[ad_1]
- While the majority of his squad for this weekend’s Super Fan Saturday event are seniors, Jake White has also included two age group stars in Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Stravino Jacobs.
- The Bulls rugby manager unashamedly believes that Wessels is the next Os du Randt.
- Jacobs has also come from relative obscurity, at least in the Bulls hierarchy, to get into contention..
Jake white, perhaps conscious of getting his Springboks match in shape as soon as possible in case the Rugby Championship becomes a reality, he will have the majority of his senior squad players for this weekend’s Super Fan Saturday meeting week with the Sharks at Loftus.
But there are some exceptions, notably 19-year-old Jan-Hendrik Wessels, whom the Bulls’ rugby manager has already likened to a Springbok legend.
“This is my first formal press conference at Loftus and I want to tell you from the start that this guy reminds me of Os du Randt,” White said.
“It will turn into a Springbok. I have no doubt.”
Wessels, another graduate of the rugby factory that is Gray College, caused a sensation last year when he, along with his schoolmate George Cronje, signed a deal with the French giants Clermont, while another friend Marcell Muller left for Montpellier. .
However, the Covid-19 pandemic shuffled the decks of all three players to the point that they are back in South Africa.
At 1.93m and 120kg, Wessels is an absolute mountain man who was expected to star in the Junior Springboks this year.
“Our job is to bring it in the right way,” White said.
“There is an opportunity (this weekend) for him to play with some Springboks, particularly in a substitute environment. He can learn about senior rugby. The U21 tournament starts next week and he will definitely be a part of that.
“This weekend is an ideal environment for him. Not only because of the presence of the national players, but also because he has been part of the preseason with us.”
Wessels will be joined by 20-year-old Stravino Jacobs, nicknamed “The Rocket Man” during his time at Paarl Gimnasium, who played for SA Schools and was also scheduled to become Junior Springbok in 2020.
The fast winger with a surprising blow was a revelation for White.
“I’m still new to this. Some of the youngsters have really surprised me,” said the former Springbok coach, the World Cup winner.
“I have this young man, Stravino, who has come in and he is an incredible player. He is a diamond in the rough and I want to see what he is like when he plays in a senior combination. He is a great young man, maybe with him and Gio (Aplon) and Travis (Ismaiel) as a combo together, we’ll see it add something of value already. “
In fact, Jacobs’ unexpected yet pleasant lift confirms that White, perhaps now unfairly labeled a trainer who favors size over agility, is counting on more fickle talents to add more flair to his attack.
The Bulls also have Blitzbok stars Stedman Gans and Kurt-Lee Arendse on the 30-man squad for the weekend.
“I’ve been told that I usually only like the greats and that we’re just going to play like the Bulls used to,” White said.
“Guys like Gio, Kurt-Lee and Embrose (Papier) are not great at all, but they have great skills. I’m very excited for them. Look at this space, I’m very excited.”
