The Bulls have announced a strong team to face the Sharks at Loftus on Saturday, but it also includes a surprise or two.

In the first place, it is a welcome return for Bakkies Botha in the No 4 jersey, with Danie Rossouw relegated to the bench and probably the unluckiest player, Flip van der Merwe the unfortunate one to lose out on the match day 22.

Secondly, Jacques-Louis Potgieter has been selected at outside centre in view of the injury to Jaco Pretorius. One would have expected Jacques-Louis Potgieter to slot in at inside centre with Wynand Olivier at outside centre, this being the way they played this past weekend against the Lions, with tremendous success, after Jaco’s injury.

In related news, Francois Hougaard is back at left wing after Akona Ndungane’s freak leg-break, whilst the old stalwart, John (Sello) Mametsa is back at the Vodacom Blue Bulls for their semi’final against the Sharks XV in the Vodacom Cup.

Here is a slice of the full news release by the Bulls:

Jacques-Louis Potgieter will start a match for the Vodacom Bulls for the first time against the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

Potgieter, who made nine appearances as a substitute already this year, replaces the injured Jaco Pretorius in one of five changes in the starting line up from the side that beat the Lions 51-11 last weekend.

Potgieter will start in the midfield with Wynand Olivier, his fellow former Afrikaans Boys High School pupil.

“I have been waiting for this for ten weeks now, so I cannot wait to take on the Sharks,” Potgieter said.

“I am very keen to use the opportunity and grab my chance.”

Bakkies Botha resumes his locking partnership with Victor Matfield in his first appearance for the year after recovering from Achilles surgery.

He replaces Danie Rossouw, who moves to the bench, as will Derick Kuün in a rotational switch with Deon Stegmann. Fourie du Preez is also back as scrum half and replaces Heini Adams. John Mametsa and Flip van der Merwe misses out altogether.

Francois Hougaard recovered from the hamstring strain that ruled him out of the Lions match and will start at left wing, while regular team member, Stephan Dippenaar, who played for the Blue Bulls in a Vodacom Cup quarter-final match last weekend, warms the bench.

The team (with caps) is: Zane Kirchner (36), Gerhard van den Heever (14), , Jacques-Louis Potgieter (27), Wynand Olivier (67), Francois Hougaard (12), Morné Steyn (69), Fourie du Preez (95), Pierre Spies (52), Dewald Potgieter (27), Deon Stegmann (35), Victor Matfield (105), Bakkies Botha (83), Werner Kruger (38), Gary Botha (69), Gurthrö Steenkamp (62). Replacements: Bandise Maku (16), Bees Roux (26), Danie Rossouw (98), Derick Kuün (51), Heini Adams (34), Stephan Dippenaar (9), Pedrie Wannenburg (108).

Notes:

  • Morné Steyn need 23 more points to become the fastest player to 200 points ever in Super Rugby. Daniel Carter (12 matches, 2004) holds the record. Steyn’s 671 points are already the most by any Bulls player and the most by any South African player in the competition.
  • Jacques-Louis Potgieter starts for the Bulls for the first time. He played for the Bulls 10 times and also has 19 caps for the Vodacom Cheetahs.
  • Bakkies Botha last played for the Vodacom Bulls in the 2009 Vodacom Super 14 final.
  • Wynand Olivier (95), Jacques-Louis Potgieter (92), Fourie du Preez (90) and Pierre Spies (95) are all looking for their 100th point in the competition.
  • The Vodacom Bulls will try to extend their winning run at Loftus Versfeld in Super Rugby to 17 consecutive wins.
  • 69 Responses to Bulls Team announced to face the Sharks

    • 61

      Okay that is me out of here now.

      Back tomorrow. AND SHARKS BY 2 😆

      Good night all.

    • 62

      58
      Cannes by 17

    • 63

      I’m going to Pick the Stormers AND the Bulls for wins this weekend…

      I will hope against hope for a Brumbies win and also a Cheetahs win but my picks will be to pick the Reds and the Blues

    • 64

      61
      I will phone your surgeon and tell him to take out your tonsils from your exhaust. 😀

    • 65

      63
      I think it is time for the Reds fairytale to end.

    • 66

      This year we have been breaking ‘hoodoos’ all over the park.

      The young Reds won back-to-back games for the first time since 2006. Won three games in a row for the first time since 2004. Conquered a South Africa team for the first time since 2006.

      They set a new record for the biggest winning margin (40 points) at Suncorp against the Force and convincing beat the seven-time Super rugby champions, the Crusaders, after an 11-game losing streak against them.

      This week we face our biggest ‘hoodoo’ to date. I admit we aren’t talking or thinking about breaking a run of outs – rather we are focusing on the challenge that awaits us in the nation’s capital.

      This week we will be going for four wins on the trot, a milestone which has not been reached in eight years. The last time we won against the Brumbies was in 1999 at Ballymore.

      More importantly, we have NEVER beaten the Brumbies in Canberra, a statistic we are desperate to change.

    • 67

      64@ SuperBul – Nag ou Grote, sien dis weer net ek en jy oor… die 2 stoere Bulle, met die groooot harte!

    • 68

      Nag my maat ek gaan net iets opsit om die laaste laatslapers vit die Cricket World cup Twenty 20 uit te nooi.

    • 69

      Julle manne moet nie so vroeg gaan slaap nie… 😉

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