JOHANNESBURG - As formidable a team as the Bulls will send down to Cape Town to face the Stormers in their Super Rugby opener on Saturday, the three time Super Rugby champions are likely to be without the experience of Springbok centre Jan Serfontein.
Serfontein has been struggling with a back injury in the build-up to this year’s highly anticipated campaign and has failed to feature in any of the Bulls pre-season friendlies against the Lions and Chiefs.
While the Bulls medical staff will be working around the clock this week to get Serfontein fit and without any of the back spasms that have hindered his availability in the pre-season, it is looking more probable that the midfielder won’t be ready for selection as he still undergoes rehabilitation.
Serfontein’s injury woes in the past three seasons have seen him have limited game time for his franchise at Super Rugby level, which in turn has had an adverse impact on him being able to cement a place in the national team.
Saturday’s derby at Newlands would have been the perfect platform for Serfontein to relaunch himself as the No1 contender for the Springbok No12 jersey.
He would have done so in a Bulls team eager to make their mark this season by adding to the three titles they have safely stored at Loftus Versfeld.
Serfontein’s absence will deprive the Bulls of the critical experience they would have enjoyed in the half-back and inside centre axis with Springboks Rudy Paige and flyhalf Handre Pollard.
As depleted as the Bulls might find themselves in terms of experience with regular captain and former Springbok hooker Adriaan Strauss also not available as he recovers from a back operation, the door is wide open for exciting centre Burger Odendaal to continue his partnership with Dries Swanepoel.
The 23-year-old Odendaal is no stranger to having the spotlight thrust upon him in big matches, as was evident with his Man of the Match Super Rugby debut against the Crusaders at Loftus Versfeld two years ago.
With more than sufficient time during the off-season to solidify his budding partnership with Swanepoel, Odendaal has already shown glimpses of good form, especially in the game against the Chiefs in Brisbane a fortnight ago.
He will, no doubt, look to exploit the Stormers defence which is without Springbok centre Juan de Jongh.
However, Bulls coach Nollis Marais will be more concerned about the configuration of his loose forwards with former Springbok and Waratahs flank Jacques Potgieter a strong contender to start in the No7 jersey, even though Jannes Kirsten had worn the jersey with aplomb last year.
A journeyman who has been successful in his travels to Australia, where he won Super Rugby with the Waratahs, Potgieter’s return to Loftus will help with the experience needed to mount a serious challenge for the championship.
His versatility in being able to play at lock could also hand Marais some freedom when selecting his bench.
Marais will also have to apply his mind on who will be his starting No8, with Hanro Liebenberg seemingly the chosen one ahead of Namibian international Renaldo Bothma and with Nic de Jager and Shaun Addendorf left to fight it out for the No6 jersey.