The Blue Bulls Company (Pty) Ltd on Thursday confirmed that 3 players, Dean Greyling, Basil Short and Hencus van Wyk, were withdrawn from this weekend’s matches for the Vodacom Bulls and Vodacom Blue Bulls after suffering minor injuries in a car crash on Wednesday.
Greyling (knee) and Van Wyk (scrape wounds) were due to play for the Vodacom Bulls against the Emirates Lions and Short (neck) for the Vodacom Blue Bulls against the Limpopo Blue Bulls on Saturday.
They will be replaced by Morné Mellett, Dayan van der Westhuizen and Nqoba Mxoli respectively.
According to Xander Janse van Rensburg, High Performance Manager of the Blue Bulls Company, the trio were returning home from a quick hunting trip just outside Pretoria when their vehicle overturned.
“We are grateful that they did not sustain any serious injuries. Dean injured his knee, Hencus suffered some burns and Basil injured his neck, which resulted in him spending the night in hospital for observation. We wish them a speedy recovery.”
Greyling and Van Wyk is still due to travel with the Bulls on their overseas leg of the Vodacom Super Rugby competition, departing Sunday.
The most capped South African Vodacom Super Rugby player ever, Victor Matfield, is back at the helm of the Vodacom Bulls when they take on the Emirates Lions at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Matfield, who last captained the Vodacom Bulls in the opening Round of the competition, will return at lock following successful knee surgery that kept him out of action for a month to play in his 145th match, replacing Grant Hattingh who drops to the bench.
Also back in the match 15 which shows 5 changes to the run-on side that took the field at DHL Newlands last weekend, is Jan Serfontein, Arno Botha, Lappies Labuschagne and Trevor Nyakane.
Serfontein is back following a late withdrawal from the DHL Stormers match, whilst Botha, Labuschagne and Nyakane are all promoted off the bench into the starting team. The Springbok midfielder replaces Burger Odendaal, who drops to the bench in place of Akona Ndungane, whilst Botha swops places with Pierre Spies at the back of the scrum. Nyakane starts in place of Dean Greyling. Labuschagne replaces Deon Stegmann, who is rested after 10 consecutive starts.
Prop Andrew Beerwinkel could also make his debut as he is named on the bench.
“We are getting into the rhythm to play the type of match we want to play,” Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke said when he announced the team in Pretoria on Thursday.
“Our defence structure is good and we are very competitive in every match we play. We need to tweak some aspects of our game though, but I am confident that we are creating a style of play that will make us contenders in the play-off stages of the competition. All said, we need to show up against the Emirates Lions, who have shown their endurance and determination week after week.”
Matfield, who will captain the side for a South African and franchise record 84 times, pointed to the experience of his team. “We are facing a team who expresses their personality on the field, but we are also a squad that are proud of being the most successful local franchise ever. You are only as good as your last match though and we came up short then. We need a solid performance before we go on tour, so a win is pretty much non-negotiable.”
Vodacom Bulls (with Super Rugby caps): 15 Jesse Kriel (11), 14 Francois Hougaard (82), 13 JJ Engelbrecht (59), 12 Jan Serfontein (33), 11 Bjorn Basson (81), 10 Handré Pollard (21), 9 Piet van Zyl (53), 8 Arno Botha (27), 7 Jacques du Plessis (25), 6 Lappies Labuschagne (34), 5 Victor Matfield (Captain, 144), 4 Flip van der Merwe (75), 3 Marcel van der Merwe (27), 2 Adriaan Strauss (114), 1 Trevor Nyakane (52)
Replacements: 16 Callie Visagie (45), 17 Morné Mellett (34), 18 Andrew Beerwinkel (0), 19 Grant Hattingh (44), 20 Pierre Spies (113), 21 Tian Schoeman (4), 22 Burger Odendaal (5), 23 Jurgen Visser (29)
Date: Saturday 2 May
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-Off: 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT)
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
Assistant Referees: Jaco Peyper (South Africa), Stephan Geldenhuys (South Africa)
TMO: Deon van Blommestein (South Africa)
Milestones:
- There are 3 centurions in the squad line-up – Victor Matfield 144 (Bulls 136 & Cats 8), Adriaan Strauss 114 (Cheetahs 97, Bulls 17) and Pierre Spies 1113 (all Bulls).
- Coach Frans Ludeke will extend his Vodacom Super Rugby as most experienced coach ever – He has coached the Vodacom Bulls in 121 matches and the Cats in 23 for a tally of 144.
