If ever Jaco van der Walt wants to establish himself as the Bulls’ first-choice flyhalf, then today’s United Rugby Championship clash against Edinburgh at Loftus Versfeld (3pm start) is the time to do it.
The 30-year-old has had a difficult time in Pretoria since joining the Bulls from Edinburgh last season. He had to play second fiddle to Johan Goosen and Chris Smith in the pivot position, despite being a two-Test Scotland international.
Now, after playing in the Currie Cup, Van der Walt gets his big chance to stake a claim to call the shots for the Bulls attack on a more permanent basis in the URC, as Goosen is sidelined with a broken nose he sustained against the Sharks in the semi-final a few weeks ago.
Smith has also moved on to French club Oyannax, so the path is clear for Van der Walt to prove to coach Jake White that he can produce the kind of form that saw him selected for the Scotland national team.
The former Lions star’s familiarity with Edinburgh was also part of the reason he was handed the No 10 jersey yesterday, having spent seven seasons at the club.
“Goosen isn’t available yet, and when he is, he will come back into the mix. But it’s actually quite nice because Edinburgh is where Jaco played, so he probably knows those players like he knows our players,” White said yesterday.
“He is an international player, and we signed him for that exact reason – and Boeta (Chamberlain) – so that a guy like Goosen doesn’t have to play 80 minutes every week.”
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There are some interesting selections in the backline especially, with David Kriel starting at fullback instead of inside centre, which will be filled by Chris Barend Smit, while Sebastian de Klerk will partner returning Springbok Canan Moodie in the back-three.
White made it clear throughout the pre-season that he wants to rotate his team more often to ensure that they don’t run out of gas in the play-offs – as they did in the final against Glasgow last season – and that policy sees some intriguing choices in the pack as well.
Jannes Kirsten, who played mainly at lock during the Currie Cup, is back in his usual blindside flank spot, and former Western Province captain Nama Xaba gets his big shot at openside flank, with the dynamic Cameron Hanekom eager to remind Bok coach Rassie Erasmus of his ability at No 8.
Ruan Vermaak will add real grunt at No 4 lock, and former Cheetahs stalwart Alulutho Tshakweni will make his URC debut after a solid run in the Currie Cup.
Hooker Akker van der Merwe will captain the side, with Bok front-rower Johan Grobbelaar on the bench, while season co-captains Elrigh Louw and Ruan Nortjé will feature for the national side against Argentina in Mbombela today.
Van der Merwe will go head-to-head with his younger brother Duhan, the star Scotland wing who told the media this week that he is keen to win the sibling rivalry as Akker scored 12 tries last season and Duhan only three in the URC.
Former Sharks coach and Bulls assistant Sean Everitt will hope that his Edinburgh side can hit back from last week’s 33-31 home loss to Leinster.
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“David was a fullback, and I moved him to (centre). But a guy like Barend Smit played really well in the Currie Cup and deserves a chance, and it gives me flexibility with the backs we have,” White said.
“Maybe next week we will change it around again, and we will hopefully get those Springboks back – Willie (le Roux), Kurt-Lee (Arendse) – and then the backline can re-jig itself and we can look at it.
“But for this week, the back-three is important for how we want to play, with Canan, Sebastian and David who have certain skill-sets that we need this weekend.
“Then Aphiwe (Dyantyi) can cover centre and wing, and it’s nice to have a guy like that on the bench.
“Nama Xaba is chomping at the bit and wants to play, and we don’t have Marco (van Staden), so he gets an opportunity there. I’m excited to see how he does.
“Alulutho is a good scrummager, and a good rugby player. We also signed him on the basis that he gives us more depth in that position, as Simphiwe (Matanzima) can’t play every week and Gerhard (Steenekamp) is away on national duty.
“It’s a great opportunity for Alulutho as well, especially against a team like Edinburgh, who have internationals in their pack.”
Bulls Team
15 David Kriel 14 Canan Moodie 13 Stedman Gans 12 Chris Barend Smit 11 Sebastian de Klerk 10 Jaco van der Walt 9 Embrose Papier 8 Cameron Hanekom 7 Jannes Kirsten 6 Nama Xaba 5 Cobus Wiese 4 Ruan Vermaak 3 Wilco Louw 2 Akker van der Merwe (captain) 1 Alulutho Tshakweni.
Bench: 16 Johan Grobbelaar 17 Simphiwe Matanzima 18 Francois Klopper 19 JF van Heerden 20 Marcell Coetzee 21 Keagan Johannes 22 Boeta Chamberlain 23 Aphiwe Dyantyi.