PRETORIA – Following a 34-21 victory over the Sunwolves on Friday night, the Bulls have reinstated veteran hooker Adriaan Strauss as captain for their three-week tour of New Zealand and Japan.
Flyhalf Handré Pollard, who led the side in the first three Super Rugby matches of the season, has battled to regain the form that saw him catapulted straight from the SA Under-20 side to the Springbok team in 2014.
The 23-year-old pivot has spent a year on the sidelines with knee and shoulder injuries, and has been slow out of the blocks for the Bulls in the 2017 Super Rugby campaign.
The added leadership responsibility hasn’t helped him either, with Pollard unable to make those trademark line-breaks, while his goal-kicking hasn’t been at its best.
The former Paarl Gym star was yanked off by coach Nollis Marais against the Sunwolves in the 55th minute at Loftus Versfeld on Friday after missing his second penalty of the night at goal, and he was replaced by Tian Schoeman as the hosts secured their first victory of the season after two defeats.
The Bulls struggled to get going against a hard-working Sunwolves side, so it is understandable that Marais wanted to relieve Pollard of his duties so that he can concentrate on his own game.
But to turn to Strauss is another matter. The blond hooker retired from Test rugby after a disastrous Springbok end-of-year tour to Europe last November, so won’t play a role on the international scene any longer.
He is still contracted to the Bulls until 2019, but what’s the point of him captaining the team?
Super Rugby is also a vehicle to bring through new leaders, and with Pollard battling with his own game, players like prop Trevor Nyakane, lock Lood de Jager, No 8 Hanro Liebenberg, scrumhalf Rudy Paige and centre Jan Serfontein would’ve been more appropriate skippers.
They are all contenders for the Springbok squad and are senior players within the Bulls camp anyway.
Handré Pollard was taken off against the Sunwolves after missing a second penalty. Photo: Muzi Ntombela, BackpagePix
The Bulls will leave South Africa on Saturday to make their way to New Zealand to take on the Blues (March 25) and Chiefs (April 1), and then move on to Japan for a second clash with the Sunwolves in Tokyo (April 8).
“It is going to be a massive challenge for us. The Blues are one of the most destructive teams around, and the Chiefs are the form team in the competition in recent years,” Marais said.
“To then travel to Japan to face the Sunwolves will also test our resolve. We realise the importance of good results on this trip, so will be keen to make the most of it.”
The Bulls have lost loose forward Renaldo Bothma for the time being as he was given a straight red card for a swinging arm tackle on Sunwolves captain Ed Quirk, with the Namibian international now facing a Sanzaar disciplinary hearing.
Bothma has been replaced in the 27-man squad by fit-again Arno Botha, while Marais also announced seven standby players – utility back Jade Stighling, centre Johnny Kotze, flyhalf Francois Brummer, scrumhalf Piet van Zyl, loose forward Jacques Potgieter, and props Martin Dreyer and Andrew Beerwinkel.
Bulls Tour Squad
Props: Pierre Schoeman, Trevor Nyakane, Lizo Gqoboka, Jacobie Adriaanse, John-Roy Jenkinson. Standby: Martin Dreyer, Andrew Beerwinkel.
Hookers: Adriaan Strauss (captain), Jaco Visagie, Edgar Marutlulle.
Locks: RG Snyman, Jason Jenkins, Lood de Jager.
Loose Forwards: Ruan Steenkamp, Hanro Liebenberg, Arno Botha, Jannes Kirsten, Nic de Jager. Standby: Jacques Potgieter.
Scrumhalves: Rudy Paige, Piet van Zyl. Standby: Ivan van Zyl.
Flyhalves: Handré Pollard, Tian Schoeman. Standby: Francois Brummer.
Centres: Dries Swanepoel, Burger Odendaal, Jan Serfontein. Standby: Johnny Kotze.
Back three: Jamba Ulengo, Travis Ismaiel, Warrick Gelant, Jesse Kriel. Standby: Jade Stighling.