Jake White: Goosen’s return crucial for URC playoffs as Bulls eye victory over Sharks

Johan Goosen trained like he hasn’t been away and that is one of the reasons why Jake White included him in the Bulls’ starting team for the United Rugby Championship (URC) semi-final against the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld.

The Pretoria side will look to snap a two-match losing streak this season on Saturday evening (6.15 pm kick-off) as they aim for a consecutive finals berth in the tournament.

Goosen is the only change to the starting lineup, with Keagan Johannes dropping to the bench for the do-or-die duel. White says considering how well Goosen has played next to scrumhalf Embrose Papier and inside centre Harold Vorster, he has no doubt the flyhalf will slot in with ease.

“One thing about him (Johan) is that he is always in and out and in. So if anyone says he is not game-ready, that is usually how he has played in his career,” White explained the inclusion of the veteran.

“I am sure some of you guys watched a bit of training and those who have will see that it’s like he hasn’t been away. That is what I always say: at the end of these playoff games, you need your best players fit, available, and ready. Whatever happens during the season is just part of that building blocks.

“To have him back, we have 14 of the 15 players that played last week, so that is continuity. He is a Springbok and our number one 10. We have Keagan who’s played really well for us on the bench. It is a good position to be in.”

White put a question mark behind the omission of Eben Etzebeth from the Sharks’ announced squad. He added that they will worry about the team when they get to Loftus on Saturday.

Etzebeth was not included in the Sharks’ match-day squad with Siya Kolisi taking over as captain in his absence.

According to White, they are preparing as if the Durbanites will bring their best team to Pretoria.

“This is probably one of the best Sharks teams on paper. It reminds of Pieter Muller, Henry Honiball, Jeremy Thompson, Kabous van der Westhuizen, and André Joubert. They were all Springboks.

“There are not many players in that team who are not Springboks. In fact, 15 of the 54 players (in the Bok squad for the mid-year Tests) are from the Sharks. So, it is not a bad team to have.

“They have played well in big games, whether it is the Challenge Cup final or whenever they had a big game, they played well. In Springbok games too, so it won’t be easy. We don’t think for one moment that it will be. They’ve beaten us twice this year and there is a reason for that.”

White says they expect it to be as tough as it can be, and they will have to play as well as they can to get the desired outcome.

He added that he told his players it would be like (Bok) trials for them on Saturday, but he doesn’t want them to play like it is trials. White wants a team effort from his side.

“They know this is an opportunity in front of the selectors and the public for them to stake a claim. Our job is to tell them it is not about the individual. I told them in the changeroom they have been picked (for the Boks) for what they’ve been doing for the last 18 weeks.

“That selection has nothing to do with what they must do in the semi-final.”

Bulls XV: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 David Kriel, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Sebastian de Klerk, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Ruan Nortjé, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Jan-Hendrik Wessels.

Bench: 16. Akker van der Merwe, 17. Simphiwe Matanzima, 18. Mornay Smith, 19. Jannes Kirsten, 20. Marco van Staden, 21. Zak Burger, 22. Keagan Johannes, 23. Devon Williams