Cape Town - Having come so close to winning the United Rugby Championship title last season, the only way the Bulls can have a better 2022/23 campaign is to win the trophy.
But to do that, they need to improve their performances, and adding something different to their arsenal could be the point of difference.
And director of rugby Jake White threw the playbook wide open yesterday when he picked former Lions centre Wandisile Simelane at fullback for today’s URC opener against the Johannesburg side at Ellis Park (4.05pm kickoff).
Added to that, the former Bok coach feels that another new signing, wing Sbu Nkosi, has “that look in his eye” as he begins his journey back to the national set-up.
Simelane is an exciting runner with ball-in-hand, and his sidestepping attributes have been a feature of the Lions attack for a few years.
But White felt that the 24-year-old can add an extra arrow to his bow in the No 15 jersey.
“I think it’s not just about him. What’s important is the way the game is going now, and the way I’d like to coach – I like players to be interchangeable. If you look at the All Blacks yesterday, you have Beauden Barrett, Jordie Barrett and Richie Mo’unga running in different positions in different plays in the game,” said the Bulls boss, who also signed a three-year contract extension yesterday.
“So for me, it’s not just about the number on your back. It’s about interchanging those players. Wandisile is a gifted footballer – I think he got a football scholarship or contract to go to Kaizer Chiefs when he was at school.
“He’s got some footballing skills in terms of feel and the way he kicks as well – he’s got some good timing on his kicks as well.
“The other thing is, you’ve got a guy like Lukhanyo Am playing 13 for South Africa and is probably one of the best players in the world. So, a guy like Simelane, if he wants to have ambitions of playing for the Boks, he’s got to try to be more versatile.
“He has trained really well, and I am looking forward to seeing how he does. I’ve got no doubt that what he will offer in certain things he does well, he’s going to be exciting.”
With the Boks’ problems at right wing, which has seen teenager Canan Moodie earn his first Test cap against Australia a few weeks go, the door is always open for a talent like Nkosi to impress Jacques Nienaber once more.
“Gee guys – I can tell you: he can play rugby, he can play rugby. He’s tough, he’s won a World Cup, he’s got something. I’m genuinely excited to see how he does. He’s been out for a while, and I think he’s got a little bit of a burning desire inside him to get back into the national set-up, and to prove to his teammates why he’s come to the Bulls,” White said about Nkosi.
“And I like that. I like seeing the way he has been training and that look in his eye. He’s got it… he’s got something.”
White added that flyhalf Johan Goosen has to bide his team until both are convinced that he is ready to play, but that day will arrive soon. The Bulls mentor insisted that he didn’t want to rush the former Cheetahs star back onto the pitch, as the main goal was to get him ready for the Bok November tour to Europe.
But for now, it’s about beating the Lions and getting off to a winning start, following last year’s tough introduction against Leinster and Connacht in Ireland.
“It almost feels like yesterday that we finished the season. But we had a good pre-season – some new ideas, some new discussions about what we can add to our game,” White said.
“It’s going to be difficult to do everything in one fixture – we are going to have to grow as we go along in the competition.
“The one thing that did come out last year is that we lost five out of our first six games, through the nature of how the comp was, and we had to play really well at the back-end to get into the playoffs.
“I’m hoping that we can play good rugby again. If we get better, we are going to be tough to beat.”
Bulls Team
15 Wandisile Simelane 14 Cornal Hendricks 13 Lionel Mapoe 12 David Kriel 11 Sbu Nkosi 10 Chris Smith 9 Embrose Papier 8 Mihlali Mosi 7 Ruan Vermaak 6 Marcell Coetzee (captain) 5 Ruan Nortje 4 Walt Steenkamp 3 Mornay Smith 2 Johan Grobbelaar 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Bench: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels 17 Dylan Smith 18 Francois Klopper 19 Janko Swanepoel 20 Marco van Staden 21 Zak Burger 22 Morné Steyn 23 Stedman Gans.