Is Willie le Roux the answer to unlocking the Vodacom Bulls’ attack?
There certainly is an argument for it after watching the Vodacom Bulls take all five points against the Emirates Lions over the past weekend in Johannesburg.
For those who missed it, the Bulls dominated the first half, but ended up behind on the scoreboard, and looked as if they were floundering until Le Roux and the bench came on and changed the game, giving them a 35-22 win in the process.
But as with so many parts of Le Roux’s game, the shift wasn’t stark, but a subtle shift in attack, a sense of space and moving the defence around and ensuring the Bulls stay on the front foot.
It was no big surprise that afterwards coach Jake White said that the finish was the best the Bulls had put up this season, and while the forwards got the tries, it was the intricate moves around the attack that stopped the Lions.
TWILIGHT OF CAREER
Le Roux is by all rights in the twilight of his career. Two World Cup wins and closing in on 100 caps - which in all seriousness will happen this coming international season - he has had his critics and cheerleaders.
But no matter on which side of the fence you sit, you can’t underestimate his experience and the vision he has had on attack.
The Bulls have lauded his arrival at Loftus and the influence he had on the back three whenever he was in the last line of defence. Le Roux’s ability to pop up as playmaker - both for the Springboks and the Bulls - has been a part of both sides’ success over the past few years.
But now the Bulls have to face a question? Do they revert to him at flyhalf or continue with a more traditional 10.
To be fair, Boeta Chamberlain’s cameos since Johan Goosen got injured have not been bad at all. Chamberlain is growing in confidence in his role in the Bulls’ side, but is equally adept at fullback, with the same that can be said for Jaco van der Walt, who has had limited game time at the Pretoria franchise.
GOOSEN HAS BEEN PREFERRED UNTIL NOW
Up until now the Bulls have opted more for Johan Goosen’s stature at 10 - a traditional flyhalf who kicks at 90 per cent and who can keep them on the front foot. But as their season has progressed, they have struggled on attack - with a recent stat in the Investec Champions’ Cup showing they had beaten 94 defenders for just five tries in the opening three games of the now deceased campaign.
The Bulls have been moving to a more expansive game plan, using their big forwards out wide a lot more, and including speedsters such as Sebastian de Klerk along with the likes of David Kriel to form a more balanced attack.
But this attack hasn’t always suited Goosen’s attacking style and even the biggest Bulls supporters will admit that the Goose blows hot and cold more often than they would like. And he is injury prone.
As terrible as that is to admit, the pivot missed the opening five games of the season and now is out for an undetermined time once again, forcing coach Jake White to make alternative plans.
LE ROUX IS OFTEN AT 10 IN TRAINING
Le Roux has played at 10 before, and often slots in at the spot during training. His ability to see space and get his backline moving has been a massive asset for the sides he has played for, but there has always been a sense that he is more deadly at the back of the game, where he can drift in and out of action and not face the rigours of defending channel one.
Because there are few who will post Le Roux as the man to make dominant tackles in that situation and it is somewhere the opposition will target. Yet, like most parts of the oval ball game, there are things a coach can do to protect a 10 that isn’t strong on tackling.
The real question is, do the Bulls stick with a more traditional pivot like Chamberlain, or do they throw caution to the wind in big derby games and let Le Roux run their attack from start to finish?
Saturday showed the impact he can have when the Bulls needed him to revitalise their attack and with David Kriel’s near perfect kicking performance, it takes the pressure off to kick at posts.
The Bulls have a tough derby series coming up - starting with an away game against the Stormers, before visits to Loftus for the Sharks, Stormers and Lions, which will not only determine their defence of the SA Shield, but also their URC campaign to a large extent.
The gamble has its risks, but if it works, it has some exceptional rewards.
That’s what White has to weigh up in this off-week.