Jake White hopes Nizaam Carr can make explosive impact for Bulls against the Stormers

30 October 2020 - 10:40 By mahlatse mphahlele
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Jake White during the Super Rugby Unlocked match between Vodacom Bulls and Tafel Lager Griquas at Loftus Versfeld on October 10 2020 in Pretoria.
Jake White during the Super Rugby Unlocked match between Vodacom Bulls and Tafel Lager Griquas at Loftus Versfeld on October 10 2020 in Pretoria.
Image: Lee Warren/Gallo Images

Bulls director of rugby Jake White is hoping that Springbok loose forward Nizaam Carr will make a massive impact from the bench against the Stormers in their Super Rugby Unlocked match at Loftus on Saturday.

The 29-year-old Carr‚ who made his name at Newlands for the Stormers and Western Province‚ has been named on the bench where he has replaced fellow Springbok Arno Botha.

“I just find having coached for a long time that sometimes when you play against your old province you sort of find something extra‚” said White on Thursday when he announced the squad for the visit by the Stormers where he made one change.

“I am hoping that this will be a great game for him [Carr] to actually come in and play against guys and a team that he knows well.

“A couple of weeks ago I said we are going to rotate and he will get his chance and you rightly know that he is a very good player. He knows Province and I think there is probably going to be a little bit extra from him because he knows most of them having played there with most of them.

“I thought it would be a good game to bring him back and give him a chance to show his worth again. He has been training very well and I am sure he is looking forward to getting a chance.”

White said the Stormers not having the services of influential players in flanker and captain Siya Kolisi and lock Pieter-Steph du Toit can be influential.

“Them not being there makes a massive difference because those guys are really two good players. They are some of the best players that they have down there‚ but I looked at their bench and they are going to bring in six forwards and two backs‚” he said.

“I can’t remember but it has been a long time since Western Province had to bring in six forwards to play against the Bulls pack. This obviously means that we are doing something right‚” he added with a laugh.

White has recalled World Cup-winning prop Trevor Nyakane returning to anchor the scrum in this anticipated North-South derby where the Bulls will be looking to make amends for their 13-0 loss earlier this year.

The starting team will look towards the abrasive yet dynamic style of Junior Springbok lock forward Ruan Nortje‚ who notably has made 20 carries and 21 tackles thus far and finds himself one of only two players to do so after three rounds of Super Rugby Unlocked.

“The Stormers tend to be our measuring stick and beating them is non-negotiable amongst the players. We’ve come off a comfortable win‚ while our opposition for Saturday had to scratch and claw their way past the Pumas‚ so the stage is set for a hard and bruising affair‚” concluded White.

Bulls: 15. David Kriel‚ 14. Travis Ismaiel‚ 13. Stedman Gans‚ 12. Cornal Hendricks‚ 11. Kurt-Lee Arendse‚ 10. Morné Steyn‚ 9. Ivan van Zyl‚ 8. Duane Vermeulen (C)‚ 7. Elrigh Louw‚ 6. Marco van Staden‚ 5. Ruan Nortje‚ 4. Jason Jenkins‚ 3. Trevor Nyakane‚ 2. Johan Grobbelaar‚ 1. Jacques van Rooyen.

Replacements: 16. Joe van Zyl‚ 17. Gerhard Steenekamp‚ 18. Marcel van der Merwe‚ 19. Sintu Manjezi‚ 20. Nizaam Carr‚ 21. Embrose Papier‚ 22. Chris Smith‚ 23. Marco Jansen van Vuren.

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