- Victor Matfield will extend his Vodacom Bulls record as their most capped Super Rugby player to 145. He will also captain the side for a record 84rd time, which is also a competition record. It is also his 16th season of Vodacom Super Rugby, a record he shares with Tony Brown and Tana Umaga.
Suid-Afrika se mees ervare Vodacom Super Rugby-speler en kaptein, Victor Matfield, lei Saterdag die Vodacom Bulls op die veld in hul Super Rugby wedstryd teen die Emirates Lions op Loftus Versfeld. Matfield het ook voorgedraf in die openingswedstryd van die seisoen teen die DHL Stormers en is weer fiks na ‘n knie-operasie.
Die span toon 5 veranderinge van die een wat verlede naweek op DHL Nuweland begin het. Jan Serfontein, Lappies Labuschagne, Arno Botha en Trevor Nyakane begin almal in die derby-stryd.
Serfontein vervang Burger Odendaal wat bank toe skuif, met Akona Ndungane wat uitval, Botha ruil plekke met Pierre Spies en Labuschagne vervang Deon Stegmann wat ‘n ruskans kry na 10 wedstryde in ‘n ry. Nyakane speel in Dean Greyling se plek.
Andrew Beerwinkel is vir die 1ste keer op die plaasvervangerbank (in die plek van die beseerde Greyling) en kan sy Super Rugby debuut maak.
“Ons begin nou die momentum en ritme kry om die tipe wedstryd te speel wat ons graag wil,” het die Vodacom Bulls se afrigter, Frans Ludeke, gesê.
“Ons verderdigingstrukture is baie goed en ons is mededingend in alle fases van die spel. Hier en daar is klein verstellings nodig, maar ek is vol vertroue dat ons aansprake op die uitspeelfase lewendig sal bly as ons so volhou. Bygesê, jy moet elke week opdaag en teen die Lions, wat gewys het hulle speel tot in die laaste sekonde, sal ons op ons heel beste moet wees.”
Matfield, wat die span vir die 84ste keer sal aanvoer, meen sy span se ervaring kan deurslaggewend wees. “Ons speel teen ‘n span wat hulself graag uitdruk op die veld, maar ons is ewe trots op die feit dat hierdie span die kompetisie al meer gewen het as enige ander plaaslike span. Jy is egter net so goed soos jou laaste wedstryd en ons het daardie een verloor, so ons het baie om te bewys. Boonop toer ons hierna, so ‘n wen hier is ononderhandelbaar.”
Vodacom Bulls (met Super Rugby wedstryde): 15 Jesse Kriel (11), 14 Francois Hougaard (82), 13 JJ Engelbrecht (59), 12 Jan Serfontein (33), 11 Bjorn Basson (81), 10 Handré Pollard (21), 9 Piet van Zyl (53), 8 Arno Botha (27), 7 Jacques du Plessis (25), 6 Lappies Labuschagne (34), 5 Victor Matfield (Kaptein, 144), 4 Flip van der Merwe (75), 3 Marcel van der Merwe (27), 2 Adriaan Strauss (114), 1 Trevor Nyakane (52)
Plaasvervangers: 16 Callie Visagie (45), 17 Morné Mellett (34), 18 Andrew Beerwinkel (0), 19 Grant Hattingh (44), 20 Pierre Spies (113), 21 Tian Schoeman (4), 22 Burger Odendaal (5), 23 Jurgen Visser (29)
Datum: Saterdag 2 Mei
Plek: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Afskop: 19:10 SA Tyd (17:10 GMT)
Skeidsregter: Marius van der Westhuizen (Suid-Afrika)
Assistent Skeidsregters: Jaco Peyper (Suid-Afrika), Stephan Geldenhuys (Suid-Afrika)
TWB: Deon van Blommestein (Suid-Afrika)
Mylpale:
- Daar is 3 honderd-tal spelers in die wedstrydgroep – Victor Matfield 144 (Bulls 136 & Cats 8), Adriaan Strauss 114 (Cheetahs 97, Bulls 17) en Pierre Spies 1113 (almal Bulls).
- Hoofafrigter Frans Ludeke sal sy Vodacom Super Rugby rekord uitbrei as mees-ervare afrigter – Hy rig reeds die Bulls af in 121 wedstryde en het daarbenewens die Cats in 23 wedstryde afgerig, vir ‘n totaal van 144 wedstryde.
- Victor Matfield sal sy eie Vodacom Bulls rekord as hul speler met die meeste Super Rugby wedstryde uitbrei na 145. He sal ook die Bulls aanvoer vir die 84ste keer, wat ook ‘n toernooirekord is. Dit is reeds sy 16de seisoen van Super Rugby, ‘n rekord wat hy deel met Tony Brown en Tana Umaga.