Cape Town – It will be feeling like a long three weeks on tour for the Bulls, having lost against Glasgow and Munster.
But clinching a victory in Friday night’s United Rugby Championship (URC) clash against Benetton in Treviso (6.30pm SA time kickoff) will give the Pretoria side a much-needed boost, as they will finish off the first block of the season against the Sharks next Sunday.
Coach Jake White wasn’t able to call on the injured Johan Goosen and Cornal Hendricks, but has continued his rotation policy, with a new front row and a couple of changes to the backline.
Here are five head-to-head battles that could decide the outcome…
Chris Smith v Tomas Albornoz
Smith had a nightmare outing the last time he was at Stadio Monigo, in the Rainbow Cup final in June 2021. He battled to get his kicking game going, but to be fair, his pack of forwards also lost the physical battle, which meant he was on the back foot.
But now it’s nearly 16 months later, and the hard-working Smith will surely have worked out what is required to put the Bulls on the front foot and drive Benetton back.
Argentinian Tomas Albornoz is the latest pivot trying to fill the boots of Paolo Garbisi at No 10, and his accurate goal-kicking will play a major role in Benetton’s chances of victory.
Embrose Papier v Dewaldt Duvenage
Papier is a much better player than what he has shown this season. The bad weather in Glasgow and Limerick didn’t help him to showcase his main attributes of sniping around the fringes, but he should encounter better conditions on Friday evening.
The former Bok scrumhalf must keep opposite number Dewaldt Duvenage busy by varying his play well between having a go himself, passing to the backline and launching box-kicks, while he must hassle the Benetton captain at the base as well.
Ex-Stormers No 9 Duvenage plays like an old-school halfback, with a massive left-footed kicking game that White pointed out this week as something the back-three must deal with efficiently.
Marcell Coetzee v Michele Lamaro
As much as the two openside flanks will be going all out in the race for the loose ball, both players are also outstanding on attack.
Coetzee was the URC offload king last season, and needs to get his hands on the ball more regularly than he has over the last few weeks.
He is a vital part of the Bulls’ attack in being the link between backs and forwards.
But so too is Lamaro, who likes to range on the shoulders of teammates who get line-breaks and finish off moves.
Coetzee, though – along with Marco van Staden – must slow down Benetton’s ruck ball if the Bulls are to have any chance of emerging triumphant.
Janko Swanepoel v Scott Scrafton
The 23-year-old Swanepoel is a top-class No 5 lock, but just hasn’t had enough game-time due to Ruan Nortje’s consistently excellent performances over the last few years.
But with Walt Steenkamp about to leave the Bulls for Japan, Swanepoel now gets his chance at No 4, and he needs to bring the heat for a pack that has been on the back foot in the physical stakes over the last two weeks.
The former Cape (Stellenberg) schoolboy is not the heaviest second-rowers around, but is not scared to get stuck in at the mauls and on defence.
He will face a tough challenge from the well-travelled grafter Scrafton, a 29-year-old New Zealander who has played Super Rugby for the Blues and Hurricanes.
Bismarck du Plessis v Giacomo Nicotera
The Bulls have been brave to throw young hooker Jan-Hendrik Wessels into the deep end following the injury to Johan Grobbelaar, but while he is busy in the tight-loose, his lineout-throwing hasn’t always been accurate.
That is why Bismarck du Plessis needs to provide that efficiency in the set-phases and find his jumpers Nortje, Swanepoel and Elrigh Louw.
But Nicotera, who made his Italy Test debut this year, won’t take a step back and will look to take the fight to the grizzled Springbok veteran.
Du Plessis, though, must set the tone physically with big hits in defence and stopping the Benetton maul.
IOL Sport