Here is the Vocacom Bulls team to face the Sharks on Friday night (19:10 SA Time) at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria.
We are including the English and Afrikaans versions of the Official Vodacom Bulls Media Release.
Vodacom Bulls ready for Action
The Vodacom Bulls will face the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld on Friday with nine players who have not played for the franchise before and six who will play in their first Vodacom Super Rugby match of their career.
Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke named his side in Pretoria on Tuesday and new captain Pierre Spies will lead a side that fields debutants Francois Venter, Jacques Potgieter and Juandré Kruger in the starting team and CJ Stander, Louis Fouché and JJ Engelbrecht on the bench.
Johann Sadie (Stormers), Jano Vermaak and Willie Wepener (both Lions) played in the competition before, but for other teams.
Ludeke still selected no less than 11 Springboks for the season’s opener and he believes experience will be vital.
“We have some new faces and we are very excited about their possible contribution, but we also have some old hands with lots of experience and who have won this competition before. We have worked hard in pre-season and I am pleased to say that the squad has come together well under Pierre’s leadership. We are keen to kick-off our campaign,” the coach said.
He admits that the Sharks will be a massive game first up.
“They beat us at Loftus last year and basically knocked us out of the play-offs, so will have confidence to play here. They are a class side full of internationals and we will have to execute our game plan to perfection to beat them,” Ludeke admitted.
Spies indicated that the new-look Bulls will be eager and ready.
“We are committed to start a new era at the Bulls and I am pleased with the way every player has responded to that vision. We are a new team, but share the same values and vision and that will be of big value to us,” Spies said.
The team to play the Sharks is (with Super Rugby caps):
15 Zane Kirchner (54), 14 Akona Ndungane (67), 13 Johann Sadie (7)*, 12 Francois Venter (0)*, 11 Bjorn Basson (25), 10 Morné Steyn (89), 9 Francois Hougaard (29), 8 Pierre Spies (72, c), 7 Jacques Potgieter (0)*, 6 Deon Stegmann (55), 5 Juandré Kruger (0)*, 4 Flip van der Merwe (34), 3 Werner Kruger (58), 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle (35), 1 Dean Greyling (15).
Replacements: 16 Willie Wepener (40)*, 17 Frik Kirsten (2), 18 Wilhelm Steenkamp (36), 19 CJ Stander (0)*, 20 Jano Vermaak (62)*, 21 Louis Fouché (0)*, 22 JJ Engelbrecht (0)*.
(*) denotes first Bulls Super Rugby cap
Milestones:
- Morné Steyn holds the Vodacom Bulls scoring record in career points (973 – 10 tries, 172 conversions, 172 penalties, 21 dropped goals) and the tournament record for dropped goals and could improve on both.
The Vodacom Bulls regular fixtures list for 2012 are: |
||
| Feb 24: v Sharks (Pretoria) 19:10 | ||
| March 3: v Cheetahs (Bloemfontein) 17:05 | ||
| March 10: v Blues (Pretoria) 19:10 | ||
| March 24: v Reds (Pretoria) 17:05 | ||
| March 31: v Stormers (Cape Town) 19:10 | ||
| April 07: v Crusaders (Pretoria) 19:10 | ||
| April 14: v Lions (Johannesburg) 19:10 | ||
| April 21: v Brumbies (Pretoria) 19:10 | ||
| May 04: v Melbourne Rebels (Melbourne) 11:40 | ||
| May 11: v Waratahs (Sydney) 11:40 | ||
| May 19: v Highlanders (Dunedin) 07:30 | ||
| May 25: v Chiefs (Hamilton) 09:35 | ||
| June 2: v Stormers (Pretoria) 19:10 | ||
| June 30: v Cheetahs (Pretoria) 19:10 | ||
| July 6: v Sharks (Durban) 19:10 | ||
| June 14: v Lions (Pretoria) 19:10 | ||
*************************
VODACOM BULLS REG VIR AKSIE
Die Vodacom Bulls speel Vrydag teen die Sharks op Loftus Versfeld met nege nuwe spelers waarvan ses hulle debuut in die Vodacom Super Rugby-reeks sal maak.
