Arno Botha
Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke restored props Morné Mellett and Trevor Nyakane to the starting line-up for their Vodacom Super Rugby match against the Crusaders at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Both props played off the bench in last weekend’s win against the Force and swop places with Dean Greyling and Marcel van der Merwe in 2 of the 4 changes to the pack. In the other changes to the pack and team, Victor Matfield returns to the No 5 lock position, swopping places with Grant Hattingh, who returns to his regular role as impact player.
Lappies Labuschagne also did not recover from a chest injury sustained against the Force and will sit out. He will be replaced by Arno Botha, who moves up from the bench. Hanro Liebenberg takes over from Botha on the bench.
Ludeke highlighted the positives from the close win over the Force, but also lauded the momentum the visiting Kiwis picked up in recent wins over the Emirates Lions and Toyota Cheetahs.
“We did a lot of things well against the Force, but our execution and defence were lacking. We failed to deliver theknock-out punch when they had 13 men on the field. It is a mindset as well, but few challenges are greater than beating the Crusaders, so I am pretty sure the guys will be up for it. It certainly showed in this week’s training.”
Vodacom Bulls captain Pierre Spies agrees with the coach.
“We did some good things, but also played poorly at times and that nearly cost us the match. It is just not good enough at this level. We need to show we are the championship side we believe we are. Hopefully we will have the crowd support this week. This Crusaders team is a good one, but this is our turf and we need to defend it,” Spies said.
“We have lost twice at home and we cannot allow it to happen again. I think we have turned the corner and is keen to lead the guys onto the field.”
Vodacom Bulls (with number of Super caps): 15 Jesse Kriel (6), 14 Francois Hougaard (77), 13 JJ Engelbrecht (54), 12 Jan Serfontein (33), 11 Bjorn Basson (76), 10 Handré Pollard (18), 9 Rudy Paige (12), 8 Pierre Spies (Captain, 108), 7 Arno Botha (24), 6 Deon Stegmann (84), 5 Victor Matfield (143), 4 Jacques du Plessis (20), 3 Trevor Nyakane (47), 2 Adriaan Strauss (110), 1 Morné Mellett (29)
Replacements: 16 Jaco Visagie (0), 17 Dean Greyling (58), 18 Marcel van der Merwe (22), 19 Grant Hattingh (39), 20 Hanro Liebenberg (1), 21 Piet van Zyl (48), 22 Tian Schoeman (1), 23 Jurgen Visser (27).
Date: Saturday 28 March
Kick-Off: 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT, Sunday 06:10 NZ Time)
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant Referees: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa), Stephan Geldenhuys (South Africa)
TMO: Deon van Blommestein (South Africa)
Die Vodacom Bulls afrigter, Frans Ludeke, het die stutte Morné Mellett en Trevor Nyakane terug in sy beginspan wat Saterdag op Loftus Versfeld teen die Crusaders in ‘n Vodacom Super Rugby wedstryd kragte meet.
Beide stutte het as plaasvervangers teen die Force opgedraf, maar ruil plekke met Dean Greyling en Marcel van der Merwe, wat die keer van die bank af sal speel.
Victor Matfield ruil ook plekke met Grant Hattingh, met Suid-Afrika se mees ervare Super Rugby speler wat weer op Nr 5 uitdraf en Hattingh wat afskuif bank toe.
In nog ‘n verandering begin Arno Botha op flank. Hy vervang die beseerde Lappies Labuschagne, wat nie betyds van ‘n seer borsspier herstel het nie.
Botha skuif op van die bank en sy plek daar word deur Hanro Liebenberg ingeneem.
Ludeke het die pluspunte uit die sege oor die Force beklemtoon, maar gemaan dat die Crusaders heelwat momentum opgebou het met seges oor die Emirates Lions en Toyota Cheetahs en dus ‘n gevaarlike teenstander gaan wees.
“Ons het klomp dinge reggedoen teen die Force, maar ons afronding en verdediging het by tye te kort geskiet. Daar was ook nie ‘n uitklophou toe hulle net 13 spelers op die veld gehad het nie. Daar is min uitdagings groter as om die Crusaders te klop, so ek is seker daarvan dat die span met heelwat vuur sal opdraf.”
Die Vodacom Bulls-kaptein, Pierre Spies, stem saam.
“Ons het ‘n paar goeie dinge gedoen, maar ook by tye flou opsies geneem en dit het ons byna die wedstryd gekos. Dit is net nie goed genoeg op hierdie vlak nie. Ons moet speel soos die kampioenspan wat ons glo ons kan wees.”
Spies glo die ondersteuners sal ook ‘n hupstoot lewer.
“Ons hoop op heelwat ondersteuning hierdie naweek. Die Crusaders is ‘n goeie span, maar hierdie is ons tuiste en ons moet dit verdedig. Ons het reeds twee keer hier verloor en kan net eenvoudig nietoelaat dat dit weer gebeur nie.”
Vodacom Bulls (met Super Rugby wedstryde): 15 Jesse Kriel (6), 14 Francois Hougaard (77), 13 JJ Engelbrecht (54), 12 Jan Serfontein (33), 11 Bjorn Basson (76), 10 Handré Pollard (18), 9 Rudy Paige (12), 8 Pierre Spies (Kaptein, 108), 7 Arno Botha (24), 6 Deon Stegmann (84), 5 Victor Matfield (143), 4 Jacques du Plessis (20), 3 Trevor Nyakane (47), 2 Adriaan Strauss (110), 1 Morné Mellett (29)
Plaasvervangers: 16 Jaco Visagie (0), 17 Dean Greyling (58), 18 Marcel van der Merwe (22), 19 Grant Hattingh (39), 20 Hanro Liebenberg (1), 21 Piet van Zyl (48), 22 Tian Schoeman (1), 23 Jurgen Visser (27).
Datum: Saterdag 28 Maart
Afskoptyd: 19:10 SA Tyd (17:10 GMT, Sondag 06:10 NZ Tyd)
Plek: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Skeidsregter: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistent Skeidsregter: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa), Stephan Geldenhuys (South Africa)
TWO: Deon van Blommestein (South Africa)