jake white. (Photo by Harry Murphy/Gallo Images)
Bulls manager Jake White and fly half Chris Smith will miss the United Rugby Championship (URC) clash against the Dragons in Newport, Wales after coming down with a cold.
Both members of the Bulls’ traveling party have stayed at the team hotel, while the rest of the entourage has gone to Rodney Parade, where the URC game will take place at 9.35pm on Friday night.
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It means Springbok flyhalf Johan Goosen will take the number 10 shirt from Smith, with scrum half Bernard van der Linde coming on for the 23rd match.
White’s responsibilities will fall to his assistant coaches Nollis Marais (breakdown), Russell Winter (forwards) and Chris Rossouw (backs).
The Bulls are looking to bounce back from a three-game losing streak that began on their European Champion Clubs’ Cup trips at Exeter Chiefs last month.
Defeats to the Stormers in Cape Town and the Sharks at Kings Park followed, which have been compounded by more onerous travel for the Pretoria team.
Bulls’ full statement:
The Bulls have been forced to make a late switch to the squad that will face the Dragons in round 12 of the 2022/23 United Rugby Championship. The clash on Friday, January 6 will take place at the Rodney Parade stadium, in the city of Newport, south Wales.
Flyhalf, Chris Smith has come down with a common cold and will be replaced by Johan Goosen, who now sits in the number 10 shirt, with Bernard van der Linde entering on matchday 23 to fill the gap on 22.
Smith will remain at the team hotel to recuperate, along with Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White. White is recovering well but will not travel with the team. His functions on the day will be shared among the coaching staff.
