It’s tough on a guy like Willie

Jake White says an emotional Vodacom Bulls team could play “on a whole different level” against Dragons on Saturday, as they grapple with the loss of Cornal Hendricks.

The Bulls will take to the Loftus Versfeld pitch following the sudden death of the former Springbok and Bulls winger, who suffered a heart attack on Wednesday.

Speaking to the media in Pretoria on Friday during a team announcement conference, White acknowledged the impact of Hendricks’ passing on the squad.

“Tomorrow will be an emotional encounter for sure, because many of our players knew Cornal and others, like Willie [le Roux], were with him from the start of their careers to their international days,” the Bulls director of rugby said.

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“It’s tough on a guy like Willie. I didn’t realise it, but they played together at Boland, the Cheetahs and the Springboks. Whether we talk about it or not, I am confident that the emotions will be high tomorrow because he was a player that was well liked.

“Sometimes such adversity and a sense of loss can make you play on a whole different level.”

A moment of silence will precede kick-off as the Bulls aim to secure second place on the log and maintain momentum heading into the playoffs, having already secured a home quarter-final for 31 May.

White has made several changes to the team that beat Cardiff last week, with Keagan Johannes stepping in at flyhalf for the injured Johan Goosen, while Sergeal Petersen and Nama Xaba have been recalled to the starting lineup.

He provided an update on Goosen, who underwent knee surgery this week: “He had a procedure and it went well. It looks like he will be able to play again before the end of the season, which is great news after everyone thought it could be the end of his career.”

WATCH: How rugby helped Cornal give back

Despite facing the bottom-placed Dragons, who have suffered 16 defeats this season, White warned against complacency as the Herd seek to extend a six-match winning streak in the URC.

“We’re going to have to play as well as we can with the bigger picture in mind. You can’t be complacent because you’re playing against a team that’s at the bottom of the table,” he said.

“Sometimes those are the most dangerous teams to play against because they play knowing they do not need to leave anything in the tank.

“This is a game where we want to do well. It would be naïve of us to think it will be an easy game, and we must make sure we play as well as we can, looking at the coming weeks.”

White also explained his selection of openside flanker Xaba, who makes his fifth appearance of the season: “Nama has been training well after returning from an ankle and Achilles tendon injury.

“It’s something that used to flare up frequently when he was training, but he’s now 100%. He’s very good on the ground and we know what he offers, but I don’t want him to be too desperate.”

The Bulls currently hold a four-point advantage over third-placed Glasgow and have lost just twice at Loftus in the URC this season.

Photo: Johan Rynners Photography