Akona Ndungane will become the ninth Vodacom Bulls player to play 100 Vodacom Super Rugby matches for the franchise when they take on the Blues at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. The stalwart winger made his Super Rugby debut way back in 2005 against the Cats and earned his 50th cap for the Bulls in 2009, playing against the Reds in Pretoria.
Ndungane, who scored against the Blues in last year’s win in Auckland, will start in an unchanged backline, as all three changes to the starting line-up made by Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke, are in the forward pack.
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Werner Kruger comes into the tighthead position for Frik Kirsten, who is suffering from a sore back. Flanker Deon Stegmann will start for the first time in this year’s competition. Stegmann has recovered from a groin strain and will replace Jono Ross at number six. Ross moves to number eight in place of Grant Hattingh.
Ludeke made one changes on the bench as well. A fit-again Mornè Mellett will make his first appearance for the team this year, replacing Kirsten.
“We are quite pleased to have Steggies back. He is an experienced campaigner and is not a Springbok for nothing. The Blues thrive on quick ball and Steggies will play a big role for us in slowing their ball down and creating turnovers,” Ludeke said.
“It also allows Jono to move to his more natural position at the back of the scrum.”
Ludeke was full of praise for Ndungane.
“What a player to have in your side. He had to work so hard to get back into rugby after suffering two broken legs in a row and I think I speak on behalf of everyone in congratulating him on this milestone in his career. He has been exceptional for us and I am privileged to be his coach,” Ludeke said.
Vodacom Bulls team (with Super caps): 15 Jurgen Visser (14), 14 Akona Ndungane (99), 13 JJ Engelbrecht (36), 12 Jan Serfontein (15), 11 Bjorn Basson (58), 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter (43), 9 Francois Hougaard (59), 8 Jono Ross (7), 7 Jacques du Plessis (4), 6 Deon Stegmann (75), 5 Victor Matfield (127), 4 Flip van der Merwe (66, Captain), 3 Werner Kruger (95), 2 Callie Visagie (26), 1 Dean Greyling (41)
Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi (4), 17 Morné Mellett (12), 18 Marcel van der Merwe(6), 19 Paul Willemse (7), 20 Jacques Engelbrecht (17), 21 Piet van Zyl (34), 22 Handré Pollard (2), 23 Ulrich Beyers (3).
Notes:
- Ndungane will play in his 100th Vodacom Super Rugby match for the Vodacom Bulls. The other centurions for the franchise are Bakkies Botha (100), Pierre Spies (103), Wynand Olivier (108), Fourie du Preez (112), Pedrie Wannenburg (113), Danie Rossouw (116), Victor Matfield (119) and Mornè Steyn (123).
- Fellow winger Bjorn Basson will play in his 50th match for the Vodacom Bulls. He also played nine times in Toyota Cheetahs colours. The winger, who holds the Vodacom Bulls try-scoring record in a season, made his Bulls debut against the Lions in 2011.
- Victor Matfield will play in his 128th match at this level, a South African record. He has played in 119 matches for the Vodacom Bulls and eight for the Cats.
- Francois Hougaard is one try away from 100 Vodacom Super Rugby points.
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In additional news, the Vodacom Blue Bulls coach Nollis Marais included NNT Docomo loan player Wimpie van der Walt on the bench of his team to face GWK Griquas in the opening match of the 2014 Vodacom Cup competition on Saturday.
Van der Walt joined the Pretoria side this week and will get an opportunity off the bench to proof his fitness levels.
Marais named David Bulbring as captain of the team, which also include former Springboks Waylon Murray and Bandise Maku, who along with Bulbring and Van der Walt, played Vodacom Super Rugby for the Southern Kings last year.
Louis Fouchè will start at flyhalf, ahead of regular pivot Tony Jantjies.
Vodacom Blue Bulls (Vodacom Cup) to play Griquas 14:30: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Jesse Kriel, 13 William Small-Smith, 12 Waylon Murray, 11 Travis Ismaiel, 10 Louis Fouché, 9 Rudy Paige, 8 Clyde Davids, 7 Christiaan de Bruin, 6 Wiaan Liebenberg, 5 David Bulbring (Captain), 4 Schalk van Heerden, 3 Hencus van Wyk, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 Pierre Schoeman
Replacements: 16 Sidney Tobias, 17 Neethling Fouché, 18 Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, 19 Wimpie van der Walt, 20 Lohan Jacobs, 21 Tony Jantjies, 22 Burger Odendaal / Rohan Janse van Rensburg.
He has been a Bulls legend, he may have lost pace over the last few years, but he is always a reliable and loyal player to the bulls and is well respected in the team.
Things are slowly falling into place, I think Stegmann is a good inclusion, I am just disappointed that Jesse Kriel is on the wing for the Vodacom cup team, this implies he is clearly third in line?
Either way with Paige and Jacobs the Vodacom cup team will be meaningless again.
1 @ MacroBull:
Don’t forget to mention Louis Fouché in the Vodacom Cup side as useless!
I think it’s good if Jesse Kriel gets some game time after injury before being drafted into the Bulls Super Rugby side.
In the same vein I think playing Wimpie van der Walt in the Vodacom team first is a good thing, to get used to Bulls structures first.
@ grootblousmile:
There is a lot of mediocrity in the vodacom cup side… and a lot of talent.
Bulls seem to be slowly building towards the best starting 15.
3 Positions worry me no end for this weekend… Hooker, No 8 and Fullback.
Still wishing that Jono Ross eventually falls out of the starting 15, so too Jurgen Visser…. to me they don’t cut the mustard in Super Rugby.
For that to happen, Vleis Engelbrecht needs to get into form and / or Dewald Potgieter needs to slot in at No 8.
Also I would still bring William Small-Smith in at No 13, move JJ Engelbrecht out to right wing (where I feel he is better suited) and move Akona to No 15.
Those changes would leave us to just sort hooker out… here’s hoping Bandise Maku quickly gets some form in the Vodacom Cup!!
@ grootblousmile:
Feel the same about
Maku
Engelbreght
The Vodacom cup side just shows how bad the Bulls bought players, so many that were real cheap hope and hit players more suited for smaller Unions.
Frik Kirsten has a serious neck injury which most likely requires surgery (awaiting a 2nd opinion), which most likely means he’s out for the rest of the season for the Bulls at tighthead.
Small Smith is a real talent.
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