Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke made 2 changes to his starting pack for Saturday’s Vodacom Super Rugby match against the Emirates Lions in Johannesburg and also had to replace pivot Handré Pollard, who did not recover in time from a knee contusion.
Jacques-Louis Potgieter will start at No 10 and is the only change to the backline that ran on against the Crusaders last week. Potgieter is returning to action following a hamstring strain that kept him out for 3 weeks.
Grant Hattingh (for Victor Matfield) and Dean Greyling (for Morné Mellett) will start in the pack.
Both played off the bench last weekend.
Hattingh’s spot on the bench will be taken by Roelof Smit and Greyling swops places with Mellett, who will play of the bench. Matfield is rested (as is Jan Serfontein).
Callie Visagie makes his return to the squad following a back injury.
Ludeke is keen for the team to continue with the rugby that earned them 4 wins on the trot, but realises the challenge that will come from the home side.
“The Lions just came back from their best tour ever, so will be keen to keep that momentum and will be boosted by their home crowd. We are also keen to keep progressing as a team and as it is our traditional derby, we are expecting a cracker of a game,” Ludeke said.
Vodacom Bulls captain Pierre Spies was adamant that the Vodacom Bulls will have to play ever better this week.
“We learned it the hard way during the opening 2 weeks. You cannot be off the pace during the 80 minutes, as other teams punish you. We played great rugby last weekend, but that will mean nothing to the Lions, who will come out all guns blazing on their home turf. We lost there last year, so have a lot to prove this time around.”
Vodacom Bulls scrumhalf Piet van Zyl will earn a 50th Vodacom Super Rugby cap if he takes to the field. The 25 year old played his first 32 matches in the competition for the Toyota Cheetahs.
Vodacom Bulls: 15 Jesse Kriel, 14 Francois Hougaard, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Rudy Paige, 8 Pierre Spies (Captain), 7 Hanro Liebenberg, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 Jacques du Plessis, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Dean Greyling
Replacements: 16 Callie Visagie, 17 Morné Mellett, 18 Marcel van der Merwe, 19 Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, 20 Roelof Smit, 21 Piet van Zyl, 22 Tian Schoeman, 23 Jurgen Visser.
Date: Saturday 4 April
Venue: Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg
Kick-Off: 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT)
Referee: Stuart Berry
Assistant Referees: Jason Jaftha, Stephan Geldenhuys
TMO: Shaun Veldsman
Die Vodacom Bulls-afrigter, Frans Ludeke, het 2 veranderinge gemaak aan sy pak voorspelers wat Saterdag in Johannesburg teen die Emirates Lions uitdraf en moes sy voorste puntemaker, Handré Pollard, ook vervang.
Pollard het ‘n kniebesering en Jacques-Louis Potgieter sal in sy plek speel. Potgieter het pas van ‘n dyspiernbesering herstel wat hom 3 weke langs die kantlyn gehou het.
Voorlangs begin Grant Hattingh op slot en Dean Greyling op loskop en vervang onderskeidelik vir Victor Matfield en Morné Mellett.
Matfield (en Jan Serfontein) kry ‘n ruskans en Greyling en Mellett ruil truie, met laasgenoemde wat as plaasvervanger gaan speel.
Jacques-Louis Potgieter begin op Nr 10 en op die plaasvervangerbank is dit Callie Visagie wat terugkeer ná hy van beserings herstel het.
Hattingh se plek op die bank word ingeneem deur Roelof Smit.
Ludeke is gretig dat die span sy spelkurwe op dieselfde peil hou wat die span nou 4 agtereenvolgende oorwinnings in die sak gebring het, maar erken dat die Lions met ‘n geweldige aanslag sal kom.
“Hulle het so pas van hul beste toer oorsee nog terugggekom, so het goeie momentum wat boonop deur hul tuisskare aangehelp sal word. Ons groei egter mooi as ‘n span en gaan nie terugstaan nie en gegewe dit ‘n stryd tussen buurspanne is, verwag ons ‘n epiese stryd.”
Die Vodacom Bulls kaptein, Pierre Spies, het gese die sege teen die Crusaders is vergete.
“Ons het die goeie oomblikke daarvan gebank, maar die realiteit is dat ons hierdie naweek weer van voor af begin. Ons het vroeer in die seisoen die prys betaal omdat ons nie 80 minute se rugby gespeel het en met die Lions wat op die voorvoet sal uitdraf, sal ons van die eerste minuut op ons beste moet wees. Ons het verlede jaar daar verloor, so het baie om te bewys.”
Die Vodacom Bulls-skrumskakel, Piet van Zyl, sal sy 50ste verskyning in die Vodacom Super Rugby kompetisie maak as hy van die bank af speel. Die eerste 32 daarvan was vir die Toyota Cheetahs.
Vodacom Bulls: 15 Jesse Kriel, 14 Francois Hougaard, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Rudy Paige, 8 Pierre Spies (Kaptein), 7 Hanro Liebenberg, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 Jacques du Plessis, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Dean Greyling
Plaasvervangers: 16 Callie Visagie, 17 Morné Mellett, 18 Marcel van der Merwe, 19 Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, 20 Roelof Smit, 21 Piet van Zyl, 22 Tian Schoeman, 23 Jurgen Visser.
Datum: Saterdag 4 April
Plek: Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg
Afskop: 17:05 SA Tyd (15:05 GMT)
Skeidsregter: Stuart Berry
Assistent Skeidsregters: Jason Jaftha, Stephan Geldenhuys
TWB: Shaun Veldsman