Vodacom Bulls head coach Phiwe Nomlomo confirmed on Tuesday that they suffered two crucial injuries against the Pumas, which will put them under pressure when they travel to Wellington to face the Sanlam Boland Cavaliers on Sunday at 15:00 (SA Time).
Nomlomo confirmed that loosehead prop Dylan Smith is out for the season, and loosie Jeandre Rudolph picked up a “niggle” which forced him off the field as a precaution. Nomlomo said that, when questioned if he would revert to selecting his more experienced players, he can only select the players that he has available.
On what he expects from Boland, Nomlomo said: “Against Boland, it’s a bit more personal. They’re our brothers on the other side, so there’s a bit of extra niggle when you play against family. It’s not about bragging rights, but there’s definitely something extra in it this time.”
“I think Boland will want to prove a point that they have arrived and they belong on this stage. They’ve got massive cohesion and play for their community, so there’s something much bigger driving them.”
“Boland is sharp. Louis Schreuder at scrumhalf is a seasoned campaigner, fresh from winning the Premiership with Bath. They won’t shy away from what’s made them so good at home, and we’ll need to be prepared for anything they throw at us.”
On his players, some come from the Boland, ability to adapt to the wet winter conditions expected in Wellington, Nomlomo said.
“The weather will do what it does; if it’s windy or wet, we have to adjust. We’ve got players who grew up in Boland and know what the environment is like when the crowd gets going. They’ve even got a band and horses there now; it’s busy, so we need to be ready for everything.
