Defence coach Norman Laker is well aware of the threat the Stormers will have to contain when Springbok star Willie le Roux runs the Bulls attack on Saturday.

The Stormers host Jake White’s charges at Cape Town Stadium in the renowned North-South derby in a round-one match that was rescheduled to avoid clashing with last year’s Currie Cup final. John Dobson’s men are 12th on the log with a 4-5 record this season, while the Bulls travel to the Mother City in third place and buoyed by a huge win over the Lions almost a fortnight ago.

Le Roux’s impact off the bench at Ellis Park changed the game. The veteran fullback replaced a misfiring Boeta Chamberlain at flyhalf in the second half of the Jukskei derby, and he summoned the vision, playmaking and game management skills that first earned headlines in 2011 when Le Roux played in the Boland No 10 jersey. The Bulls ran in three late tries to secure a 35-22 victory.

With Johan Goosen consigned to the stands for up to 12 weeks with the latest in a long line of knee injuries, critics and fans alike are eager to see Le Roux start in the No 10 jersey.

“Firstly, Willie’s from the Strand and he went to Paul Roos, and there’s only talented people from the Strand and Paul Roos, so I’m sure he can play 10,” joked Laker this week while addressing a possible positional switch for the two-time World Cup winner.

“He’s a world-class rugby player… he started out on the wing for the Boks and then moved to 15 and has played 98 Test matches, that’s just phenomenal. I think he and Percy [Montgomery] share the record for most-capped Springbok fullback in history [80 Test caps].

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“With his experience as a first receiver – he’s played a lot in that role for the Springboks – his distribution and tactical kicking is really good, and has a calming influence.”

The Stormers, meanwhile, dismissed talk that the Bulls back three is depowered without Paarl-born speedster Kurt-Lee Arendse, who is on sabbatical in Japan. Arendse was a key member of the Bulls backline in all eight of the previous URC clashes against the Stormers.

The Pretoria outfit are well-stocked in the speed corps, with Canan Moodie, Aphiwe Dyantyi, Sebastian de Klerk, Devon Williams and Sergeal Petersen – who helped the Stormers beat the Bulls in the inaugural URC final – providing options.

“Kurt-Lee is a Springbok and an in-form winger, but I think the Bulls have plenty of quality wings, like Sergeal,” Stormers flyer Leolin Zas said. “Canan can also play wing if he doesn’t play centre.

“I don’t think that [Arendse’s absence] will be a massive loss for them.”

Laker added: “If you think what Sergeal did in that semi-final against Leinster [last season] by pulling the ball out of the air, to score the try to get them into the final, let’s not say he’s a weaker winger. He is playing phenomenal rugby at the moment.”

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