Jake backs Ludwig to blindside Ospreys

10/11/2024 07:50 AM

Jake White is looking forward to seeing Reinhardt Ludwig team up with Elrigh Louw and Marcell Coetzee in the Vodacom Bulls back row against a “tough nut” Ospreys side on Saturday.

Ludwig will start his first game of the season at blindside flank as White rotated the Vodacom Bulls pack for the first match of their three-game tour in Swansea.

TEAM: Louw at 8 as Bulls rotate

The 22-year-old starts alongside Coetzee, who takes the No 6 jersey from the rested Marco van Staden, and co-captain Louw, who moves to No 8, with Cameron Hanekom on the bench.

While Ludwig has played most of his senior rugby at lock, the Bulls have plenty of cover in the second row, with Ruan Nortje, Ruan Vermaak, Cobus Wiese, Sintu Manjezi and Jannes Kirsten.

“I knew this week, Reinhardt was coming back from injury. In terms of locks we have both Ruans and Cobus, and Jannes and Sintu who can also play lock. It was always an option to play Reinhardt at blindside flank,” White explained.

“I knew that as he made his way back from injury, the way to bring him into the squad, would be as a flanker.

“Elrigh Louw at No 8, it’s a position he plays for the Boks, so it’s not a position he isn’t used to playing. In all likelihood, Elrigh will go back to No 7 at the back end of the game when Cameron comes on. We can finish with the combination that we’ve played many times before.

“It is a little bit of trying a different combination. I will say that Reinhardt has proved himself at blindside. We beat the Stormers with him at No 7. He’s a good lineout option and he offers us massive amounts of work rate because of his athletic ability. I’m quite keen to see how it goes with him in the lineout and his combination with Marcell and Elrigh.”

White is expecting a tough test from an Ospreys side that beat the DHL Stormers in Cape Town last season and is currently on a streak of four wins in their last five games against South African opposition.

“That’s the thing, it looked like it was a matter of time before the Stormers rolled them over and beat them, but it didn’t happen. Ospreys just kept coming back at them. They scored a maul try at the death there. They weren’t satisfied with a win, they really wanted to finish strong,” White said.

“They are that kind of team. They don’t play much rugby and are conservative. That’s the style that seems to be working for them as a group. That’s how they stay in games. They can almost frustrate teams into making mistakes and use those opportunities.

“It’s not something new, but it has worked for them. They have been the top Welsh team over the past few years. I am expecting no different tomorrow, they are a tough nut to crack.”

Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images

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