Burger Geldenhuys

Former Springbok and Bulls loose forward Burger Geldenhuys fears the Pretoria side may struggle at the breakdowns against the Stormers at Newlands this weekend.

With Jacques du Plessis out with a broken jaw, and Deon Stegmann still sidelined with a groin injury, the Bulls will tackle the Stormers with a slightly make-shift loose trio.

Grant Hattingh, Jacques Engelbrecht and Jono Ross are likely to have their hands full on the ground. None of them are renowned for being great ball fetchers.

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And Geldenhuys, who represented the-then Northern Transvaal in 11 Currie Cup finals, feels the Bulls could struggle in that department on Saturday.

“The Bulls have been outwitted at the breakdown on a few occasions this season. You can say what you want, but no team can do without a ball fetcher,” Geldenhuys said.

When current Sharks Director of Rugby Jake White was Springbok coach a few years ago he said he wanted any player “closest to the ruck to play the role of fetcher”.

Geldenhuys though slightly differs from this school of thought and feels there is a need for a specialist fetcher.

“A centre is not a ball carrier and a wing neither. A forward who has mastered the technique offers you a big advantage at the breakdowns,” said Geldenhuys.

The Bulls are expected to pick 21-year-old Roelof Smit, who is reportedly a top-notch fetcher, on their bench for Saturday’s derby at Newlands (17:05 SA Time, 15:05 GMT).