Jake White praised Keagan Johannes for his impact with ball in hand while urging the Vodacom Bulls flyhalf to back himself as a goal kicker.
Johannes, a scrumhalf who last played flyhalf at high school, has worn the Bulls No 10 jersey this season in the absence of the injured Johan Goosen.
Last Saturday, he scored 14 points in the 42-33 Vodacom URC quarter-final win against Edinburgh at Loftus Versfeld, including a superb solo try.
“He’s an unknown flyhalf playing for us and, in my eyes, he was as good as anyone on the field today,” White said after the match.
“That dummy and run, linebreak and score in the corner … how many 10s can do that in this competition?
The Bulls director of rugby had told Johannes to do exactly that during a half-time chat, after two missed conversions saw the flyhalf relinquish the goal-kicking duties.
“I told him not to be afraid to keep kicking for poles, that he didn’t have to give the kicking tee to anyone else,” White explained.
“I told him to back himself. He’s kicked so well for us the whole year, now all of a sudden, I’ve got David [Kriel] kicking for poles, Willie [le Roux] calling for his kicking tee.
“I said to him: Just back yourself, we’re not going to win or lose this game because you miss a kick.”
Johannes was successful with all three of his goal kicks in the second half, as the Bulls stepped up a gear to book a semi-final meeting with the Sharks.
