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White names strong bench for Bayonne

rugby04 April 2025 13:30
By:Brenden Nel
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Vodacom Bulls coach Jake White named virtually the same side that beat Zebre last weekend in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship for this Saturday’s EPCR Challenge Cup Round of 16 clash with Bayonne - but with a caveat.

The squad that White named looks incredibly like it has a bomb squad - as stars returning from injury include Springboks Johan Goosen, Cameron Hanekom, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Embrose Papier and Ruan Nortje.

White said the side, which has reward the majority of the team that won last week, was a bit of a mix and match outfit, but he believed was strong enough to win.

“It is a bit of a mix and match and it is because a number of players are returning from injury. Ruan Nortje has only played 30 minutes last week and Simphiwe Matanzima is getting his fitness up. But it is a team that is competitive,” White said.

“Bayonne are a very good side, one of the things we don’t do in South Africa is read up on the Top 14. Bayonne are fourth and they haven’t lost this year at home. So our team is one that will finish strong and I have no doubt that like other teams we will have to play well for 80 minutes.

The backline remains the same from last weekend, meaning no Canan Moodie to return to action this week, while up front Simphiwe Matanzima is in at loosehead, with Alulutho Tshakweni on the bench and no Gerhard Steenekamp in the match day 23.

Akker van der Merwe starts at hooker as Johan Grobbelaar still has a shoulder niggle, with Wessels on the bench as cover, while Wilco Louw returns at tighthead to continue his reign of terror in the scrums.

Reinhardt Ludwig comes in at lock to partner JF van Heerden, with Marco van Staden joining Jannes Kirsten and captain Marcell Coetzee in the loose trio.

The interesting choices come on the bench where Nortje and Hanekom are the forward reserves outside the front row, while Papier, Goosen and Stravino Jacobs form a very strong backline reserve base.

Bayonne named an interesting side that doesn’t include many of their overseas stars.

There is no Manu Tuilagi, no Uzair Cassiem and no Facundo Bosch. Tevita Tatafu will face up to Matanzima in the scrum and the Tongan-born French qualified prop is no pushover,

Teams

Vodacom Bulls: Devon Williams; Sergeal Petersen, David Kriel, Harold Vorster, Stravino Jacobs; Keagan Johannes, Zak Burger; Marcell Coetzee (captain), Jannes Kirsten, Marco van Staden, JF van Heerden, Reinhardt Ludwig, Wilco Louw, Akker van der Merwe, Simphiwe Matanzima.

Replacements: Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Alulutho Tshakweni, Mornay Smith, Ruan Nortje, Cameron Hanekom, Embrose Papier, Johan Goosen, Stedman Gans.

Aviron Bayonnais: Cheikh Tiberghien; Nadie Megdoud, Arnaud Erbinartegaray, Federico Mori, Xan Mousques; Tom Spring, Baptiste Germain; Giovanni Habel-Kuffner (captain), Remi Bourdeau, Noa Traversier, Alex Moon, Veikoso Poloniati, Tevita Tatafu, Lucas Martin, Pierre Castillon.

Replacements: Vincent Giudicelli, Martin Villar, Pieter Scholtz, Denis Marchois, Lucas Paulos, Baptiste Chouzenoux, Baptiste Tilloles, Aurelien Callandret.

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