Goosen back as Bok duo bolsters Bulls in Galway

Johan Goosen is back at flyhalf in what will be his first appearance for the Vodacom Bulls in the current Vodacom United Rugby Championship season when last year’s beaten finalists visit Galway on Saturday to face Connacht.

Goosen missed the early part of the Bulls’ URC campaign, where they won four of their first five matches, due to an injury he sustained during the knock-out stage of the Carling Currie Cup season.

As anticipated, the Bulls director of rugby Jake White has recalled some returning Springboks for this one-off URC game before his team head into their Investec Champions Cup game by playing Saracens in England next week. Experienced fullback Willie le Roux comes back into the No 15 jersey, while Canan Moodie will play on the right wing.

Not all the returning Boks are in the starting team, with the Bulls boasting an impressive bench that includes two front-rankers from last week’s test match against Wales in Cardiff in the form of hooker Johan Grobbelaar and loosehead prop Gerhard Steenekamp, while Cameron Hanekom, who made his international debut off the bench last Saturday, is a backup looseforward.

YOUR TEAM to face Connacht tomorrow night 🏆🔥@Vodacom #URC | @URCOfficial_RSA #ForeverBlue pic.twitter.com/lI6Ibk5j91

— Official Blue Bulls (@BlueBullsRugby) November 29, 2024

An interesting selection from White is Cobus Wiese’s inclusion as a blindside flank. Wiese did play there often in his years at the Stormers, but has been most often used as a lock since returning to South Africa from his time overseas to play for the Bulls.

Marcell Coetzee will captain the side as Marco van Staden is being rested post the Bok overseas tour and Ruan Nortje, who has captained most of the games up to now, is out with the injury that kept him from going to the United Kingdom with the national team. No 8 Mpilo Gumede completes the loose trio.

Another player who is back after a spell away after injury is Jannes Kirsten, who finds a place on the bench in his comeback game.

Vodacom Bulls team: Willie le Roux, Canan Moodie, David Kriel, Harold Vorster, Sebastian de Klerk, Johan Goosen, Embrose Papier, Mpilo Gumede, Cobus Wiese, Marcell Coetzee (captain), JF van Heerden, Ruan Vermaak, Francois Klopper, Akker van der Merwe, Aulutho Tshakweni.

Replacements: Johan Grobbelaar, Gerhard Steenekamp, Mornay Smith, Jannes Kirsten, Cameron Hanekom, Keagan Johannes, Aphiwe Dyantyi, Stedman Gans.