Flip van der Merwe

Regular Vodacom Bulls captain, Flip van der Merwe, is back at the helm of the team to face the Brumbies in a Vodacom Super Rugby match in Pretoria on Friday. Van der Merwe missed three matches due to suspension and is one of three changes to the side that beat the DHL Stormers two weeks ago.

Van der Merwe replaces Paul Willemse in the number four jumper while Werner Kruger rotates as tight-head prop with Marcel van der Merwe. Jacques-Louis Potgieter swops the bench and the number ten jersey with Handrè Pollard in the only change at the back.

Wimpie van der Walt makes way for Willemse on the bench. Ulrich Beyers also comes onto the bench in place of William Small-Smith, who is ill.

Bulls Media Release

Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke welcomed Van der Merwe back into the fold.

“Flip’s leadership is very important to the team and as a senior player he does set an excellent example. We will need to be at our best in facing a Brumbies side that has played some great rugby this year. We have made slight changes for the match and rotated certain players and I believe we will be competitive come Friday.”

Van der Merwe is keen to get back into action.

“We are well rested following a bye last week and we trained well this week. It is important to start the match with a lot of energy and I believe everyone will do so. We don’t look ahead in the competition, but know how important a win will be with regards to a possible play-off spot,” Van der Merwe said.

Vodacom Bulls (with number of Super Rugby caps): 15 Jurgen Visser (22), 14 Akona Ndungane (105), 13 JJ Engelbrecht (45), 12 Jan Serfontein (24), 11 Bjorn Basson (67), 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter (52), 9 Francois Hougaard (68), 8 Grant Hattingh (31), 7 Jacques du Plessis (13), 6 Jono Ross (15), 5 Victor Matfield (135), 4 Flip van der Merwe (70, Captain), 3 Werner Kruger (104), 2 Callie Visagie (34), 1 Dean Greyling (50)
Replacements: 16 Bongo Mbonambi (12), 17 Morné Mellett (20), 18 Marcel van der Merwe (15), 19 Paul Willemse (16), 20 Jacques ‘Vleis’ Engelbrecht (23), 21 Piet van Zyl (40), 22 Handré Pollard (10), 23 Ulrich Beyers (8).

Milestones:

• Victor Matfield will extend his South African record for Vodacom Super Rugby appearances to 136 and will extend his record as most capped Vodacom Bulls player in the competition to 128.
• Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke will also extend his record as most most experienced South African coach at this level to 129 matches.
• Akona Ndungane (105) and Werner Kruger (104) will extend their Vodacom Bulls records as the most capped wing and prop respectively.

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Die Vodacom Bulls se gereelde kaptein, Flip van der Merwe, is weer terug op sy pos vir Vrydagaand se Vodacom Super Rugby -wedstryd teen die Brumbies op Loftus Versfeld.

Van der Merwe het ‘n skorsing van drie weke uitgedien en is een van drie skuiwe in die span wat twee weke gelede teen die DHL Stormers gewen het. Hy vervang Paul Willemse wat afskuif bank toe in Wimpie van der Walt se plek.

Die ander skuiwe is rotasie, met Jacques-Louis Portgieter en Werner Kruger wat as losskakel en vaskop begin in die plekke van Handre Pollard en Marcel van der Merwe, wat beide van die bank sal speel. Ulrich Beyers vervang William Small-Smith (wat siek is) as plaasvervanger-agterspeler.

Die Vodacom Bulls se afrigter, Frans Ludeke, is bly om Van der Merwe terug te hê.

“Flip is ‘n senior speler en leier in die span wat baie help in talle afdelings van die spel. Ons sal op ons beste moet wees teen ‘n Brumbies-span wat baie goeie rugby speel vanjaar, so dit is lekker om jou ervare spelers en leiers op die veld te hê. Ons het die span bietjie roteer met die oog op Vrydag se wedstryd en glo dit sal die regte uitwerking op ons vertoning hê.”

Van der Merwe sê dit is goed om terug te wees.

“Ons is almal goed uitgerus na die ruskans verlede naweek en dit is belangrik dat ons met daardie opgehoopte energie die wedstryd begin. Ons kyk nie te ver die toekoms in nie, maar is baie bewus van die belangrikheid wat ‘n wen in hierdie wedstryd vir ons kanse in die uitspeelstryf vorentoe kan beteken.”

Vodacom Bulls (met getal Super Rugby wedstryde): 15 Jurgen Visser (22), 14 Akona Ndungane (105), 13 JJ Engelbrecht (45), 12 Jan Serfontein (24), 11 Bjorn Basson (67), 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter (52), 9 Francois Hougaard (68), 8 Grant Hattingh (31), 7 Jacques du Plessis (13), 6 Jono Ross (15), 5 Victor Matfield (135), 4 Flip van der Merwe (70, Kaptein), 3 Werner Kruger (104), 2 Callie Visagie (34), 1 Dean Greyling (50)
Plaasvervangers: 16 Bongo Mbonambi (12), 17 Morné Mellett (20), 18 Marcel van der Merwe (15), 19 Paul Willemse (16), 20 Jacques ‘Vleis’ Engelbrecht (23), 21 Piet van Zyl (40), 22 Handré Pollard (10), 23 Ulrich Beyers (8).

Mylpale:

• Victor Matfield verbeter sy nasionale rekord vir Vodacom Super Rugby verskynings na 136 en sy Vodacom Bulls rekord na 128.
• Vodacom Bulls-afrigter, Frans Ludeke, verbeter sy rekord as mees ervare Suid-Afrikaanse afrigter in die kompetisie na 129 wedstryde.
• Akona Ndungane (105) en Werner Kruger (104) sal hul rekord as mees evare Super Rugby-vleuel en stut vir die Vodacom Bulls verbeter.