Vodacom Bulls coach Johan Ackermann has revealed when Kurt-Lee Arendse, Canan Moodie and Cameron Hanekom are expected to be back in action.
Speaking ahead of his side’s must-win Investec Champions Cup clash against the Bristol Bears at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, Ackermann confirmed the players are all edging closer to a return. However, he cautioned that medical protocols and match readiness would determine when they are available.
“Kurt-Lee and Canan both still have to get through the concussion protocols,” Ackermann said. “We’ll probably know by Monday if they’re available for the next games.”
TEAM: Bok-packed Bulls take aim at Bears
Ackermann suggested Arendse may be slightly ahead in his recovery, having been sidelined for a prolonged period.
“Kurt-Lee has been out for a while, so hopefully he’s a bit closer than Canan. Canan is the one who has to have the compulsory 12-day rest and still pass the protocols, so it’s a bit more uncertain.
“But Kurt-Lee has also been out of rugby for eight or nine weeks. We have to be fair to him as well. Where will he be? How sharp will he be? It’s nice to have them back, but we still have to make decisions on where they fit into the team.”
Hanekom’s return is also being managed carefully after a lengthy layoff due to a knee injury.
ACKERS: Bristol Bears ‘the decider’ for Bulls
Ackermann stressed that the Bulls would not rush players back at the expense of long-term performance.
“We’re sticking to our plan,” he said, adding that mandatory rest periods for national players formed part of a carefully managed programme. “Half of the Springboks have already had their rest, and the other half will get their three weeks after the Lions game. It’s not a mad dash for glory.
“We’ll have everybody back in March. By the end of February, everyone would have had their breaks, and then we can reassess where we are as a team in both competitions.”
SUPERBRU: Bulls gore Bears, Stormers stay unbeaten
Ackermann said getting most of the squad back together creates consistency of selection.
“It’s a different team from what it was in a sense, although people think it’s the same squad, but the same squad hasn’t played continuously the amount of games that brings you confidence and brings you momentum.
“At this stage, I think we’re close. Hopefully if we can get that going in the next couple of weeks, getting the players back and getting consistency in our selection, we will have a new start for our season and our campaign.”
AFRICA PICKS: Pressure builds across Champions Cup pools
Photo: Geraint Nicholas/Gallo Images
