Vodacom Blue Bulls coach Pine Pienaar made one enforced change to his line-up for Friday’s Absa Currie Cup match against the Toyota Free State Cheetahs.
Official Blue Bulls Media Release
Arno Botha, who started in the 35-20 win over GWK Griquas on Friday, is out with a hamstring injury and CJ Stander will travel to Bloemfontein to start in the number seven jersey.
Stander, who played off the bench at Loftus Versfeld last week, will in turn be replaced by hard-working fetcher Warwick Tecklenburg, who will earn a first start in the 2012 competition.
Pienaar confirmed a need for continuity as the main reason behind his thinking.
“We won well against Griquas and the players need to be rewarded for that, but more important for me at this stage of the competition are for the team to get some momentum, cohesion and continuity. I was very pleased with the way the bench played as well, so is happy with the balance as we have it right now. “
Vodacom Blue Bulls captain Dewald Potgieter was keen to get going.
“There is an excitement around the Currie Cup and what we can do as a relatively young team. We had a good start, but the challenge for us will be to go to Bloemfontein and get a result. We need to be looking for improvement all the way and playing the Cheetahs at home will be a good test of our abilities and how shape up as a team when under pressure.”
The Vodacom Blue Bulls team is:
Team: 15 Jürgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Ulrich Beyers, 12 Francois Venter, 11 Clayton Blommetjies, 10 Louis Fouchè, 9 Ruan Snyman, 8 Dewald Potgieter (Captain), 7 CJ Stander, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Cornell Hess, 4 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 3 Frik Kirsten, 2 Willie Wepener, 1 Dawie Steyn
Replacements: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Werner Kruger, 18 Grant Hattingh, 19 Warwick Tecklenburg, 20 Lohan Jacobs, 21 Lionel Cronjè, 22 Jan Serfontein.
Still a fine looking team. The Cheetahs will have to improve 150% on the rubbish they dished up on Saturday vs the Lions.
imo Naka should get Frans Viljoen on the park at 8, and start with Sias at 10. It’s time to redeemn himself!
1 @ Cheetah4eva:
Must say, I was pleasantly surprised by the endeavour of the Blue Bulls backline last week against Griquas… and the Blue Bulls forwards impressed as well… Willie Wepener played out of his skin, Cornell Hess had a blinder alongside Wilhelm Steenkamp.. and the Blue Bulls loosies were absolutely everywhere.
Not the finished product, but it gives me hope… and the rugby game plan they played was nicely balanced, valuing possession nicely, getting stuck in at the breakdowns, getting forward momentum, executing well.
2 @ GBS,
Much as I hate to give the Bulls credit for anything, I have to agree. Wilde Willie was the catalyst for me, and it’s just a pity young Arno got injured. Good player that lad. To be honest I don’t know what to expect from the Cheetahs. They have looked clueless in the backline without Goosen there. Time to give Sias a run again, and see, if he can fix the rot!
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