Latest news with #Goosen
The Citizen
14-06-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
White full of praise for Goosen: ‘If he plays a full game, we will be there at the end'
Bulls boss Jake White backed his flyhalf Johan Goosen to make a big difference in their URC final against Leinster. Bulls boss Jake White believes his star flyhalf, Johan Goosen, is as good as any No 10 in the world when he is on song. Picture: Lee Warren/Gallo Images Bulls director of rugby Jake White has spoken of the impact he expects star flyhalf Johan Goosen to make for the team in their United Rugby Championship final against Leinster in Dublin on Saturday (kick-off 6pm). The URC's 2023 Golden Boot Award winner, already injury-prone throughout his career, suffered a knee injury last month that looked like it would end his career. The 32-year-old missed the Bulls' 18th-round match against Dragons and their quarter-final against Edinburgh, but was back for their semi-final win over the Sharks. There, he started and played 53 minutes, slotting a penalty kick and one of two possible conversions. As good as any other flyhalf 'When he is on song, he can be as good as any other 10 in the world,' White said. 'For a guy who has played 13 Tests, when he was a schoolboy prodigy, people probably thought he could play 100 Test matches.' White said Goosen had the skill sets to 'do anything', being quick and having accuracy and a mind for different plays. 'He has been unlucky injured, back injured, then he had that time he had to retire for a year when he was at Racing Metro…' The Bulls coach said what put Goosen back was that he hadn't played enough rugby in the last five to seven years. When Goosen was at his peak, he was battling injury (an anterior cruciate ligament tear in 2014 and a neck injury in 2016, which was followed by a hiatus lasting almost 18 months). Goosen battles injury in the prime of his career 'I'm talking about in the prime of his career… He's 32, but he would say 30 but with two years' experience. 'I coached him a long time and I got him to Montpellier when I was at Montpellier. He can play. In the year he was at Racing [2015/16], he played 13 when Dan Carter played 10, and he was the player of the tournament in the Top 14.' White said not many players can win player of the year as an outside back in a tournament that has so many star backline players from around the world. 'To be fair, I know he didn't play a full game [against the Sharks] on the weekend. If he plays a full game this weekend, we will be there at the end.'
The Herald
12-06-2025
- Sport
- The Herald
Gqeberha officials to fly SA flag at World University Games
Besides logistics, both her and Kotze's roles entail everything from ensuring athletes stay aligned with training programmes to submitting crucial documentation to the local organising committee. Goosen said there was a different dynamic in managing the four-member diving team compared to the swimming contingent of 23. 'I'm really excited about the talent among the divers. 'It's only the second time we have had divers in the squad.' Kotze returns to the global stage after managing the University Sports SA (USSA) swimming team at the 2023 Games in Chengdu, China, an event postponed from 2021 due to Covid. 'It was as close to the Olympic experience as you could get,' she said. 'Walking into the packed stadium behind the South African flag as Chinese president Xi Jinping opened the ceremony is a moment I'll never forget.' Those Games proved highly successful for SA, with the swimmers earning seven of the 20 medals. Preparations by the Madibaz pair started last September. 'We've made monthly presentations to the USSA high-performance committee, followed by one-on-one sessions with head coaches and the swimming committee,' Kotze said. 'Now that the team have been selected, the real work begins.' She praised the support received from USSA. 'There's a dedicated team we can turn to at any time. Their support has been invaluable. It really does take a village.' Kotze will work alongside coaches Marco Markgraaff, from Kovsies, and Keenan Riffel, of Tuks, both of whom were also part of the 2023 delegation. 'The three of us know each other well and work seamlessly together. 'That strong team dynamic makes a huge difference when you're competing on the world stage.' — Full Stop Communications
The South African
11-06-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Springbok star hit by 2025 injury scare – Doubtful for the year
It's been a season to remember for loose forward Cameron Hanekom, who has broken onto the scene at the tender age of 21, earning a Springbok debut last year and recently winning URC's Next-Gen Player of the Season. His versatile skills have captivated Rassie Erasmus, who handed the Paarl Boy native his Springbok debut last year, a player who has been tipped as one of South Africa's next best talents. The green and gold's new star. The Bulls enforcer was forced off during his side's URC semi-final victory over Siya Kolisi's Sharks on Saturday and was later spotted sporting crutches on the sideline over what is believed to be a hamstring injury, ruling him out for the foreseeable future. A further assessment awaits, which will determine his recovery time, and whether he will be available for the Springboks this year; there's a chance he returns in August, while the worst case scenario has him ruled out for several months. We wish you a speedy recovery, Hanekom. Former Springbok coach, now Bulls boss Jake White provided the latest update regarding the Springbok youngster's injury, saying, 'He's just having a sonar (scan) now. Obviously he's very upset, that's natural. But I said to his parents now that we forget he's just 21,' 'When I started coaching, 21 year old forwards weren't invited to Northern Transvaal training. And if they were it was really to be cannon fodder for the old men to bash them on a Monday night (in training).' 