Cape Town — The Bulls are sweating on the availability of veteran flyhalf Morné Steyn for next weekend’s United Rugby Championship clash against Zebre in Italy.
The 37-year-old pivot received the first red card of his professional career when he sent off for a dangerous tackle in the 11th minute of the Bulls’ showdown with the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld last Saturday.
Steyn went high on Sharks captain Lukhanyo Am, and it looked like a swinging arm as well as he made contact with the Springbok centre’s neck area in what was an uncharacteristic loss of concentration and unnecessary aggression from the usually laidback No 10.
The fact that it was also a late tackle left referee AJ Jacobs with little option but to flash the red card, and Steyn appeared stunned as he jogged off the field.
The Bulls were badly stung by Steyn’s departure, and trailed 26-12 with about 20 minutes to go. But after Sharks scrumhalf Grant Williams was also handed a red card for a dangerous tackle on Bulls replacement flyhalf Chris Smith, the home team made a late rally, but ultimately went down 29-22.
Independent Media understands that Steyn faced a disciplinary hearing on Thursday for the incident, and will await the decision of the URC panel on whether he should receive further sanction for the hit on Am.
That means that coach Jake White has to prepare for the worst – which would be planning without Steyn for next week Friday’s clash with Zebre in Parma (7.30pm kickoff SA time).
The Bulls began their build-up to the Zebre match on Thursday at Loftus Versfeld, before flying over to Italy in a couple of days’ time, and it is unclear if Smith is ready to train yet after going off on a stretcher following the tackle from Williams.
White said on Smith after the Sharks match: “I think he’s all right. I think he just got a bit of a knock on the head. So, I don’t think there’s any fractures or anything.”
But if there’s any doubt about Smith, and Steyn is unable to play, the Bulls face a crisis at flyhalf at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi next Friday – with the injured Johan Goosen also still a number of months away from being ready to play.
Youngster FC du Plessis is probably the next-in-line, having been on the bench for the Bulls’ recent Currie Cup defeat against the Cheetahs in Pretoria.
Du Plessis is just 21 and has had little game time for the Bulls, but is an exciting playmaker who spent some time with Toulon in the 2020-21 season, and made four appearances for the French club.
So, his experience of European conditions is likely to count in his favour, with Tuks flyhalf Jandré Burger – brother of Bulls scrumhalf Zak – also a possibility for the trip to Italy.
A left-field option at No 10 for White, though, could be regular fullback David Kriel, who has much more experience than the other candidates and has said previously that he is prepared to operate as a playmaker as well.
Asked about filling in at flyhalf ahead of the URC opener against Leinster last year, Kriel said: “I wouldn’t say I won’t play No 10! I think everybody backs themselves at 10 – even the tighthead props! It’s nice. I’m backing myself wherever I’m playing... If it’s from No 10 to 15 straight through, I wouldn’t mind.”
IOL Sport