THE fact that Canan Moodie “likes to tackle” is one of the key reasons Jake White has opted to pick the Springbok star at outside centre for the Bulls’ United Rugby Championship clash against the Dragons tonight.
The second-placed Pretoria outfit will run out at Rodney Parade in Newport (9.35pm SA time) hoping to keep the heat on log-leaders Leinster – whom they face in Dublin next weekend – by getting a full house of five points.
And one of the men tasked with making a big impact tonight will be 21-year-old Moodie, who was chosen as the Young Player of the Year for a second consecutive season at last week’s SA Rugby Awards.
White has rotated his backline in particular, with the likes of Devon Williams, Stedman Gans, David Kriel, Johan Goosen and Embrose Papier all missing out after starting in the 40-22 win over the Stormers on March 2.
That sees Willie le Roux at fullback, Sebastian de Klerk at right wing, Moodie and Harold Vorster in midfield and Chris Smith and Zak Burger as the halfbacks.
Mpilo Gumede gets a deserved start at blindside flank in the absence of the injured Cameron Hanekom and Elrigh Louw, while Jan-Hendrik Wessels returns at hooker.
Boland Landbou product Moodie excelled in the No 13 jersey against the All Blacks at Twickenham last year, and also featured in midfield against Romania and Tonga.
But Bulls boss White has often spoken about Moodie as a centre as he played in that position at school, and his 1.91m, 90kg frame seems better suited to the midfield than wing, where he has played most of his senior rugby.
Certainly in what is expected to be a heavy pitch in wet and windy conditions at Rodney Parade tonight, he can be a handful on attack and defence for the Bulls.
“I said long ago that I always wanted to put him back into the centres. I think he wants to play there: that’s always a nice thing for a player. I can see that he’s got an extra spring in his step now, playing at 13,” White said from Newport yesterday.
“We are also very fortunate that we’ve got Devon, Sergeal Petersen, Henry Immelman, Willie, Kurt-Lee (Arendse), Sebastian de Klerk who can play in the outside backs, so we are more loaded there than what we are at centre.
“One thing he does do really well is defend. He likes to tackle – he is generally one of the best tacklers I’ve coached because he actually enjoys tackling.
“And that doesn’t say that other players don’t, but I can see that he genuinely likes to tackle.
“Wing-wise, there are going to be games against teams that kick a lot, that test us under the high ball, and then he might have to go and do a job on the wing as well as he is tall, jumps well in the air and is very safe defensively on the wing as well.
“He understands the back-field and gets on really well with a guy like Kurt-Lee. They play well together and complement each other, as one’s a taller winger and one is a small, nimble winger.
“I’m excited to see him at 13, with Harold as he has a lot of experience and Willie behind him talking to him.
“I’m looking forward to see how he adapts in a provincial backline, as he did really well for the Boks against the All Blacks. He will definitely use everything he learnt that day at the weekend.”
While the Dragons are second-last on the log, the Bulls can’t afford to underestimate them and slip up tonight, with White stating that they are not thinking of the Leinster clash next Friday.
“You can’t look too far ahead. I would never say that what we are doing now is planning for Leinster, because we’ve got to beat the Dragons – sport teaches you that,” the former Bok coach said.
“But we haven’t played for three weeks, and some players didn’t play against the Stormers and didn’t get much game-time – and a guy like Willie came off the bench.
“I don’t think (the conditions) would’ve changed (the Bulls’ approach). I know when we come to Wales at this time of the year, the field’s probably going to be slower and Rodney Parade is a very different ground – very open, the wind is a massive factor.
“So, I don’t think it influences any decision on what we need to do, but it will be something we will speak about – to be a little more aware of different situations and conditions that may occur compared to big stadiums, where there is less wind inside.
“We know you want to stay at the top and get home play-offs – which are vital, as we’ve seen with the Stormers – from a performance point of view and a financial one. Let’s be fair: if your stadium is full for semi-finals and finals, you are in a great position.
“As it stands now, we’ve got six games left – three at Loftus and three away from Loftus – and we’ve got to do as well as we can away to give ourselves a home semi-final and final.”
Bulls Team
15 Willie le Roux 14 Sebastian de Klerk 13 Canan Moodie 12 Harold Vorster 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse 10 Chris Smith 9 Zak Burger 8 Marcell Coetzee (co-captain) 7 Mpilo Gumede 6 Marco van Staden 5 Ruan Nortjé (co-captain) 4 Ruan Vermaak 3 Wilco Louw 2 Jan-Hendrik Wessels 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Bench: 16 Johan Grobbelaar 17 Simphiwe Matanzima 18 Mornay Smith 19 Reinhardt Ludwig 20 Nizaam Carr 21 Embrose Papier 22 Johan Goosen 23 Devon Williams.