'So he's obviously jumped the queue because he's so talented, and he feels a bit down now. But we mustn't forget he's just 21 years old, and there's still a lot of rugby that he's going to be involved in over the next few years.' 'When it is swollen and there's blood (in the injury), you can't really see (how bad it is). They had a look and he won't play next week, that I can tell you. He thinks he can. He said he might go to the same doctor (Johan) Goosen went to (after a recent knee injury that also looked very serious),' he said. 'But I can't see it. He can't travel with that injury. I'm hoping for his sake it's like Goosen, a short-term rather than a long-term injury.' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
06-06-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Goosen at fly half for URC semi-final against Sharks
Which Johan Goosen will arrive at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday? This question is probably the biggest concern for Bulls fans after Jake White announced his team to take on the Sharks in Saturday's United Rugby Championship (URC) semi-final at Loftus Versfeld. Goosen, who has struggled with injuries this season, has been included as the starting fly half for Saturday's semi-final, after injuring his knee in a match against Cardiff a month ago. Since then, the Bulls have built momentum without him on their way to the knockout rounds of the competition. However, according to White, Goosen has recovered and looked particularly sharp on the training field this past week. There is no doubt that a fit Goosen has the talent, experience and rugby IQ to be a match-winner for the Bulls on Saturday. The opposite is unfortunately also true, as Goosen is one of those enigmatic rugby players who can sometimes play brilliantly, only to lose his mojo in the next game. If Johan Goosen the rugby wizard turns up, he could be a trump card for the Bulls against a Sharks team that has arguably built even better momentum with impressive performances in the last few league matches of the tournament. The Sharks also showed their character in last week's thrilling quarter-final match against former URC champions, Munster. This is a team that has come under heavy criticism from both their own supporters and the general rugby public due to the fact that, during the past few seasons, they have dramatically underperformed despite the fact that they have so much experience and top players in their ranks. There can be no doubt that John Plumtree's men will be a team on a mission when they appear at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. Playoff games are about percentage rugby, focus under pressure and taking every possible opportunity to score points. With both teams boasting great packs of forwards teeming with Springboks, the role of the half-backs will be crucial on Saturday. White also selected Keagan Johannes, who has had very good performances for the Bulls at fly half since Goosen's injury, on the bench as an insurance policy. With two teams in good form, Saturday's semi-final promises to be a classic titanic arm wrestling match. Kick-off time is 18:15. According to the Blue Bulls Company, the match is almost sold out, with fewer than 5000 tickets still available. BULLS vs SHARKS STARTING XV: 1. Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 2. Johan Grobbelaar, 3. Wilco Louw, 4. Cobus Wiese, 5. JF van Heerden, 6. Marcell Coetzee, 7. Ruan Nortje (c), 8. Cameron Hanekom, 9. Embrose Papier, 10. Johan Goosen, 11. Sebastian de Klerk, 12. Harold Vorster, 13. David Kriel, 14. Canon Moodie, 15. Willie le Roux REPLACEMENTS: 16. Akker van der Merwe, 17. Simphiwe Matanzima, 18. Mornay Smith, 19. Jannes Kirsten, 20. Marco van Staden, 21. Zak Burger, 22. Keagan Johannes, 23. Devon Williams Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading! Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here
IOL News
06-06-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Johan Goosen returns as flyhalf for Bulls' semi-final clash against Sharks
Bulls flyhalf Johan Goosen is back in the starting lineup for the semi-final agains the Sharks on Saturday in Pretoria Johan Goosen is back at flyhalf for the Bulls' crucial semi-final against the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday evening (6.15 pm kick-off). Goosen is the only change to the starting side that beat Edinburgh last weekend, with the influential Keagan Johannes dropping to the bench to provide an impact when he is called upon. It is largely the same team that beat the Scottish club and director of rugby Jake White will look for a complete performance this time around from his troops. They failed to fire in the first half and had to play catch-up rugby against Edinburgh to eventually win the match.
