Canan Moodie and Wilco Louw are at least two Springboks who will miss the Bulls' clash with Glasgow.
Bulls head coach Johan Ackermann said they will look at decision-making around running versus kicking ahead of their fifth-round United Rugby Championship clash with Glasgow Warriors on Saturday.
The teams clash at Scotstoun Stadium after a more kicking-focused game yielded fruit against Connacht in Galway on the weekend.
Ackermann praised his side’s defence in their nail-biting 28-27 victory, which could have gone against them if the hosts hadn’t missed a conversion at the death. But it was a much-improved performance after the union’s president Willem Strauss publicly criticised how they conceded 14 tries and 99 points in total in their first three matches.
Bulls lose two more Springboks
Prop Alulutho Tshakweni will return to South Africa this week for a family funeral, while Springboks Wilco Louw and Canan Moodie – and perhaps others – will return for national duty.
They join Handré Pollard, who missed the Connacht game for the birth of his child.
The Springboks are due to play five back-to-back Test matches in their outgoing tour in November. The South African franchises will largely be spared this as they have their own month-long break in the URC.
But Ackermann, who already made 11 changes to his starting XV and named a new captain against Connacht, promised more changes for Glasgow.
“I’ll be sending a few guys back home,” said Ackermann. “At this stage, Wilco will go back, Canan will go back, and one or two others as well. We’re going to rotate the squad, partly to give some players a mental and physical break.”
He said the union would rely on the whole squad putting their hands up when needed to secure victory this season.
Decision-making around kicking key
The Bulls coach said the plan was to kick well against Connacht, which they did despite the windy ground.
However, a balance would be needed against Glasgow.
“Especially where we got turnover ball. I thought we could have held on for longer instead of kicking for the sake of it,” Ackermann explained.
He referred to a David Kriel kick on the bounce that could have gone anywhere. Connacht secured possession from it and scored.
“We should not have put ourselves in those positions, those small moments where we switch off.
“It is only the fourth game of the season. Hopefully, we can get better in decision-making and those lapses, and maybe hold onto the ball or fall onto it instead of kicking it. The ball can go anywhere on a 4G pitch.”
