Vodacom Bulls director of rugby Jake White said that Willie le Roux had shown in the past he was comfortable with the 10 role and now this was formalising it. Le Roux was included at ten for their United Rugby Championship match at 14:00 (SA Time) on Saturday in Cape Town.
“Most of Willie’s good matches are when he comes into the playmaker role and pushes the 10 out of the way and plays 10 most of the game. I’m very comfortable that he understands what we want to do and he knows how to get us there."
"We can always bring Boeta Chamberlain back if we need to, but I rate Willie very highly and know he can do the job for us,” White said.
“Willie’s got 98 Tests. I know he’s played lots of Tests at fullback but let’s not forget he was a flyhalf for Boland.”
“To have him in the middle of the team, between the forwards and backs, as opposed to fullback, will be good for us tomorrow because he’s very vocal, very good at delegating and very good at coaching from behind.”
Another eyebrow-raising selection was Jan-Hendrik Wessels at loosehead prop, who has been used mostly at hooker. White admitted it was a massive test for Wessels who will face Springbok power-house Frand Malherbe and was keen to see what the young prop could do.
“It is a massive test to face Frans, but Jan-Hendrik has played a test match against Australia with Johan Grobbelaar next to him and they have played international rugby together. I’m fully confident in him, and he has grown immensely as a player in the last year or so,” White said.
“He has played a Test match against Australia with Grobbies at hooker, they’ve actually played two Test matches together. So I’m fully confident in him."
“He’s grown as a player and he’s too good a player, I’ve said this many times, to leave in the stands. The two hookers are playing really well and he has played a lot at prop anyway."
“So it’s a massive, massive challenge for him, and it’s a massive opportunity for him as well. “
"We have Gerhard Steenekamp on the bench and three other Boks on the bench, so we can do as we did against the Lions and finish strong with a bench of senior heads on the field.”