Bulls must take a chance even in knockout rugby, says Jake White on Edinburgh Challenge Cup quarter-final

The term ‘knockout rugby’ is usually interpreted as a team adopting a more conservative approach when it’s a playoff match.

But while the Bulls were much more measured in seeing off Bayonne last week, they still scored some terrific tries through excellent attacking play.

So, coach Jake White wants the Pretoria side to continue in that vein in Saturday’s Challenge Cup quarter-final against Edinburgh in Scotland (1.30pm start).

The Bulls may be considered slight favourites as they have won four out of their last six games and are third on the United Rugby Championship log, compared to Edinburgh’s three-out-of-six record and eighth position.

But they are hard to beat on their fast 4G artificial pitch at the Hive Stadium – just across from Murrayfield – and come off a 24-12 win over the Lions last week.

White’s team, though, played some enterprising rugby by mixing a dogged defence and powerful physicality from the forwards with a bit of magic on attack to beat Bayonne 32-22 in France last weekend.

There might be an urge for them to rein themselves in a bit to prevent giving Edinburgh any sniff of a counter-attack through their own mistakes, but they have the tools to pursue a calculated approach.

Top of that list is the return of star No 8 Cameron Hanekom to the starting line-up after playing off the bench last week. The Springbok loose forward has pace to burn, and White acknowledged that he will be ideally suited to the quick 4G pitch.

The other change to the starting XV sees captain Ruan Nortjé restored to the second row after two games as a replacement following an injury layoff.

The Bok lock will bring a real sense of control to the pack, while his lineout prowess is virtually unmatched in club competitions.

“I actually wondered what people thought of that fixture. We took three points when we were in front of the poles to make it 3-3,” White said on Friday about the win in Bayonne.

“We ended up scoring four tries and got a bonus point – I know there are no bonus points! So, the impression would be that we were quite conservative, yet we scored four tries.

“In knockout rugby, you sometimes need to go to the corner and take the chance for seven points because you could knock the team out of the competition, by scoring at a certain time.

“Or you can build scoreboard pressure and take the three in front of the poles – there is no right or wrong.

“Now it’s about finding a way to get a win, and if it means we go to the corner, maul and score, then that’s the way we’ll play.

“I suppose the message to the players is to just do what we do well, and make sure we find a way to win.

“If it means that we have to go into our shell at times, then let’s do it.

“If we need to express ourselves and play, let’s do it as well. It’s not one or the other – the good sides find a way to do both in a game.”

The backline remains unchanged, so halfbacks Zak Burger and Keagan Johannes will be keen to emulate last week’s performance with a strong kicking game, sound decision-making and classy touches with ball-in-hand.

They will rely on Nortjé in the lineouts and tighthead powerhouse Wilco Louw in the scrums to provide front-foot ball to attack with.

Marcell Coetzee will also have his hands full in trying to win the breakdown battle against Scottish stars Hamish Watson and Jamie Ritchie.

The Bulls also have proper firepower on the bench, where Bok hooker Johan Grobbelaar and wing Canan Moodie return after lengthy injury absences.

Front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels can change the game as well in the second half with his dynamic carries in the tight-loose.

Edinburgh coach Sean Everitt is a South African who was formerly with the Sharks and Bulls, so will know which buttons to press against the Bulls.

The hosts have some dangerous runners at the back, such as wing Darcy Graham and fullback Wes Goosen.

So, the Bulls defence will have to be resolute once more, as they were in France last week, if the visitors hope to reach the semi-finals.

Bulls Team

15 Devon Williams 14 Sergeal Petersen 13 David Kriel 12 Harold Vorster 11 Stravino Jacobs 10 Keagan Johannes 9 Zak Burger 8 Cameron Hanekom 7 Jannes Kirsten 6 Marcell Coetzee 5 JF van Heerden 4 Ruan Nortjé (captain) 3 Wilco Louw 2 Akker van der Merwe 1 Simphiwe Matanzima.

Bench: 16 Johan Grobbelaar 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels 18 Mornay Smith 19 Reinhardt Ludwig 20 Marco van Staden 21 Embrose Papier 22 Johan Goosen 23 Canan Moodie.