This weekend sees the only Vodacom Bulls warm-up fixture in preparation for Super Rugby in 2014. The Bulls play the DHL Stormers in Polokwane.

In an interesting twist, the Bulls will also use the curtain raiser game between the Vodacom Blue Bulls and Golden Lions as part of their Super Rugby preparations, with a strong side which closely resmbles their Currie Cup side, to face the 2nd string Golden Lions outfit. This Bulls side will include the likes of Piet van Zyl at scrumhalf, Handré Pollard at flyhalf and a number of Bulls players who will see enough Super Rugby time in 2014.

Matfield will play in Polokwane:

SuperSport reports that former Springbok captain, Victor Matfield, will make his return to the field this weekend in Polokwane, even if it is only for a few minutes.

While the Bulls and SA Rugby are likely to confirm Tuesday that Matfield has been granted permission to restart his career after two years on the sidelines, the big lock will make an appearance from the bench in his place of birth when the Bulls take on the Stormers in a pre-season friendly on Saturday night.

On Monday Matfield was calling the shots in the lineouts again, a flashback to his glory days when he led the Bulls to three Vodacom Super Rugby titles.

Matfield’s comeback has been on the cards for a while now, and was reported back in November last year by supersport.com, but both SA Rugby and the Blue Bulls Company have kept quiet about his situation as there are contractual points to be finalised. Matfield is currently employed as the Bulls attack and lineout coach, and the alterations to his contract are said to be finalised, and just need to be rubber stamped by the Bulls.

It is a big week for the big lock as his wife Monja will also give birth to their third daughter on Wednesday.

The other interesting selection for this weekend’s pre-season match is Jacques-Louis Potgieter’s arrival at Loftus Versfeld on Wednesday from Bayonne will see him slot into the team for a bit of game time this weekend.

At the moment the Bulls have penciled his name in for an appearance from the bench, but will make a call when he arrives and they can assess his situation first-hand.

The team to face the Stormers will in all-likelihood be the same as the proposed team for the opening game against the Sharks in Durban on February 14, with the Bulls selecting what they see as their strongest squad.

The good news is that both David Bulbring and Arno Botha have recovered well from their injuries, and according to team doctor Org Strauss will be eligible to play in Polokwane.

The only other injury concern is Morne Mellett, whose neck injury is still in the recovery stage.

With that in mind the Bulls will go into the game with no less than 10 Springboks in their starting line-up, with another few on the bench.

Jurgen Visser will take the fullback spot, with the rest of the backline comprising of the Bok duo of Jan Serfontein and JJ Engelbrecht, while the wings will be the old faithful of Bjorn Basson and Akona Ndungane.

Louis Fouche will slot in at flyhalf alongside Francois Hougaard while Pierre Spies is set to captain the side again on his return from injury with Arno Botha and Deon Stegmann, both who have also returned from injury.

The front row of Werner Kruger and Dean Greyling is seen as the Bulls best option at this point, with Callie Visagie taking the starting role at hooker ahead of Bandise Maku.

Maku will be on the bench alongside the likes of Matfield, Jacques “Vleis” Engelbrecht and Potgieter.

Probable Bulls team: Jurgen Visser, Akona Ndungane, JJ Engelbrecht, Jan Serfontein, Bjorn Basson, Louis Fouche, Francois Hougaard; Pierre Spies, Arno Botha, Deon Stegmann, Grant Hattingh, Flip van der Merwe, Werner Kruger, Callie Visagie, Dean Greyling.

Piet van Zyl & Pollard against Golden Lions:

SuperSport also reports that Springbok Piet van Zyl is set to miss out on selection for the Bulls starting line-up against the Stormers in their pre-season game in Polokwane this weekend, but only because he needs some game time.

Van Zyl, who joined the Bulls from the Cheetahs at the end of last season, has slotted in well but at the moment looks to be behind Francois Hougaard in the team pecking order and is set to play understudy to the Bok halfback.

Still, with the Bulls deciding only on one pre-season jaunt, it was felt that Van Zyl would do better getting a full 80 minutes in the early game against the Lions – alongside a virtual Currie Cup side that is set to do battle in this year’s Vodacom Cup.

Van Zyl is likely to partner up and coming SA under-20 flyhalf Handre Pollard in a partnership that will be keenly watched, while there are also some other interesting selections that the Bulls will be keen to see this weekend.

One of these is the elevation of utility back Jesse Kriel to the side, an indication that the promising 19-year old could be destined for a Super Rugby debut later this year.

Equally at home at fullback and centre, Kriel is seen as one of the big things to come in SA Rugby and the Bulls have decided to give him a run to see just what he can produce.

He will be in good company, with former SA under-20 stars William Small-Smith, Jacques du Plessis and Wian Liebenberg also on the field.

The front row boasts Frik Kirsten, who was called up to the Springboks on last year’s November tour of Wales, Scotland and France while the impressive Bongi Mbonambi and Marcel van der Merwe round out the selection.

Paul Willemse and David Bulbring are lightly to be the locks with Jonno Ross, who captained the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup, set to lead the team into battle.

Probable Blue Bulls side v Lions: Clayton Blommetjies, Jesse Kriel, William Small-Smith, Ulrich Beyers, Travis Ismael ;Handre Pollard, Piet van Zyl, Jonno Ross, Jacques du Plessis, Wian Liebenberg, David Bulbring, Paul Willemse, Frik Kirsten, Bongi Mbonambi, Marcel van der Merwe.