Cape Town - Will the real Bulls backline stand up against the Sharks in Saturday’s United Rugby Championship showdown at Loftus?
The Pretoria team’s attacking threats have had only fleeting moments where things have gone right in their recent United Rugby Championship games against the Stormers and Lions (twice), but they have yet to reach the heights that saw them win the Currie Cup on two occasions last year.
In the 30-26 loss to the Stormers, the Bulls were 18-0 down in the first half, and their comeback was sparked by a maul try. Flyhalf Morne Steyn was involved in the two tries after that, and Elrigh Louw barged his way over from close range to set up a 26-18 lead, although the Cape side hit back late to emerge victorious.
Rain affected both their wins over the Lions, with their handling in particular letting them down on attack.
ALSO READ: Bulls can follow Stormers’ blueprint for clash against Springbok-laden Sharks
But for Saturday’s clash, perfect weather conditions are forecasted, with a maximum of 30 degrees Celsius, so there can be no excuses about a wet ball.
Bulls coach Jake White will announce his team later on Friday, and has some big calls to make in his backline. The first revolves around Kurt-Lee Arendse’s role. The former Blitzbok star has run out at fullback in recent matches, having made his name as a left wing in previous seasons.
White was encouraged by Arendse’s improved performance last week, but does he serve the Bulls best at No 11 or 15? Perhaps the former Bok coach’s hand is being forced by the form of David Kriel, who was the fullback mainstay during the Currie Cup. Kriel seems to be making several unforced errors in recent weeks, and has lost his place in the match-23 altogether.
Youngster Canan Moodie’s positive contribution to the Currie Cup team saw him work his way into the United Rugby Championship team, and he will hope to get more possession on attack against the Sharks.
And while Lionel Mapoe and Harold Vorster have done reasonably well as a centre pair, they don’t quite offer the same attacking agility that Cornal Hendricks and Stedman Gans do. Mapoe and Vorster are more direct and physical, whereas Hendricks and Gans look to use their pace and skills to get around the opposition.
Left wing Madosh Tambwe has been excellent on attack and defence, but again hasn’t seen enough of the ball going forward.
So, hopefully the drier conditions in Pretoria on Saturday should see the Bulls play with a bit more width with ball-in-hand, where the pace of Tambwe, Moodie and Arendse can test the Sharks defence.
In that regard, scrumhalf Embrose Papier should be returned to the starting line-up on a fast Loftus track, after Zak Burger started against the Lions in the rain last week.
Papier’s speed around the fringes could keep the Sharks’ Bok halfback, Jaden Hendrikse, busy in defence.
“Our back line can finish each other’s sentences” 🎙Sublime try, finished off by Kurt-Lee Arendse 💥 pic.twitter.com/6gwIIDtNdn
— Official Blue Bulls (@BlueBullsRugby) February 7, 2022
Putting a number of phases together with ball-in-hand should be the mantra for the Bulls, as they have lacked rhythm and continuity on attack in recent weeks, especially in the backline.
If they cough up as much possession as they did against the Lions, the Sharks have the weaponry to take full advantage. The Durbanites are smarting after their 20-10 loss to the Stormers in Cape Town last Saturday, having also drawn 22-22 the previous week at Kings Park.
Coach Sean Everitt moved captain Lukhanyo Am back to No 13 when he named his team on Thursday, with the hard-running Marius Louw returned at inside centre. That indicates that the Sharks will look to suck in the Bulls defenders in midfield, before unleashing their lethal back-three of Aphelele Fassi, Sbu Nkosi and Makazole Mapimpi.
But they have stuck with Argentinian Tito Bonilla – who didn’t have the best of games against the Stormers – at flyhalf, so that is an area where the Bulls can place serious pressure on the Sharks backline.