NO PAIN NO GAIN: Goosen back to try steer Bulls to glory

To say that Johan Goosen has had his fair share of injury setbacks in his career would be an understatement.

Just this season he has missed a lengthy part in the beginning with a knee injury and again over the past ten weeks with another injury. And at the age of 32, it can’t be easy to come back every single time.

But the Bulls pivot is positive, and ready again to play through the pain to try and help his side this Saturday to reach the EPCR Challenge Cup semifinals when they face Edinburgh in their quarterfinal match up on Saturday afternoon.

Age may be catching up a bit, but the impact of injuries are never easy to overcome, and Goosen knows them all too well. He isn’t back at 100 per cent fitness yet, but wants to be on the field, and knows he can add to the Bulls campaign.

“I’ve been through this, and I must say, it’s been tough. This time was very tough for me,” he admitted when talking about his knee injury on Tuesday.

“I’ve still got a bit of pain, but I must say that the coaches are managing me well, and I’m just happy to wear the jersey again, and got that 10 or 15 minutes at the weekend.”

Goosen could at least see the funny side of it all, and understands that age has granted him some concessions in training.

“I’m old,” he laughed, “It’s getting there. They are managing me quite well, in the training sessions and with the physios. So, maybe a week or two, and hopefully the pain will be better and I will be fine.”

While Keagan Johannes and Willie le Roux have taken over the 10 jersey in his absence, Goosen knows there is another threat looming - the return of Springbok World Cup-winning flyhalf Handre Pollard to South Africa - and specifically the Bulls.

The two first played together at under-20 level, and then again at Montpellier, and Goosen is looking forward to seeing him again in Pretoria.

“I’ve played with Polly at Montpellier for three seasons,” Goosen said.

“Obviously he’s won two World Cups and is a good player and a good signing for the Bulls. In terms of my contract, I still have one season left at the Bulls, so I’m just taking it day by day and trying to be the best I can be for the team.”

Goosen may well be recalled to the starting line-up for the game this weekend but he knows one of the biggest threats to the team is not only the hybrid pitch at the Hive stadium, but also the knowledge that their coach Sean Everitt, who worked with the Bulls for a season, is on the team.

“Coach Sean is a great guy and a great coach. I think he will have a few tricks up his sleeve. On a 4G artificial pitch they play a fast game and we’ve got a big pack, so I think they will try to move us around. They’ve got dangerous outside backs so we will have to try to keep the ball away from them.

“It’s also a difficult place to play, the wind can be a factor, but we’ve played there before and have some plans.”

The Bulls will name their side for the clash on Friday.