This week sees the Super Rugby teams take to the field in a number of pre-season games as the franchises look to get ready for the 2015 season.
In the South African conference there is understandably no cross-conference games, however The Bulls and the Sharks have decided to board the plane for England and France respectively as they take on Saracens and Toulon.
The Bulls will prepare for that match with a hit out against the Cheetahs in their traditional Polokwane warm-up game before flying to France.
The Cheetahs then travel to Cape Town to face off against the Stormers, while a supposed ‘B-team’ stays at home to tackle the Griffons.
The Lions’ pre-season looks to be a muted affair with two games against the Leopards and Varsity Cup team, the Pukke happening on the same day.
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The New Zealand conference has a far busier schedule with the Highlanders playing four games, including one in Round One where they have a bye.
The Highlanders face off against last year’s finalists the Crusaders in Timaru before kicking off two cross-conference games against the Brumbies and Rebels in Waga Waga and Melbourne before finishing with a match against the NZ Barbarians during Round One.
The Blues will play the Hurricanes and the Chiefs while the Crusaders will play the ‘Canes and Highlanders as well as the Reds.
In Australia the reigning champion Waratahs play one warm-up against the champions of 2012 and 2013, the Chiefs, in Sydney.
The Reds play the Rebels and the Crusaders while the Melbourne side also play an invitational Asia Pacific Dragons team as well as against the Brumbies whose other game comes against the Highlanders.
All the pre-season action:
Friday 23 January:
- Western Force vs Brumbies (McGillivray Oval, Perth – Kick-Off: 17:00 AWST, 09:00 GMT, 20:00 AEDT)
Saturday 24 January:
- Highlanders vs Crusaders (Timaru, Christchurch – Kick-Off: 14:30 NZ Time, 01:30 GMT)
- Vodacom Bulls vs Toyota Cheetahs (Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane – Kick-Off: 17:00 SA Time, 19:00 GMT)
- DHL Stormers vs SWD Eagles (Outeniqua Park, George – Kick-Off: TBC)
Thursday 29 January:
- Blues vs Chiefs (Toll Stadium, Whangarei – Kick-Off 19:00 NZ Time, 06:00 GMT)
Friday 30 January:
- DHL Stormers vs Toyota Cheetahs (Newlands Stadium, Cape Town – Kick-Off: 19:00 SA Time, 21:00 GMT)
Saturday 31 January:
- Hurricanes vs Crusaders (Eketahuna, Manawatu – Kick-Off: 15:00 NZ Time, 02:00 GMT)
- Western Force vs Asia Pacific Dragons (McGillivray Oval, Perth – Kick-Off: 17:00 AEDT, 04:00 GMT)
- Reds vs Melbourne Rebels (Barlow Park, Cairns – Kick-Off: 19:30 AEDT, 09:30 GMT)
- Brumbies vs Highlanders (McDonald’s Park, Wagga Wagga – Kick-Off: 19:00 AEDT, 08:00 GMT, 21:00 NZ Time)
- Emirates Lions vs Pukke & Leopards (Potchestroom – Kick-Off: 13:15 & 15:00 SA Time, 15:15 & 17:00 GMT)
- Saracens vs Vodacom Bulls (Allianz Stadium, London – Kick-Off: 15:15 BST, 15:15 GMT, 17:15 SA Time)
- Toyota Cheetahs B vs Griffons (Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein – Kick-Off: TBC)
Thursday 5 February:
- Toulon vs Cell C Sharks (Stade Felix-Mayol, Toulon – Kick-Off: TBC)
- Melbourne Rebels vs Highlanders (Harlequin Rugby Club, Melbourne – Kick-Off: 18:30 AEDT, 07:30 GMT, 20:30 NZ Time)
Friday 6 February:
- Blues vs Hurricanes (QBE Stadium, Auckland – Kick-Off: 16:00 NZ Time, 03:00 GMT)
- Reds vs Crusaders (Ballymore, Brisbane – Kick-Off: 19:30 AEDT, 07:30 GMT, 22:30 NZ Time)
- Waratahs vs Chiefs (Campbelltown Sports Stadium, Sydney – Kick-Off: 19:30 AEDT, 08:30 GMT, 21:30 NZ Time)
Saturday 7 February:
- Boland Cavaliers vs DHL Stormers (Boland Stadium, Wellington – Kick-Off: TBC)
Friday 13 February:
- Highlanders vs NZ Barbarians (Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin – Kick-Off: TBC)
“The Bulls will prepare for that match with a hit out against the Cheetahs in their traditional Polokwane warm-up game before flying to France.”
Why would they fly to France to play their game against Saracens in north London, would have thought straight to Heathrow would have been best option.
I know it doesn’t make much difference but Sarcens are calling it a game against Vodacom BLUE BULLS.