Die span se afrigter, Frans Ludeke, het Dinsdag sy 22-tal in Pretoria bekend gemaak en nuweling-kaptein, Pierre Spies, lei ‘n span op die veld met Super-debutante Francois Venter, Jacques Potgieter en Juandré Kruger in die beginspan en CJ Stander, Louis Fouché en JJ Engelbrecht op die plaasvervangerbank.
Johann Sadie (Stormers), Jano Vermaak en Willie Wepener (beide Lions) het voorheen vir ander spanne Super-rugby gespeel.
Ludeke kon 11 spelers kies wat al vir die Springbokke uitgedraf het en glo hulle ervaring kan deurslaggewend in sy span se openingswedstryd wees.
“Ons het ‘n klomp nuwe gesigte en is baie opgewonde oor hul moontlike bydrae, maar het ook ‘n paar ou hande met baie ervaring wat al dié reeks gewen het. Ons het hard gewerk in die voorseisoen en ek is baie tevrede met die manier waarop Pierre die span verenig het. Ons is reg en gretig om die seisoen af te skop,” het Ludeke laat blyk.
Hy erken die Sharks gaan ‘n taai neut wees om die toernooi teen af te skop.
“Hulle het ons verlede jaar hier op Loftus geklop en ons basies uit die kompetisie gespeel, so hulle sal met heelwat selfvertroue terugkeer. Die Sharks is ‘n span propvol internasionale spelers en ons sal baie akkuraat moet wees as ons hulle wil klop.”
Spies het gesê sy spanmaats kan nie wag vir die toernooi om af te skop nie.
“Ons is almal toegewyd en verbind daartoe om ‘n nuwe en spesiale tydvak by die Bulls te skep en ek is baie opgewonde oor die manier hoe die spelers daarop reageer. Ons is ‘n nuwe span, maar deel dieselfde waardes en kultuur en dit sal van groot waarde in ons aanslag wees,” het Spies gesê.
Die span wat teen die Sharks speel (met getal Super-wedstryde):
15 Zane Kirchner (54), 14 Akona Ndungane (67), 13 Johann Sadie (7)*, 12 Francois Venter (0)*, 11 Bjorn Basson (25), 10 Morné Steyn (89), 9 Francois Hougaard (29), 8 Pierre Spies (72, k), 7 Jacques Potgieter (0)*, 6 Deon Stegmann (55), 5 Juandré Kruger (0)*, 4 Flip van der Merwe (34), 3 Werner Kruger (58), 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle (35), 1 Dean Greyling (15).
Plaasvervangers: 16 Willie Wepener (40)*, 17 Frik Kirsten (2), 18 Wilhelm Steenkamp (36), 19 CJ Stander (0)*, 20 Jano Vermaak (62)*, 21 Louis Fouché (0)*, 22 JJ Engelbrecht (0)*.
(*) dui eerste Bulls-wedstryd in Super Rugby aan
Mylpale:
- Morné Steyn hou die Vodacom Bulls se loopbaan-punterekord (973 – 10 drieë, 172 doelskoppe, 172 strafdoele, 21 skepdoele) en die toernooirekord vir skepdoele en kan op albei verbeter.
Die Vodacom Bulls bepalings vir 2012 is: |
||
| Feb 24: v Sharks (Pretoria) 19:10 | ||
| March 3: v Cheetahs (Bloemfontein) 17:05 | ||
| March 10: v Blues (Pretoria) 19:10 | ||
| March 24: v Reds (Pretoria) 17:05 | ||
| March 31: v Stormers (Kaapstad) 19:10 | ||
| April 07: v Crusaders (Pretoria) 19:10 | ||
| April 14: v Lions (Johannesburg) 19:10 | ||
| April 21: v Brumbies (Pretoria) 19:10 | ||
| May 04: v Melbourne Rebels (Melbourne) 11:40 | ||
| May 11: v Waratahs (Sydney) 11:40 | ||
| May 19: v Highlanders (Dunedin) 07:30 | ||
| May 25: v Chiefs (Hamilton) 09:35 | ||
| June 2: v Stormers (Pretoria) 19:10 | ||
| June 30: v Cheetahs (Pretoria) 19:10 | ||
| July 6: v Sharks (Durban) 19:10 | ||
| June 14: v Lions (Pretoria) 19:10 | ||
I like the squad….
