Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke tweaked his backline with a new midfield combination for their Vodacom Super Rugby match against the Toyota Cheetahs and changed his front row, but stuck with almost the same match 23 that came up short against the Force in Perth last weekend.

Ludeke included Junior World Cup winning players William Small-Smith and Handre Pollard in the starting team for the first time this season and also gave prop Marcel van der Merwe a first start for the match at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

Bulls Media Release

Small-Smith replaces JJ Engelbrecht, who moves to the bench in place of Ulrich Beyers, Pollard swop places with Jacques-Louis Potgieter (bench) and Van der Merwe takes to the field with Werner Kruger being used as impact player this time around.

Callie Visagie returns to hooker, with Bongi Mbonambi on the bench and Bandise Maku dropping out.

Ludeke said it was time for rotating players again and expressed his confidence in the two 21 year olds earning their first start.

“Both Handre and William have slotted in well at this level and are eager to show what they have to offer. This is a good opportunity for them.”

He admitted that his team is under pressure against a high-flying Cheetahs team, who earlier this year broke their Vodacom Super Rugby duck against the Bulls.

“We are back at Loftus Versfeld where expectations are even higher and to be honest, not in a situation we wanted to be at this stage of the tournament. We need to get out of our losing streak and back to winning ways, not only to stay in the competition but to justify the hard work we have put in. I am confident that we can turn things around, as it is small things that are costing us at the moment.”

Vodacom Bulls (with Super caps): 15 Jurgen Visser (20), 14 Akona Ndungane (103), 13 William Small-Smith (2), 12 Jan Serfontein (22), 11 Bjorn Basson (65), 10 Handré Pollard (8), 9 Francois Hougaard (66), 8 Grant Hattingh (29), 7 Jacques du Plessis (11), 6 Jono Ross (13), 5 Victor Matfield (133, Captain), 4 Paul Willemse (14), 3 Marcel van der Merwe (13), 2 Callie Visagie (32), 1 Dean Greyling (48)

Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi (10), 17 Morné Mellett (18), 18 Werner Kruger (102), 19 Jacques Engelbrecht (21), 20 Wimpie van der Walt (19), 21 Rudy Paige (6), 22 Jacques-Louis Potgieter (50), 23 JJ Engelbrecht (43).

Milestones:

• Victor Matfield will extend a number of records: most capped South African in Vodacom Super Rugby (134^th match), most capped Vodacom Bulls player in VSR (126^th match) and the most as captain (80^th).
• William Small-Smith, Handrè Pollard and Marcel van der Merwe will all earn starts for the Vodacom Bulls the first time this season.
• Francois Hougaard needs one try to score 100 Vodacom Super Rugby points.

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Die afrigter van die Vodacom Bulls, Frans Ludeke, het veranderinge aan sy middeveld en voorry aangebring vir sy span se Vodacom Super Rugby-wedstryd teen die Toyota Cheetahs Saterdag op Loftus Versfeld.

Ludeke het die twee Junior Wêreldbekerwenners van 2012, Handrè Pollard en William Small-Smith, vir die eerste keer in sy beginspan ingesluit en ook aan stut Marcel van der Merwe sy eerste opdrafkans gegee, maar grootliks by dieselfde 23-tal gebly wat verlede week in Perth teen die Force vasgeval het.

Pollard en Small-Smith ruil plekke met Jacques-Louis Potgieter en JJ Engelbrecht, wat albei bank toe skuif, terwyl Van der Merwe en Werner Kruger roteer. Callie Visagie is weer terug op haker, met Bongi Mbonambi wat op die bank sit en Bandise Maku wat wegval.

Volgens Ludeke is dit ‘n goeie tyd om sy rotasiebeleid in te span en het sy volle vertroue in die twee 21-jarige agterspelers gestel.

“Beide Handre en William is gretig om te begin en hulle talente uit te stal. Hierdie is ‘n goeie geleentheid vir hulle,” het Ludeke gesê.

Die afrigter erken die span is onder druk, veral omdat die Cheetahs stert in die lug is en vroeër vanjaar die Bulls vir die eerste keer in Vodacom Super Rugby geklop het.

“Ons is terug by die huis en op  Loftus Versfeld is die druk en verwagtinge altyd meer. Ons is nie in ‘n ideale situasie wat die toernooi aanbetref nie. Ons moet uit die verloorgroef kom as ons in aanspraak op die toernooi wil behou. Ons moet ook beloning begin kry vir die harde werk wat ons insit.”

Ludeke glo sy span kan die ommekeer die naweek bewerkstellig.

“Dit is klein dingetjies wat ons kortwiek en ek glo die nodige regstellings is gedoen.”

Vodacom Bulls (met Super-wedstryde): 15 Jurgen Visser (20), 14 Akona Ndungane (103), 13 William Small-Smith (2), 12 Jan Serfontein (22), 11 Bjorn Basson (65), 10 Handré Pollard (8), 9 Francois Hougaard (66), 8 Grant Hattingh (29), 7 Jacques du Plessis (11), 6 Jono Ross (13), 5 Victor Matfield (133, Kaptein), 4 Paul Willemse (14), 3 Marcel van der Merwe (13), 2 Callie Visagie (32), 1 Dean Greyling (48)

Plaasvervangers: 16 Bongi Mbonambi (10), 17 Morné Mellett (18), 18 Werner Kruger (102), 19 Jacques Engelbrecht (21), 20 Wimpie van der Walt (19), 21 Rudy Paige (6), 22 Jacques-Louis Potgieter (50), 23 JJ Engelbrecht (43).

Mylpale:

• Victor Matfield verbeter die volgende rekords: meeste verskynings as Suid-Afrikaner in die kompetisie (134ste wedstryd), meeste verskynings vir die Vodacom Bulls (126ste) en meeste as kaptein (80ste).
• William Small-Smith, Handrè Pollard en Marcel van der Merwe speel almal vir die eerste keer vir die Vodacom Bulls in die beginspan.
• Francois Hougaard kort een drie om 100 Vodacom Super Rugby punte aan te teken.