With their preparation for their defence of their Vodacom Super Rugby crown complete, the Vodacom Bulls gave their players the best news they could receive ahead of the long season ahead – a five-day holiday to rest.
SuperSport
The Bulls will open their defence on February 19 against neighbours the MTN Lions in Johannesburg, and coach Frans Ludeke was satisfied at the final training session on Tuesday morning that the team had ticked all the right boxes ahead of their off-period.
On Monday the team will return, with answers on the niggling questions of injuries to fullback Zane Kirchner, utility back Francois Hougaard, locks Bakkies Botha and Flip van der Merwe, and midfielder Jaco Pretorius.
Luckily Kirchner’s rib injury, picked up on the weekend in the victory over a Premier XV side, wasn’t as bad as feared, and with a few more days of rehab, the fullback could well be a late inclusion in the opening game against the Lions. Ditto for Hougaard, whose stress fracture on his foot is healing well.
With a bit of luck as well he could be back on the training field next week.
NIGGLES
Botha (knee) and Van der Merwe (ankle) both have niggles and should be sorted out by next week when the team regathers to start their final preparations for the tournament.
Pretorius though, while expected to be ready, is still being hampered by the back strain and there is still hope he will recover in time.
The only confirmed injury, therefore, is lock Juandre Kruger, whose broken finger, will keep him out of the first few weeks of the competition.
The Bulls will end their pre-season sessions on Tuesday with a backs vs forwards cricket game, where big things are expected, especially from their self-confessed batsman Dewald Potgieter.
Potgieter upped the banter on Tuesday, warning his teammates on Twitter that “I am known as the Donald Bradman of my generation by those who have seen me bat.”
The Bulls will be hoping when they regather that those skills are more atuned to rugby, when they start their defence of their title.
Ah…I am even more confident of my prediction then.
Bulls’ coach Frans Ludeke believes that the high expectations of the Lions may ease some of the pressure on the other South African teams.
“It will definitely take the pressure off us (the Bulls won the title in 2010) for our match against the Lions next week because they will be favourites as things stand now,” said Ludeke.
The war of words started 9 days to go to the start SupeRugby
Uuum, what the kedouche? this, IMO, will be the most testing and daunting Super comp ever, both mentally and physically. If the Bulls already need a break now, then what will they need in 2 months?
Saying that, isn’t it better to over prepare? I am sure that there are many players who will keep their focus on the S15, keep excersize schedules up, and who will not take a complete break… but that while, as far as I know, ALL other teams are 1000000% focussed.
Take the Stormers for example. I saw neither games, but it sounds like there is still a lot of work to do… and depth at 10 could be a problem. But still, they WON and are still not in the least satisfied with their performance…
The same could in a way be said of the Sharks. They lost quite badly to the Lions, but Plum and co made sure they had a major turn around. I still maintain that the turnaround could have created some false sense of security, and yes, they COULD and SHOULD have beaten the Stormers… but didn’t. Point is… did they also announce a break?
Mitchell is, IMO a better coach than the current Kiwi brewer, and they have some potent talent… They COULD easily upset in the first match, even if the smart money would disagree.
I hope this doesn’t backfire for the Bulls…
from news24
Johannesburg – The Golden Lions are targeting the signature of Springbok lock Bakkies Botha as their next major signing for 2012.
Botha’s contract ends at the end of October with the Bulls and it was widely expected that he would take up a lucrative contract with French club Toulon at this time. However, sources in France have confirmed that Toulon have given up on getting the giant lock’s signature after he told them he had decided to end his career in South Africa.
@ Greenpoint-Gunner:
Yes old mate , you can believe whoever you want , i can back up some of my thoughts with the necessary silverware. Bulls did this before. This season is much longer and somewhere a team will take a dip , the trick is when. Like i said the Bulls done it before, they lost 3 games in the last 2 seasons, go study when, but dont follow it because this year it will be at a different stage.
I expect all the finalists to lose at least 3 games this year and even 5 might not be a train smash. What you want is enough points to be in with a shout with 7 weeks to go to the FINAL, not the end of the league stage. But anyway lets see if AC learned something.
Snor City…or is it “snore city”
I’m sure Greenpoint Gunner’s concern’s are well founded but the Bull’s training structure speaks for itself. Furthermore, Ludeke and the coaching staff have access to all the privileged info on the players and would’ve made a decision based on that. The players will definately not be rested merely because they are tired etc- every decision made has been weighed up against the known variables.
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