Why Bulls can't use their Boks

Springbok coach Allister Coetzee this week released five players for Curie Cup duty - Malcolm Marx (Golden Lions), Lwazi Mvovo (Sharks), Rudy Paige, Trevor Nyakane (both Blue Bulls) and Mbongeni Mbonambi (Western Province).

However, Marais did not include either of his Boks in the matchday squad for their crucial Currie Cup encounter with the Boland Cavaliers in Wellington on Friday.

Marais said because Nyakane and Paige had only joined up with the Bulls on Tuesday, having spent most of their past two months with the national team, it would have been unwise to rush them into the Pretoria-based outfit's matchday squad.

"Obviously you want to give them [Nyakane and Paige] some game time," Marais told a media briefing in Pretoria.

"I spoke to coach [Bok coach] Allister Coetzee and explained that the players only joined us Tuesday.

"We have a short week - playing on Friday - and I don't think the change in the side will be the correct thing now.

"Trevor didn't play in the last part of Super Rugby as well, so I don't think it's the right thing to change a team now.

"If they stayed with us for another two, three weeks then it's fine," the Bulls mentor said.

Marais added that the squad has been putting in the hard yards on the training field and he would not do justice to the team culture if Nyakane and Paige were selected for this week's clash.

"I think the team is playing well. I spoke to both players and they only joined us for half a session. I don't think it's fair to the guys that are training all the time," Marais said.

By Josh Isaacson

@rugby365com