Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke made one change to his team to face defending Vodacom Super Rugby champions, the Chiefs, at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. Akona Ndungane, who missed last week’s win over the Sharks because of compassionate leave, is back in the team in place of Sampie Mastriet and will play in his 101st match of Super Rugby for the franchise.

Mastriet drops out of the match 23 altogether.

Victor Matfield, who took over the captaincy of the team following the late withdrawel of Flip van der Merwe last weekend, will again lead the team into battle.

“We managed to pick up some good momentum over the last couple of weeks and with no new injuries, we can look at maintaining that,” Ludeke said on Wednesday.

“Akona has played in all our matches this season and only missed last weekend because of his father’s passing, so we are keen to have him back. He brings a lot of experience and composure.”

Matfield admitted that the Chiefs will be a stern test.

“They are not the champions for nothing. They are well-balanced with a lot of strike power at the back, but also have a solid and strong first phase in their play. We will have to be very accurate and use our changes if we want to be victorious,” he said.

Vodacom Bulls Team: 15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Dewald Potgieter, 7 Jacques du Plessis, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Victor Matfield (Captain), 4 Paul Willemse, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 Dean Greyling
Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Morné Mellett, 18 Marcel van der Merwe, 19 Grant Hattingh, 20 Jono Ross, 21 Piet van Zyl, 22 Handré Pollard, 23 Ulrich Beyers.

Milestones:

• Victor Matfield will play in his 130th match, a South African record for appearances in the Vodacom Super Rugby season. Of these, 121 were with the Vodacom Bulls and 8 with the Cats.
• Matfield will also improve on his own South African record as captain, as he will lead the team for the 77th time in Super Rugby.
• Francois Hougaard needs a try to get to 100 Vodacom Super Rugby points.

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Die Vodacom Bulls-afrigter, Frans Ludeke het een verandering aan sy span gemaak wat Saterdag op Loftus Versfeld teen die verdedigende Vodacom Super Rugby kampioene, die Chiefs, speel. Ludeke het veteraan-vleuel, Akona Ndungane, in die beginspan ingesluit in die plek van Sampie Mastriet.

Ndungane het die wedstryd teen die Sharks weens menslikheidsverlof misgeloop.

Victor Matfield, wat die kapteinskap op kort kennisgewing voor die Sharks wedstryd moes oorneem, sal weer die span op die veld lei.

“Ons het lekker momentum opgebou die laaste paar weke en wil daarop voortbou,” het Ludeke gesê.

“Akona het in al ons wedstryde gespeel en het slegs verlede week s’n misgeloop weens die afsterwe van sy vader. Dit is lekker om hom terug te hê, want hy het baie ondervinding en ervaring onder druk.”

Volgens Matfield gaan die Chiefs ‘n harde neut wees om te kraak.

“Hulle is nie verniet die kampioene nie. Hulle het ‘n baie gebalanseerde span. Daar is baie plofkrag agterlangs, maar hulle eerste fase spel is ook baie goed. Ons sal dodelik in ons uitvoering moet wees as ons wil wen,” het Matfield gesê.

Vodacom Bulls Span: 15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Dewald Potgieter, 7 Jacques du Plessis, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Victor Matfield (Kaptein), 4 Paul Willemse, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 Dean Greyling
Plaasvervangers: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Morné Mellett, 18 Marcel van der Merwe, 19 Grant Hattingh, 20 Jono Ross, 21 Piet van Zyl, 22 Handré Pollard, 23 Ulrich Beyers.

Mylpale:

• Victor Matfield speel in sy 130ste wedstryd, die meeste nog deur ‘n Suid-Afrikaner in die Vodacom Super Rugby kompetisie. Agt daarvan was vir die Cats en die res vir die Vodacom Bulls.
• Matfield verbeter ook die nasionale en franchise rekord vir kapteinskap as hy vir die 77ste keer voordraf in die Vodacom Super Rugby kompetisie.
• Francois Hougaard kort een drie om 100 Vodacom Super Rugby punte aan te teken.