Good mix of experience and exciting youngsters!
I also like the fact that Jacques Potgieter will start at blindside with CJ Stander on the bench.
Old Akona, I see, gets the nod at Right wing and not Engelbrecht. I don’t have a problem with that either, Akona is as solid as they come and brings experience over youthful exuberance. JJ Engelbrecht will get a run, no doubt.
@ grootblousmile:
Thank you for including both the English [ for the Sharks fans] and Afrikaans [for the Cheetahs, and WP fans] articles. Now please put up some pictures for the Bulls fans.
Jeeeez, this is a big match up first….
Getting quite nervous about it and about Super Rugby in general.
2 @ Loosehead:
Give me a bold prediction for this one AND for the Cheetahs vs Lions match, Ingelsman!
4@ grootblousmile:
Bulls should win by a narrow margin.
I know that you won’t believe me but I quite like the Bulls, I just don’t like some [ ok sometimes most] of their players. I don’t understand the hype about the Sharks. They always buy a good team, play them out of position and always under perform.
And The V R Y S T A A A A A A A A T should win as well.
Watch, the Sharks will delay the naming of their team, then name a team with at least 3 players in brackets as injured, Robert Du Preez and Wahl Baartman on the bench, and then a totally different team will run out on Saturday.
Nog steeds 7 spelers wat alreeds 50 plus wedstryde gespeel het en 13 wat 25 of meer wedstryde gespeel het in die wedstryd 22.
Glad nie n slegte mengsel van ervaring en jeug nie.
Nogal opgewonde oor die span
Die reserwes lyk werklik of hulle die nodige impak kan gee waneer hul beurt kom.
5 @ Loosehead:
Will be interesting to see how the front rows go, how the loosies fare against one another and how much importance is placed on breakdown ball.
Will also be interesting to see how diciplined the 2 sides are.
Regarding the Cheetahs vs Lions…. I’m not so sure… will be a toss-up of note, that one.
6 @ Loosehead:
Sharks are ALWAYS last to name their squad, have become used to it.
But it’ll be fairly easy to guess who will play.
It should be: 1 Dale Chadwick, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 4 Steven Sykes, 5 Anton Bresler, 6 Jacques Botes, 7 Keegan Daniel, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 9 Freddy Michalak, 10 Patrick Lambie, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 12 Tim Whitehead, 13 JP Pietersen, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 15 Riaan Viljoen.
8@ grootblousmile:
The thing is, the Sharks always do well at Roftus and the Bulls always do well in Deben.
I don’t rate the Sharks locks and loosies.
Nog net 3 slapies dan skop die seisoen behoorlik af. Belangrike vrae om te beantwoord:
– gaan die Sharks aanhou goed doen op Loftus en die begin van die seisoen en daarna uit die bus val ?
– hoe gaan die Bulle vaar met die nuwe era wat vir hul aanbreek, gaan die jongmanne die ding doen ?
– gaan die Leeus hul CB vorm kan oordra na die S15 ?
– wanneer gaan die Cheetahs werklik ‘n bedreiging word vir oorsese spanne en nie net vir SA spanne nie ?
– en laaste maar die minste, wanneer gaan die Stormers choke, die begin, middel of einde van die seisoen ?
8: ek het gehoor Odwa is beseer, JPP gaan weer vleuel speel met daardie uiters gevaarlike kombinasie van Bosman en Joubert in die middelveld.
As dit die geval is gaan dit kinders wees wat teen ooms gaan speel en gaan ons sien of ‘joef of eksperienc’, die manne met tanne of die ouens met die vals tande die antwoord is.
