If ever Canan Moodie needed a chance to prove to Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus that he can do a job at fullback at the highest level, he will get it in this afternoon’s Currie Cup clash between the Blue Bulls and Golden Lions.
The Gauteng derby will be taking place at Midstream College, near Olifantsfontein (5.15pm) with top spot on the log up for grabs.
The unbeaten Bulls are on 36 points after seven wins and a draw, with the Lions on 33, having secured seven victories and a defeat.
But more than that, Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen picked his strongest possible United Rugby Championship side yesterday, with a few new Boks included as well.
Bulls coach Phiwe Nomlomo hasn’t gone the same route, with Moodie the only current Springbok in the group as he needs some game time ahead of next week’s Test against the All Blacks in Cape Town.
Moodie has featured at fullback for the Bulls in the URC before, but has mainly played at right wing and outside centre over the last 12 months.
Donning the No 15 jersey is an interesting pursuit, considering the log-jam in that position at national level, from Aphelele Fassi starting against the All Blacks at Ellis Park tomorrow to Willie le Roux and even current flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu – not to mention the injured Damian Willemse.
Moodie will face another new Bok fullback, Quan Horn, today, with Horn having missed out on the Rugby Championship squad after his debut against Portugal.
Katlego Letebele makes his first start for the Bulls this season at right wing, and he will have his hands full marking Tapiwa Mafura out wide.
Bernard van der Linde gets the nod at scrumhalf for the Pretoria outfit, and he will have to be at his best to counter another fresh Bok cap, Morné van den Berg.
Former Junior Springbok star Corné Beets makes a welcome return from a long-term injury at blindside flank, and he won’t be able to ease into the action as he will square off with recently-capped Bok Ruan Venter.
Beets will need the powerful Bulls No 8 Mpilo Gumede – who has been in outstanding form throughout the competition – and the wily captain Nizaam Carr to set the tone against the marauding Lions loose trio of Venter, JC Pretorius and Francke Horn.
The Lions have sprung a huge surprise at flyhalf by opting for regular scrumhalf Nico Steyn in the No 10 jersey, with Sanele Nohamba off the bench.
The Bulls will hope that the continuity they have from playing the whole Currie Cup will give them the edge, as the Lions can be considered the favourites on paper.
Teams For Olifantsfontein
Bulls: 15 Canan Moodie 14 Katlego Letebele 13 Cornel Smit 12 Chris Barend Smit 11 Stravino Jacobs 10 Jaco van der Walt 9 Bernard van der Linde 8 Mpilo Gumede 7 Corné Beets 6 Nizaam Carr (captain) 5 Sintu Manjezi 4 Merwe Olivier 3 Khutha Mchunu 2 Joe van Zyl 1 Dylan Smith.
Bench: 16 Juann Else 17 Tielman Nieuwoudt 18 Mornay Smith 19 Jannes Kirsten 20 Ghudian van Reenen 21 Keagan Johannes 22 Lionel Mapoe 23 Mihlali Mosi.
Lions: 15 Quan Horn 14 Rabz Maxwane 13 Erich Cronjé 12 Marius Louw (captain) 11 Tapiwa Mafura 10 Nico Steyn 9 Morné van den Berg 8 Francke Horn 7 Ruan Venter 6 JC Pretorius 5 Reinhard Nothnagel 4 Ruben Schoeman 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye 2 PJ Botha 1 Morgan Naudé.
Bench: 16 Franco Marais 17 Juan Schoeman 18 Conrad van Vuuren 19 Etienne Oosthuizen 20 Renzo du Plessis 21 Jarod Cairns 22 Sanele Nohamba 23 Rynhardt Jonker.