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NEWS: Jake White on Johan Goosen’s injury: He doesn’t think it’s good news

Jake White said Bulls flyhalf Johan Goosen is fearing the worst after suffering a knee injury during’s Saturday’s United Rugby Championship clash against the Cardiff Blues.

Johan Goosen of the Bulls
Image Copyright - Steve Haag Sports

Jake White said Bulls flyhalf Johan Goosen is fearing the worst after suffering a knee injury during's Saturday's United Rugby Championship clash against the Cardiff Blues.

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While the Bulls were able to mount a superb come-from-behind victory Cardiff Arms Park to pick up their first win of the competition, it did come at the cost of an injury to their first-choice flyhalf, who hobbled off early in the 29-19 win.

Scans will confirm the severity of the injury, but Goosen told his coach it doesn’t look good.

“It’s one of those. With a knee injury, the more sore it is, the more chance there is off (ligaments) and stuff remaining intact and the rehab being quicker,” White said.

“But when it’s off, you feel nothing. At the time when I asked him, Johan said he thinks it’s not good news. He’s had some ACL injuries.

“One never knows. Maybe with the adrenaline that’s still pumping, the disappointment and where his head-space is, he’s fearing the worst. Hopefully with the scans and all it’s not that bad.”

The South African teams are having to get used to playing on synthetic 4G pitches up north, and White admitted he thinks it might have had something to do with Goosen’s injury. The flyhalf hurt his knee as he was trying to step and his foot got jammed on the artificial turf.

“It’s a different pitch. I’m not a fan of it. I’ve had so many experiences of it. I understand why it needs to laid because of the weather considerations here up north – water tables, ice, snow,” said White.

“I just wonder if injuries like Goosen’s could’ve been prohibited if we played on grass. Hardly anything happened there to be honest, he just turned his leg to change direction and his foot got stuck.

“The turf doesn’t give as much way as grass and you find there are a lot of knee and ankle injuries. It’s not a negative, I spoke to (Blues coach) Dai Young and there’s a lot more to it. They need these pitches to keep the community game going and keep numbers.

“We’re very lucky in SA with our weather and temperatures. We don’t need synthetic pictures. Our outdoors are mild enough for grass. The European game can’t afford games to be cancelled because fields are out of commission. It’s about adapting for us.”

A huge positive for the Bulls was that when substitute flyhalf Chris Smith came on to replace Goosen, he ended up playing a pivotal role in their second-half fightback.

“He’s been unbelievable. Every time he’s given a challenge, he steps up and handles it,” said White.

“It’s wonderful when you have an understudy that performs so well when he’s granted an opportunity, much like Boeta Chamberlain and the Sharks.

“It’s also a sense of achievement for the coaching staff when they deliver from something like 13-0 down.”

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