Dit is so dat van al die SA spanne die Sharks die afgelope 10 jaar ons die meeste geklop het en soos Matfield sê hulle ons ‘bogey team’ is, maar onthou die ouens wat ‘gebogey’ is het nou afgetree of is weg, die jongmanne is ‘n ander klomp wat nog eers getem moet word.
Gaan ‘n grote wees Vrydag aand op Loftus.
ben_die_bul wrote:
Het jy al gesien hoe vaar die Cheetahs teen die Crusaders oor die jare?
@ ben_die_bul:
6 gespeel , eerste 3 verloor Cheetahs en laaste 3 wen die Cheetahs 2, help SA spanne toe baie. Moet se die Cheetahs is nice teen die Bulle, nog net 1 uit 8 gewen.
12/13: nou dat jy dit so stel, dit gaan al beter en ek sien hulle ‘help’ ons ook, al is dit deesdae net-net, het amper teen hulle verloor laasjaar in Bloem.
Bulle se eerste twee wedstryde belangrik om te wen, veral omdat dit teen SA spanne is.
@ ben_die_bul:
Wat my gelukkig sal hou is as ons n nuwe patroon speel en al better daarmee vaar. Al moet ons n game of twee verloor, daarby bedoel ek sleg verloor, want verloor gaan ons wel. Laasjaar het spanne 5 verloor en nog die uitspeel gehaal. Die Reds self het 3 verloor.
Die manier hoe ons jong manne in die span speel en groei is hierdie jaar vir my belangrik. Ek kan nie wag vir die aksie om te begin nie. Al is dit op n “dreaded” Vrydagaand. Bulle vaar sleg op Vrydagaande, iskien moet GBS bietjie vir JJ pols om statistieke hieroor op te diep, volgens my kennis vaar ons maar sleg in die aande.
2@ Loosehead:Just made my day, brilliant!
Lol, will hold my call for the cat fight till I see the team sheets.
Agree with loosehead, the Bulls will narrowly take the battle at Moftus! The Sharks traditionaly have two props on the bench, to counter the Bulls subdue and skop game plan, but they only have one decent prop in jannie, one okayish prop in Chadwick, and one for the bench in Herbst. To compund matters, they have also lost the robust presence of Alberts and Deysel. if Marcel coetzee plays it will slightly offset that problem, but methinks the Bulls, have had a beter build-up, and the sharks may be slightly undercooked. kings and Boland are hardly comparapble to what the Bulls prepped against.
Bulls look in fine nick, if they can use their possession better, than was the case vs the Cheetahs, then it might become a nightmare start for the guppies.
Bulls by less than 10
3@ grootblousmile:
Bulls by a dozen. Lions by 15.
O vlok, were you talking to a different Soutie?
Gaan ‘n helse stryd wees. Ek is nuuskierig om die aanpassings in spelpatroon te sien van die Bulle. Hougie gaan Freddie se aand baie onaangenaam maak, ek hoop die Parra bring skoon onderklere vir halftyd.
19 @ TexasBul:
Yip, gaan ‘n helse stryd wees.
Ek sit vir ons website in die Perslosie by Loftus Vrydagaand, so sal die game lewendig daarvandaan hanteer en ook die After Match press conferences bywoon.
20@ grootblousmile:
Anyway you lucky man enjoy it.
“Ek sit vir ons website in die Perslosie” do you not mean the Pienk losie or is it the Pers like our Jakaranda inspired away jerseys
Am a bit nervous about this one, especially with the choice of loose forwards, its tough with Dewald and Botha out injured but as good as Jacques Potgieter and Pierre Spies are I can’t see that they can be match fit with Jacques just back from injury and did Pierre play much if any of the warm up games as captain why didnt he must have been injury too? So if the Sharks play a fast paced game these guys may struggle to last into the last quarter so would it not have been better to go with 5-2 bench split, as Adonga seemed to have played well in the warm ups (even if against weak opposition) he could then have been on the bench. Stegman is going to have to get through a lot of work and stay on the whole game to try compensate, at least it sounds like CJ has been doing well so a good option to have on the bench.
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