Francois Hougaard
The Vodacom Blue Bulls will be without Francois Hougaard and Hanro Liebenberg this weekend. Livewire Hougaard will miss Saturday’s ABSA Currie Cup clash against ORC Griquas in Kimberley due to personal commitments, as his sister is getting married and he was given permission to miss the clash while Liebenberg is out injured.
Ivan van Zyl will start at scrumhalf in his run-on debut for the Vodacom Blue Bulls, whilst the return of Springbok Arno Botha at No 8 will offset the loss of Liebenberg, who will be out for at least a month.
Botha has just returned from injury and will be part of a new loose trio that will also feature regular captain, Lappies Labuschagne, and new starter, Jannes Kirsten, who debuted for the team last weekend from the bench. Kirsten replaces the injured Roelof Smit in the last of 3 changes to the starting team from last weekend.
With Smit, Deon Stegmann and Liebenberg all out injured, the recent signing of former Saracens and Maties flanker Nick de Jager is bearing fruit, with the player being included on the bench for a possible Currie Cup debut for the Log leading Blue Bulls.
Vodacom Blue Bulls coach Nollis Marais also added Corniel Els and Andre Warner to the bench. Warner comes in for Van Zyl who is starting and Els will take over from Jaco Visagie, who is unavailable due to a personal bereavement.
“Our hands are forced a bit with the injuries amongst our loose forwards, but it is great to have Arno back in action. He is keen to make a statement and I am expecting a big match from him. Griquas showed us how physical they can be when we played them a couple of weeks back, so to have a big and abrasive player like Arno back, comes at just the right time,” Marais said.
He is also backing Van Zyl in his starting role.
“Any team will miss Hougie, but Ivan has all the attributes I am looking for from a team perspective. He is quick, understands space and knows how we want to play,” according to Marais.
Labuschagne urged his team mates not to ignore the need to improve every week.
“We are playing a very dangerous team who has beaten us in Kimberley before, so they will have the belief that they can do it again. That said, we are also a squad that approach every game with the necessary respect to the opponents and determination to do our own efforts and the support of our fans justice. We are building momentum nicely, but must be careful not to fall in a hole in Kimberley.”
Vodacom Blue Bulls: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Dries Swanepoel, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Jamba Ulengo, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Arno Botha, 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Lappies Labuschagne (Captain), 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Jacques du Plessis, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 Dean Greyling
Replacements: 16 Corniel Els, 17 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 18 RG Snyman, 19 Nick de Jager, 20 André Warner, 21 Louis Fouché, 22 Dan Kriel.
Date: Saturday 29 August
Venue: GWK Park, Kimberley
Kick-Off: 15:00 SA Time (13:00 GMT)
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
Assistant Referees: Lourens van der Merwe, Jaco Kotze
TMO: JJ Wagner
Die Vodacom Blou Bulle sal Saterdag sonder Francois Hougaard teen ORC Griekwas in Kimberley speel.
Die flink skrumskakel is weens persoonlike redes vrygestel van die ABSA Curriebekerwedstryd om sy suster se troue by te woon.
Hy word vervang deur Ivan van Zyl in een van 3 veranderinge aan die span wat verlede naweek teen DHL WP gewen het.
Hanro Liebenberg en Roelof Smit is die ander ongevalle uit die Noord / Suid-wedstryd en word onderskeidelik deur Arno Botha en Jannes Kirsten vervang.
Kirsten – wat verlede week sy Blou Bulle debuut gemaak het – en Van Zyl sal vir die 1ste keer in die beginspan in die ABSA se Curriebekerreeks wees.
Botha is pas terug van ‘n kniebesering en vorm ‘n nuwe lostrio saam met Kirsten en die span se gereelde kaptein, Lappies Labuschagne.
Met Liebenberg, Smit en Deon Stegmann beseer, blyk die gewese Saracens-flank Nick de Jager se koms Pretoria toe ‘n bedekte seën te wees en sal die kantman as plaasvervanger diens doen en moontlik sy Blou Bulle-debuut maak.
Die Vodacom Blou Bulle-afrigter, Nollis Marais, het ook Corniel Els en André Warner as plaasvervangers opgeroep.
Warner sal Van Zyl se plek op die plaaasvervangerbank volstaan, terwyl Els vir Jaco Visagie vervang wat Saterdag ‘n begrafnis bywoon.
“Ons moes noodwendig skuiwe maak aan ons lostrio weens die beserings, maar gelukkig is Arno weer fiks,” het Marais gesê.
“Hy is gretig om ‘n bydrae te lewer en sy staal te wys. Griekwas het in ons vorige wedstryd ‘n paar weke terug gewys dat hulle ‘n fisieke span is en om Arno se fisieke teenwoordigheid en direke speelstyl beskikbaar te hê, is beslis ‘n bonus.”
Marais meen Van Zyl sal soomloos inpas as Hougaard se plaasvervanger.
“Enige span sal Hougie mis, maar Ivan beskik oor al die nodige vaardighede om seker te maak dat die span nie benadeel sal word nie. Hy is vinnig, verstaan spasie en weet hoe ons wil speel,” het Marais gesê.
Labuschagne het sy spanmaats aangemoedig om verbetering na te streef.
“Ons speel teen ‘n gevaarlike span. Griekwas het ons al in Kimberley pak gegee en sal glo hulle kan dit weer doen. Ongeag daarvan sal ons die selfgeloof wat ons as span het, moet wys. Ons begin elke wedstryd met dieselfde ingesteldheid. Ons respekteer ons teenstander, maar is ewe vasbeslote om ons stempel op die teenstander af te druk en spel op te dis waarop ons as span en ons ondersteuners trots mee kan wees.”
Vodacom Blou Bulle: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Dries Swanepoel, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Jamba Ulengo, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Arno Botha, 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Lappies Labuschagne (Kaptein), 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Jacques du Plessis, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 Dean Greyling
Plaasvervangers: 16 Corniel Els, 17 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 18 RG Snyman, 19 Nick de Jager, 20 André Warner, 21 Louis Fouché, 22 Dan Kriel.
Datum: Saterdag 29 Augustus
Plek: GWK Park, Kimberley
Afskop: 15:00 SA Tyd (13:00 GMT)
Skeidsregter: Marius van der Westhuizen
Assistent Skeidsregters: Lourens van der Merwe, Jaco Kotze
TWB: JJ Wagner