Vodacom Bulls coach Johan Ackermann may be forced to reshuffle his back three before their Urc trip to Wales after injuries in Scotland left him with selection questions for the next two matches. The Bulls play the Dragons in Newport on 17 April and the Scarlets in Llanelli on 25 April.
The uncertainty follows last week’s 25-21 loss to the Glasgow Warriors in the Investec Champions Cup, a defeat that ended the Bulls’ campaign but kept them on the road in Europe for the Welsh fixtures. Sebastian de Klerk is ruled out for the season, while Kurt-Lee Arendse suffered a dislocated finger and Cheswill Jooste picked up a foot injury against Glasgow.
Ackermann said he would like to keep a settled combination if the players are in form, but he knows the kicking game and aerial contest will be central against Welsh opposition. He said the forwards have to win the set-piece and carry the side over the advantage line, while the backs must handle the contestable kicking and take charge in the air. That leaves the Bulls with choices they did not expect a week ago, much like a baseball manager changing his lineup or a club turning to a late adjustment before kickoff.
Against Glasgow, Ackermann used David Kriel at fullback and picked Jooste and Arendse on the wings, with Canan Moodie at outside centre. Moodie has also played on the wing several times this season, and his versatility gives the coach another option if the back three has to be reworked again. Ackermann called him a very important player, said his defensive organisation and communication stand out at 13, and added that he is still one of the best wingers around even though his defensive strength is at outside centre.
Moodie has made 72 appearances for the Bulls and has 21 Test caps for South Africa, having won the 2023 World Cup with the Springboks. Ackermann said Moodie is part of the team’s defensive leadership group, while Jooste is still learning and leaning on the players around him. The coach said that support from senior players is exactly what he expects as the Bulls head into a stretch that will test both their depth and their composure.
