VIDEO: The Bulls beast that could've stopped the Sharks

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VIDEO: Bulls and Springbok No. 8 Cameron Hanekom has something every player wants but few possess - X-factor.

During the Bulls' team announcement on Friday, Jake White, the Bulls' Director of Rugby was questioned about the availability of Hanekom when it became evident he would not line up against the Lions this weekend.

There was no statement from the Bulls about their list of injured players - as most of the other franchises have been doing in recent weeks.

Hanekom has made a name for himself as a barnstorming ball-carrier, equally able to mix it up with the big boys at close quarters and the speedsters in the wide channels.

It seems that the Bulls No. 8's skills know no boundaries. He is rugged and tough, but also quick across the ground.

On Friday White, revealed that Hanekom was sadly still struggling with a calf injury.

White made a strong statement that if Hanekom had been on the field last weekend against the Sharks, they might not have lost that game.

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"His point of difference is his explosiveness and his speed and if he is not at his best with his calf then there is no use [picking him]," White stated.

"[Last weekend] there would've been things that he would've stopped happening before they happened. The end picture looks like we were exposed but he would've been in certain positions when the ball bounced or when there was a turnover.

"He would've been there two or three seconds before that which means the end result would never have occurred."

White said he knew the Sharks would come at them with their speedsters at Loftus last week.

"It is not a knee-jerk reaction. I said before the game they picked a backline that's got speed and they are going to run at us.

"As it unfolded, and as the gaps unfolded, the players who I thought were the ones who would do that, were the ones that didn't.

"But I am not blaming anybody.

"I've got no doubt, and it sounds crazy, but having Cameron there, because he closes holes and gets to places because of his feel and his speed - that gives him the point of difference to what we actually have in our squad now," White explained.

"Every guy has a strength and a weakness - and the strength he has was the one we missed on the weekend against a team that was always going to play like that.

"I thought the forwards up front would've won us the game anyway so I wasn't too concerned.

"Because you can't play unless you have the ball and they got the ball from positions that I didn't think they would get the ball.

"I've looked at that game over and over and I'm really not going to put too much negativity in that, because that is the quickest way we can get ourselves into a hole," he concluded on the matter.

Before Hanekom made his Test debut for the Springboks off the bench against Wales at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium in November last year, the Bok captain also marvelled at the skills of the 22-year-old.

"He has been amazing and I've loved watching how explosive he is, how hard he is, and how physical he is.

"He can fetch, he can tackle hard and he can run with the ball and he jumps in the line-out.

"He can play eigthman, he can play No.7 and he can play No.6. He has got it all, so I just hope that we all pitch up for him, so he shows who he is.

"I really think he is a special player and he is going to have many years in the Springbok jersey.