The Vodacom Bulls are set to unleash their newest signing - Luan Gillomee - as they start their Invested Champions Cup campaign this weekend at Loftus Versfeld against French giants Stade Francais.
Giliomee, who joined from the Hollywoodbets Sharks just more than a week ago, has been put straight into training and all indications are that he will be given game time this weekend.
The talented youngster, who has played for the Springbok Sevens and SA A this season, as well as helped the SA under-20s to the Junior World Championship, was one of the standouts in the Sharks’ first two wins of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship season and is expected to make an immediate impact at Loftus.
While he can virtually play anywhere in the backline, Giliomee is listed as a flyhalf for the tournament alongside Springboks Handre Pollard and Curwin Bosch, while his other position is at fullback where veteran Bok Willie le Roux and Hakeem Kunene have been in action for the Bulls this season.
Wherever the Bulls play him, there is a sense that he can be a great attacking cog for the side and will put pressure on those players in those positions to perform as competition hots up in the backline.
While the Bulls are fresh off their big 57-15 win over the 10bet Lions this past weekend, they face a very different challenge against the French side and will want to get their campaign off to a good start.
Last season the Bulls had a nightmare draw against the likes of eventual champions Bordeaux-Begles and Bristol Bears at home, while they faced Northampton Saints and Pau away, scraping through with one win to their name.
But this season the French side is a crucial start for the Bulls, who have more depth this year and should be stronger, especially at home.
With that being said there was some good news in terms of star scrumhalf and last season’s URC Player of the year Embrose Papier returning from an ankle injury. Papier will play this weekend, although Paul de Wet has been in excellent form for the Bulls this season.
Canan Moodie needs to undergo the standard return to play protocols after coming off with an HIA during Saturday’s game after a clash in the air with Siba Mahashe, while Marcell Coetzee also needs to pass a fitness test to see if he will return to the side with the Bulls being conservative over a knee niggle.
Stravino Jacobs, who had a less than successful transition to 12, is fit and ready again, although both he and Rynhardt Ludwig need to overcome flu symptoms from their recent trip to Europe. Akker van der Merwe remains on the sidelines with a calf injury.
The Bulls also have several other options - with extended squad players who have not played yet. On Saturday Dylan Maart, Giliomee, Sango Xamlashe and loan tighthead Hencus van Wyk all were part of the match day preparations, indicating they may get a role soon enough.
The other player who arrived from Griquas after impressing in the Currie Cup victory was Mnombo Zwelendaba, who could be a good answer to the Bulls desire to have a hard-running ball carrier in the 12 role.
Either way coach Johan Ackermann has choices, and some of them can be difficult to make.
“But better to be in that position than the other way around,” he smiled this past weekend.
The Bulls will name their side for the Stade Francais game on Thursday.