, Cobus Wiese, Elrigh Louw, Paul de Wet, Stedman Gans, Cheswill Jooste