It’s no longer an ambush, we know it is going to be a very tough game.”
Vodacom Bulls coach Jake White acknowledged the immense task facing his side as they face Benetton on Friday night in their Vodacom United Rugby Championship match in Treviso to end their short tour of Europe.
White named a side containing no less than seven changes as he confirmed that both Cornal Hendricks (groin injury) and Johan Goosen (HIA) have flown back to South Africa to rehab and will hopefully rejoin the team when they get back.
Benetton meanwhile rested a number of stars ahead of the Bulls clash, hoping to repeat their shock Rainbow Cup win over the Pretoria side two years ago and are unbeaten at home this season.
White acknowledged the tough assignment waiting on his side, especially as they have lost their two games on tour rather badly thus far, and said the first time it was an ambush, but now they know what is waiting for them in Italy.
“They take their home games rather seriously,” White said. “The last time they lost a home game was in April this year when Connacht just beat them 21-17. They did rest a lot of their main players last weekend so the result against Edinburgh was skewed a bit. They also have 19 players called up to the Italian national camp this weekend.
“Some of their players - like Braam Steyn - have not been called up but they are flooded with internationals. It isn’t an ambush anymore, the reality is they are a very good team and not as poor as some people might think.
“That old way of thinking that Italian rugby is poor has gone out of the window. Their last test they beat wales. We know it will be a tough game but every game we know we have to play better and better and we have to be aware this is a tough game.”
White said Hendriks and Goosen’s return was inevitable, but better if it meant they returned when the team went home.
“The feedback on Cornal from the doc is that he is coming along nicely and should join us on Monday. Goosen’s HIA means 10 days so he should be back next week, but he has been invited to the Springbok training camp and that should be his first priority,” White explained.
White has selected a whole new front row, including Gerhard Steenekamp alongside veteran Bok Bismarck du Plessis and young tighthead Francois Klopper, who replace Simphiwe Matanzima, Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Mornay Smit respectively while Janko Swanepoel rotates with Walt Steenkamp and Marco van Staden comes in for WJ Steenkamp at flank.
Chris Smith replaces Goosen at 10, while Stedman Gans comes in at outside centre and David Kriel is in at wing for the Bulls.
“Bismarck played nicely off the bench and is in a way fresher as Jan-Hendrik has got a lot of rugby under his belt. He is a wise head and brings the balance and experience is there alongside a young prop in Francois Klopper,” White explained.
“We put David on the right wing because he has played fullback and we know Dewald Duwenhage kicks well to the right hand side of the field with his left foot.”
White also lamented the fact that he had to make so many changes, but said his career had taught him that no coach ever gets to play his perfect side.
“Every coach has an idea how he wants to play and a certain team that he wants to pick with the opposition in mind. But there are always one or two injuries and you have to make changes. Sometimes you want to play a certain combination but with no Goosen or Cornal we can’t do that. We also have to look at results, but beside results we would have changed anyway as it is a long season and we have lots of games ahead. Injuries play a massive role, but I’ve learnt that you never get to play your ideal team.”
White said he wanted fans to know the team was not simply going through the emotions and that despite the results they wanted to turn it around.
“Every game is important, I’m a proud Bulls coach and the players are working hard - we want to win. We haven’t gone from being a good team to being a poor team overnight. We play one of the top teams in the world in Benetton - they are all internationals for Italy. We’ve had a tough tour and played good sides.
“I looked the other day and in the last 30 games this season there haven’t been many sides that have won away from home. Ulster may have won at the Lions and Leinster at Connacht, but it is difficult. I don’t want supporters to think we are going through the motions. We need a win and away wins like this are worth their way in gold. The important thing is to improve day by day and play our best games in the last three games of the competition. If you do that in the quarterfinal, semifinal and final, then you win the competition.
“Our graph has to be at the highest peak in the final.”
Vodacom Bulls: Kurt-Lee Arendse; David Kriel, Stedman Gans, Harold Vorster, Wandisile Simelane; Chris Smith, Embrose Papier; Elrigh Louw, Marco van Staden, Marcell Coetzee (captain), Ruan Nortje, Janko Swanepoel, Francois Klopper, Bismarck du Plessis, Gerhard Steenekamp.
Replacements: Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Simphiwe Matanzima, Mornay Smith, Walt Steenkamp, WJ Steenkamp, Zak Burger, Morne Steyn, Stravino Jacobs.