The Vodacom Bulls are all geared up for their historic quarterfinal encounter against Premiership outfit, Northampton Saints in the 2023/24 Investec Champions Cup to be held at the cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens.
Director of Rugby, Jake White says his squad selection this weekend is balanced between rotation, management of players, and avoiding long-term injuries based on medical advice as well as experience.
“This is the best team we have available and I am confident in them. I am looking forward to seeing how they do together. I think they are quite an exciting team for the fixture”
White adds: “Six of the guys on this current tour have played in Super Rugby finals and about eight guys have beaten Leinster in Leinster. Cameron Hanekom and Stravino Jacobs return from injury and they were the number one starters in their positions before injury,”
“There is also rotation to contend with, which I have said is very important in our group. More importantly, I have medical advice that some guys have bumps and bruises after the last travel (to Leinster) and the last massive game against Lyon, it would have been a massive risk for me to bring them overseas because of the injuries and contusions they have would have probably meant they would not be ready on Saturday, leaving us with a big group of players who would not be able to start on the weekend.”
On Merwe Olivier’s call-up, White said: “The reason I put him there is because he covers lock and flank. Northampton have a really big pack of forwards and if you consider him and Ludwig on the bench, both covering lock and flank gives us really good options,”
“They have a really good line out and they would offer me a lot size-wise and also options-wise wise and that is why I went with the both of them (Olivier and Ludwig) on the bench because they can both go into the loose forward position. He (Olivier) has played SA under-20s as has JF, so it is not like we are undermining anything.”
“We looked at the team we are playing against, and the conditions and as I have said, I hope that he will take the next step up like all the other juniors like JF, Canan, Jan-Hendrick Wessels and Hanekom. It is something we pride ourselves on how the young players have come through” Whited added.
When asked about his expectations of the match, the Vodacom Bulls mentor said: “I would like to win. In every competition I have ever played in, I play to win,”
“The players have a wonderful opportunity in a great game, a quarterfinal of the Investec Champions Cup and it is a wonderful opportunity for them to make memories and to use this opportunity,”
“This is a wonderful competition, one we wish to win” Jake White concludes.