Bulls stars out to prove a point
FLYHALF RETURNS AFTER LONG INJURY LAYOFF Springbok coach will be eager to see how the men from Pretoria perform in warm-up match.
If Bulls fans wanted an indication of what their Super Rugby side’s first choice XV might look like, they can get one today. Coach Nollis Marais named a strong side for the warm-up match against the Chiefs in Brisbane today, one of which four specific players will be of interest to Springbok coach Allister Coetzee.
Flyhalf Handre Pollard, fullback Jesse Kriel, prop Trevor Nyakane and lock Lood de Jager will all be out to prove a point.
Pollard starts in his first competitive game for more than a year following knee and shoulder injuries. Given how poorly stocked the Bok No 10 jersey looked in last year’s disastrous season, Coetzee will hope the 22-year-old playmaker shows signs of potentially making an impact in 2017.
To be honest, there’s a huge amount of expectation surrounding Pollard’s return. His ability to attack the advantage line and composure has always marked him out as an exciting prospect.
Marais has kept to his promise to hand Kriel a run at fullback. In 2015, Kriel leapt into Heyneke Meyer’s Bok squad following fine performances in Super Rugby, but was then shifted to centre and he hasn’t quite had the same impact since.
Nyakane has for some time been considered a versatile option at prop for the Boks, because he can play at loosehead or tighthead. But the friendly scrummager has made it clear that he wants to be a tighthead this season. And given the absence of Julian Redelinghuys, Nyakane can make that position his own if he performs consistently.
From being crowned South African Player-of-the-Year in 2015, De Jager thudded down to earth last year. The lanky lock struggled to dominate his opponents physically and seemingly forgot to make all the tackles that had many observers waxing lyrical the previous season.
“We don’t have much time left in the pre-season, so it will be important for certain combinations to work well in this match,” said Marais.