Cape Town – In the cut-throat world of professional sport these days, there is usually little time for sentiment as every match is regarded as a ‘must-win’ encounter.
But Jake White brought back the good old days on Friday by handing Morné Steyn a start at flyhalf for the Blue Bulls in what is likely to be his last-ever game at Loftus Versfeld against the Cheetahs on Saturday (3pm kickoff).
Steyn is signing off on an illustrious 20-year career at the end of the Currie Cup, and with the Bulls unlikely to play at home again this season, it is an ideal time for their fans to pay tribute to the 38-year-old pivot – along with veteran hooker Bismarck du Plessis.
But Steyn’s skill-set with the boot will also come in handy against a Cheetahs side that thrives on playing the territory game in order to set up mauls inside the opposition’s half.
“I must say, there is an element of sentiment too. A guy who has given so much of himself to this union – I think he’s been here for 20 years – me being an old-school coach, I think it’s the right way to do it,” White said on Friday.
“To bring him off the bench for 10 minutes, or to say to him he is not going to play in the next couple of games when a guy has been so dedicated to this union… It’s the right thing to do (to start Steyn).
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“So, whether people read into it (as a sentimental selection)…
“Yes, he’s got attributes (that could help the Bulls) and maybe tomorrow those attributes would be needed against a side like Free State.
“But whoever we play, the reality is that I feel as a union and a coach, I want players to leave out of the front door and not the back door. Marco (van Staden) left and came back to us, and one of the things we’ve spoken about is to treat the players properly.
“I think he understands he’s got to play well. He’s getting a chance again, and he’s getting a chance because we want to say thank you to him. I know the way he has thanked even the Springbok team when he finished there, was with good performances.
“It’s a special occasion for him, and his whole family will be here, and Bismarck’s family will be here as well.”
In other changes to the team that beat the Griffons 64-33 last week, Harold Vorster is back at inside centre, Elrigh Louw and Cyle Brink return to the loose trio, Ruan Nortjé starts at No 5 lock and Mornay Smith is reinstated at tighthead prop.
Du Plessis will hope to get onto the field for most of the second half off the bench, where the likes of Nizaam Carr, Keagan Johannes and Wandisile Simelane will also look to make an impact, with the Bulls needing a victory to reach the semi-finals.
Blue Bulls Team
15 Johan Goosen 14 Cornal Hendricks 13 Stedman Gans 12 Harold Vorster 11 David Kriel 10 Morné Steyn 9 Embrose Papier 8 Elrigh Louw 7 Cyle Brink 6 Marcell Coetzee (captain) 5 Ruan Nortjé 4 Ruan Vermaak 3 Mornay Smith 2 Jan-Hendrik Wessels 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Bench: 16 Bismarck du Plessis 17 Simphiwe Matanzima 18 Francois Klopper 19 Janko Swanepoel 20 Nizaam Carr 21 Keagan Johannes 22 Chris Smith 23 Wandisile Simelane.
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