Handré Pollard
Handré Pollard will play at inside centre when the Vodacom Blue Bulls take on DHL Western Province in the semi-finals of the Absa Currie Cup in Cape Town on Saturday.
Pollard will replace injured Burger Odendaal for the match at DHL Newlands in one of two backline changes made by coach Frans Ludeke. In the other, Rudy Paige will start at scrumhalf, with Piet van Zyl playing off the bench.
Pollard came off the bench in the final Absa Currie Cup league match against GWK Griquas last weekend and his place amongst the reserves will be taken by Sampie Mastriet.
In the pack, Ludeke rotated Marcel van der Merwe and Werner Kruger, with the latter starting at Newlands.
Ludeke has no issues with the Springbok pivot playing at inside centre.
“It was easy to slot in Handrè at 12 where he played a lot of his rugby last year. He fitted in nicely and we are expecting a special effort from him, but this will not be won by individuals, but in a mighty team effort.”
Ludeke admitted travelling to Cape Town as the underdog.
“WP must be favourites and rightly so. They have played great rugby this season and deservedly are hosting a semi-final. We lost to them twice in this competition so are under no illusion on the magnitude of our challenge. All that said, we are certainly not travelling down south to go and surrender. We are going down there to win the match and get into the final. That was what this group has worked for very hard this season,” Ludeke said.
Vodacom Blue Bulls captain Deon Stegmann confirmed his side’s determination.
“We were very slow out of the blocks, but I think we are in a good place now. We are improving every week and as you know, in knock-out rugby anything can happen. We need to play to our strengths and make sure we don’t give away silly possession for them to counter-attack. I am happy that we our first phase game is good and if we execute well, we will ask questions of their defence. It is going to be a great game and we are all excited to give it our best go.”
Vodacom Blue Bulls:15 Ulrich Beyers, 14 Akona Ndungane*, 13 William Small-Smith, 12 Handrè Pollard*, 11 Bjorn Basson*, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Rudy Paige, 8 Jono Ross, 7 Jacques du Plessis, 6 Deon Stegmann* (Captain), 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 Paul Willemse, 3 Werner Kruger*, 2 Bongo Mbonambi, 1 Dean Greyling*
Replacements: 16 Callie Visagie, 17 Marcel van der Merwe*, 18 Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, 19 Wiaan Liebenberg, 20 Piet van Zyl*, 21 Sampie Mastriet, 22 Jesse Kriel.
*Capped Springboks
Nee jinne, Frans Ludeke het weer met sy hol gedink toe hy vir Pollard op Nr 12 gekies het!
Pollard is jou angel in die agterlyn… nou word hy uitgeskuiwe buite Jacques-Louis Potgieter, wat weer alles gaan up-and-under… kan dit sommer sien kom!
@ grootblousmile:
Wonder if Ludicrous has received a whats app from Heyneke yet?
Something like: ‘Warrievok dink djy?’ 😆
2 @ IAAS:
Jeeez, yes… Ludeke issie lekker nie!
@ IAAS:
I think it was Dawie Theron that suggested playing Handre at 12!
I don’t think he was that impressive at centre during the JWC – but that is just my opinion.
IMO WP will be “satisfied” with Pollard at 12. I guess he’ll be used at 10 as well during the game – if they rotate I’m not too sure where JLP will fit in though ?
@ charlesm:
JLP played at 12 last time the bulls won the SR trophy? from the bench.
@ charlesm:
Yeah, it’s going to be interesting. I saw Ulrich Beyers at FB this afternoon – what happened there? Now it’s Potgieter – never heard of him.
But to get to your point – I see Pollard taking the ball flat when the Bulls are in our half on attack with JLP covering any return kick by Province off their defensive lines.
Still disappointed with Province leaving out Howard and Coetzee – those 2 particularly have taken the most of their opportunities in the Province jersey. And the loose trio looks totally unbalance imo. But then again, Province have dispelled the notion that they have a light five and will roll over and have their tummies tickled. Province have gone out to match fire with fire.
Just hope it all works out.
I’m sure jlp and pollard will switch as and when I wouldn’t read too much into it.
6 @ charlesm:
Surely its a mistake
@ gunther:
I dont think its that big a deal.
If the bulls concede a lot of turnovers and lose the ball in contact as has been the case for most of the season we can have chuck norris at flyhalf and still lose.
@ MacroBlouBul:
Chuck Norris can’t kick for shit.
😆
MacroBlouBul wrote:
I’m not sure what you are referring to?
@ charlesm:
No 8 MacroB
@ charlesm:
sorry must have misclicked with my response to IAAS, post 6.
Louis Potgieter playing 15 must be a mistake
@ gunther:
Pollard can take kicks at goal from 12 😛
@ MacroBlouBul:
Indeed.
According to Nama he’s a wunderkind.
😆
@ gunther:
And he speaks with a hairlip. Bruce Lee saw to that. 😆
Hello almal! Julle nog steeds hier?
Goeie skuif van Ludeke…. NOU moet WP ligloop, hoor my lied! As die Bulle genoeg balbesit kry en Pollard val daai #10 en 12 kanaal aan met die loosies aan sy binnekant sal WP moet bont staan. Hier kom n ding!
gunther wrote:
Bulls have been poor on defence, will need to starve WP of ball if they want to win. Centre tussle will be brilliant. De Jongh is incredibly quick on his feet and Pollard has great anticipation. Both are good defenders. Can’t wait to see who comes out on top.
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