With Johan Goosen almost definitely on the sidelines for a long while after sustaining a knee injury on Saturday against Stade Francais, the Vodacom Bulls may well turn to Springbok veteran Willie le Roux to take over the flyhalf duties in the series of derbies that await the side in the coming weeks.
Bulls coach Jake White lamented Goosen’s knee injury, saying he has “crystal” knees - before saying the side would have to adapt ahead of the series of Vodacom United Rugby Championship derbies that lie ahead of them.
The Bulls face the Lions in Johannesburg this week, followed by the Stormers in Cape Town before two home derbies against the Sharks and Stormers. But Goosen’s injury in the big win over Stade, which ensured the Bulls qualified for the EPCR Challenge Cup, was a blow for White.
“I just asked the doc, and at the moment it is very difficult because it is swollen. So he will go on Monday for a scan and we will see, but he has knees like crystal. He has had lots and lots of knee injuries,” White said after the game.
“I’m hoping it will be the least - a meniscus or cartilage rather than a ligament, but I can’t speculate now until I get the scan.”
We are heading to Emirates Airline Park to face the @LionsRugbyCo on Saturday as we continue our @Vodacom #URC journey 🔥🐂@URCOfficial_RSA #ForeverBlue pic.twitter.com/swL6kVxHqd
— Official Blue Bulls (@BlueBullsRugby) January 20, 2025
The Bulls are notorious for not revealing the extent of injuries to players, and White will likely keep the result close to his chest.
But he wasn’t all doom and gloom, pointing out the team had already had to do without their pivot. He pointed to possible roles for the other candidates at 10 - Boeta Chamberlain, who replaced Goosen in the game on Saturday, former Scottish international Jaco van der Walt, Le Roux and even halfback Keagan Johannes.
“We’ve managed the first five games of the URC without him and we won four out of the five. We have managed to get away without him on the field. We did well, we lost a game against Scarlets which we could have won as well, so we could have been five from five without him,” White explained.
“As I said earlier every team is going to get injuries. What can happen between now and the end of the derbies? At the moment I’m comfortable with Jaco van der Walt, who has played international rugby.
'WE HAVE TO ADAPT'
“Then you have Boeta, and Willie can play flyhalf as well. I’m not for one minute sounding like a coach who has made up their mind that Goosen is out and therefore, but it is what it is, we have to adapt.”
White pointed to the old adage that injuries create opportunities for others in explaining why he believes the Bulls can overcome the injury.
“I remember when Jean de Villiers in the 2007 World Cup tore his bicep muscle and then we had to play Frans Steyn and we all know what happened. Sometimes opportunities come for other players and they take those opportunities.
“I’m hoping for the best, he will definitely be out for a couple of weeks, and it creates an opportunity for someone else. Whether we play Willie at 10, Boeta or Jaco, or even Keagan Johannes has played 10, it all depends on what combination we want to go with.”
Le Roux has been training at 10 as a backup and has been the choice on the bench at times to cover 10 for the Bulls and Springboks. His natural attacking ability has certainly improved the Bulls' attack at times.
The Bulls will name their side for the Lions clash on Friday.