Injury-hit Bulls switch De Jager to No 8

The injuries that have decimated the Blue Bulls’ loose forward stocks have forced coach John Mitchell to shift Nic de Jager from No 8 to openside flank for their Currie Cup derby against the Lions at Ellis Park tomorrow.

Former coach Nollis Marais always used to say No 8 was De Jager’s natural position and the 27-year-old captained the Blue Bulls side that scraped through against Griquas in their last game from that position. After an anonymous Super Rugby campaign, De Jager has certainly played his best rugby this year in recent weeksfrom the back of the scrum.

But the injury Shaun Adendorff suffered before the bye week, adding to the long-term injuries that have struck down Roelof Smit and Ruan Steenkamp, means Mitchell had little choice but to move De Jager to No 6.

That means, however, that the imposing Jano Venter can make his first start for the Bulls at No 8, and the fact he will be playing against his former side should add extra motivation for someone who has brought intensity off the bench thus far.

The captaincy shifts back to Burger Odendaal, who is fully fit and returns at outside centre, while Pierre Schoeman and Matthy Basson are the starting props this week as Mitchell said he needs to manage his resources.

“Lizo Gqoboka has got to be managed, he has a couple of niggles, while Pierre has come out of his management plan nice and fresh. Matthys has been exceptional in training, especially in terms of his work-rate, and gets his reward because he has not started before. It’s important that I see what those sort of players can do,” Mitchell said at Loftus Versfeld yesterday.

Warrick Gelant is back at fullback, with hat-trick hero Manie Libbok on the bench and covering Marnitz Boshoff at flyhalf as well, while Andre Warner starts at scrumhalf instead of Ivan van Zyl.

Krugersdorp product Marco van Staden is a new face among the forward replacements, while wing/centre Johnny Kotze returns from injury on the bench.