Jake White believes that Willie le Roux can cause “trouble” for the Sharks defence if the Bulls forwards can supply quick ball for the flyhalf to wreak havoc at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
The veteran Springbok fullback was again named in the No 10 jersey on Friday by White, despite the director of rugby stating that Le Roux was “making me bloody old” as the pivot following last weekend’s 33-32 win over the Stormers in Cape Town.
White said that Le Roux had spoken to him about that comment, and was given an explanation.
“I showed him the video, and he said ‘What do you mean I turned you old!’, and I said ‘Look here: you were standing here, and when I looked again, you weren’t standing here. You remember that?’,” White said on Friday.
“And he said ‘Oh, okay’. That’s probably also the reason why I haven’t changed the backline.
“I think it’s only fair. I asked him on Monday after the video session, ‘When last did you play 10?’, and he said for Toyota (Verblitz in Japan) in about 2022, 2023.
“If you think about it, it’s a helluva ask for the guy. I know he’s talented, but you ask a guy to go from 15 straight into 10 in a big derby game in Cape Town – against a team that have won the conference and been in two finals...
“He was always going to make one or two errors, so the thinking now is having him Emmy (scrumhalf Embrose Papier) and him together – and the rest of the backline as it was – can only make it better for them.
“As I said to Emmy, all the mistakes they made last week through communication, or losing shape, I’m sure will be better this weekend.
“If we can get quick ball and Willie can run onto defenders, I think they are going to be in trouble because we know the space he creates for people in and around him.
“Playing at home, altitude, field is quick and hard. If we can get Willie running onto the ball, with his passing game, we can also create a bit of space for our backs.
“Playing the same backline is also going to help in terms of the cohesion and understanding of what we want to do.”
The Bulls boss anticipates a much more assured Le Roux at flyhalf against the Sharks.
“Well, I expect Willie to be a little more fluid in terms of him and Emmy’s combination, Willie to be a little more game-sharp,” the former Bok coach said.
“He’ll kick when he needs to kick, and he’ll run when he needs to run – and I trust him on that.
“But I am saying that Willie, second week in the number 10 jersey with the same backline, I can only see it being of benefit, especially at home.
“We’ve got a strong bench, and I would think the Sharks would have to hang onto their bench for as long as possible.
“We will try to play as quickly as we can in the first 60, and then at the back-end of the game when they have to use their bench, hopefully we can bring on our bench and be even stronger.”
White explained that star No 8 Cameron Hanekom was left out of the team as he was battling with a blow to the leg that he picked up early in the Stormers game.
“He’s got a bang on his leg, like a contusion. It’s just one of those things that he probably needs some time to... especially for him as an athlete, if he can’t run flat-out, then there’s no use.
“What happens then is that you can end up tearing a muscle. He was actually sick this week as well, so it probably worked out in our favour that he was sick at the same time as the injury.
“He got it early, in that first line-break, and he could play for the rest of the game. But once he cooled down and flew back in an aeroplane, it got worse.”
Bulls Team
15 Devon Williams 14 Canan Moodie 13 David Kriel 12 Harold Vorster 11 Sergeal Petersen 10 Willie le Roux 9 Embrose Papier 8 Nizaam Carr 7 Reinhardt Ludwig (captain) 6 Marco van Staden 5 JF van Heerden 4 Ruan Vermaak 3 Wilco Louw 2 Johan Grobbelaar 1 Jan-Hendrik Wessels.
Bench: 16 Akker van der Merwe 17 Gerhard Steenekamp 18 Francois Klopper 19 Jannes Kirsten 20 Mpilo Gumede 21 Zak Burger 22 Boeta Chamberlain 23 Aphiwe Dyantyi.
Sharks Team
15 Jordan Hendrikse 14 Yaw Penxe 13 Jurenzo Julius 12 Lukhanyo Am 11 Ethan Hooker 10 Siya Masuku 9 Grant Williams 8 Phespi Buthelezi 7 Vincent Tshituka (captain) 6 Tino Mavesere 5 Jason Jenkins 4 Corné Rahl 3 Trevor Nyakane 2 Bongi Mbonambi 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu.
Bench: 16 Ethan Bester 17 Ruan Dreyer 18 Hanro Jacobs 19 Lappies Labuschagne 20 Jannes Potgieter 21 Bradley Davids 22 Francois Venter 23 Jaco Williams.