Blue Bulls/Bulls squad to face Saracens has been announced:
Blue Bulls squad to face Saracens: Akona Ndungane*, Bandise Maku*, Bjorn Basson*, Callie Visagie, Dean Greyling*, Deon Stegmann*, Francois Hougaard*, Grant Hatting, Handre Pollard*, Jacques Du Plessis, Jacques-Louis Potgieter, Jan Serfontein*, Jesse Kriel, JJ Englebrecht*, Jurgen Visser, Lappies Labushagne, Harno Liebenberg, Morne Mallet, Marcel Van Der Merwe*, Marvin Orie, Pierre Spies*, Piet Van Zyl*, Rudolph Snyman, Travis Ismaiel, Trevor Nyakane*, Werner Kruger*, William Small-Smith, Victor Matfield*.
* denotes Springbok international.
Am really chuffed to see so many of the top players in the squad as up to now (apart from the photo of the players outside the embassy) wasn’t sure if they would be keeping the big guns back to save them the travel ahead of Super Rugby.
Going to be a lekker trip with a good mate down to London next weekend to catch the game
@ Bullscot:
Hey scottie
I was also worried they might send an understrength team, it would have been very counter productive. I suppose the only worry now is that this would be quite a tough game so its just not as simple as wrapping guys like botha or spies in cotton wool.
Most of all this will be an incredible team building exercise.
I find it hard to believe that Ludeke will drop JJ Engelbreght from the que so all i hope for is that he gains some sort of form as he will play the bulk of the year.
Most importantly i hope you are treated to a quality game and nothing like the bulls v sharks like at kings park last year.
@ Bullscot:
Don’t read to much into this game, the Bull are notorious slow starters
MacroBull wrote:
They must ease Arno in slowly to prevent him from getting injured again, last time they played him to hard to soon
On the other hand Darren, no such measures are needed with Pierre ” I can disappear in plain sight in front of 50 000 people” Spies
He knows how to avoid contact and playing rugby
@ Victoriabok:
I know but how slow do you manage? a few Vodacom cup games first?
With both Saracens and Toulon smack bang in the middle of the European Champions Cup, I highly doubt that they will be fielding their full strength teams, probably a hybrid of reserves and also rans
MacroBull wrote:
It has always been that way, the big forwards take a while to get match fit
With Frans Ludicrous as coach it won’t improve
4 @ MacroBull:
Hi MacroBull thanks we are looking forward to it. Funny you mention JJ Engelbrecht as I would like to see him moved back to the wing, this is a backline that I hope we will see this season and hope it can really perform :
9 Francois Hougaard, 10 Handre Pollard 11 Bjorn Basson 12 Jan Serfontein 13 William Small-Smith 14 JJ Engelbrecht 15 Jesse Kriel (with good players to rotate in and out of this like Akona Ndungane, even Odendaal who although I have yet to see much is rated highly by GBS). I see Odendaal and Jambo are not in the squad for Saracens game, hope its not due to injury.
I may have the wings the wrong way round but hope you get the idea.
@ Victoriabok:
Hi VicBok just hoping for a good game, but even so its going to be a lekker outing so nice to see one’s team after supporting from so far away for so long. I have been saying for a long time we should send a team to UK so am glad it is happening, hopefully will also work as a good marketing exercise.
8 @ nortie:
Hi nortie quite right about European Rugby and domestic competitions, Saracens will have their last European pool match this coming weekend, but also have an LV Cup game the weekend after, the day after the Bulls game. Then I think their international players will disappear for 6 Nations duty, training etc. They have tended to mix and match for the LV Cup mainly leaning towards fringe players so they could well put out quite a good team against us, but not sure.
@ Victoriabok:
Oh yes also meant to say think you are a bit harsh on Pierre Spies, if fully over his injury think he is going to have a big year this year.
Bullscot wrote:
I saw his first test against the Poms in 2007 on an uncharacteristically cold day at Loftus. He ripped them apart.
He only played one other noteworthy game, against the Crusaders at Loftus in 2009
Otherwise he has been mediocre.
He can’t tackle like Vermeulen or Alberts, he’s easy to turnover in the tackle and he abhors physicality and can’t impose himself on the other team like Reid
He scrums average and can take some lineout ball but that is all
He seldom runs from deep with the ball like he used to
@ Bullscot:
Odendaal is just down on the pecking order, i think he should only come in for injury same with Ulengo. @ Victoriabok:
Would anyone else really be more match fit a the start of the season?
Guess its tough managing a pro team, the bulls are fortunate enough to wrap Arno up in cotton, but he could get injured anywhere. imo
@ Bullscot:
Thats probably my starters too except id still play Akona at 14.
16. was in response to 10
MacroBull wrote:
Compared to the NH teams like Saracens in the middle of their tournaments we’re not match fit
Arno needs to be eased into it, after his first injury we played him to hard to soon and he got injured again
@ Victoriabok:
He played a few minutes in a warm up game, i dont know What they could Have done better tbf
MacroBull wrote:
He should have been eased into it, played reserve for the Vodacom side or similar
We need him 100%
I guess this year will be make or break for him, if he gets injured again he won’t get a gap again. No team wants a Goosen, SA has plenty other loosies
I hope it’s win or go for Frans too, I’m tired of his “building phase” excuses
Guess what his excuse after the WC exodus will be? 👿
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