Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke made three changes to his starting pack of forwards for Saturday’s Vodacom Super Rugby clash against the Lions at Ellis Park.
Jacques Engelbrecht moves from the bench to start at No 8, with Grant Hattingh moving to lock in place of Victor Matfield who is rested. In another rotational swop, Marcel van der Merwe will start at tight head, with Werner Kruger playing off the bench.
Wimpie van der Walt replaces Engelbrecht on the bench, where there is also a return for Louis Fouché. The flyhalf will replace Handré Pollard, who is captaining the Junior Springboks in New Zealand. William Small-Smith is also back after illness and replaces Ulrich Beyers on the bench.
Bulls Media Release
Ludeke confirmed his team’s desire to make the play-offs.
“We have to win every remaining match, so are keen to keep on the winning track. It will also be important for us to go into the break with some momentum. We have made some minor changes and I believe we will be competitive against a team that will be very dangerous at home. We cannot afford to let them dominate the pace of the match or the style of play,” Ludeke said.
Vodacom Bulls (with Super Rugby caps): 15 Jurgen Visser (23), 14 Akona Ndungane (106), 13 JJ Engelbrecht (46), 12 Jan Serfontein (25), 11 Bjorn Basson (68), 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter (53), 9 Francois Hougaard (69), 8 Jacques “Vleis” Engelbrecht (24), 7 Jacques du Plessis (14), 6 Jono Ross (16), 5 Grant Hattingh (32), 4 Flip van der Merwe (71, Captain), 3 Marcel van der Merwe (16), 2 Callie Visagie (35), 1 Dean Greyling (51)
Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi (13), 17 Werner Kruger (105), 18 Morné Mellett (21), 19 Paul Willemse (17), 20 Wimpie van der Walt (20), 21 Piet van Zyl (41), 22 Louis Fouché (23), 23 William-Small Smith (4).
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Die Vodacom Bulls-afrigter, Frans Ludeke, het drie skuiwe in sy beginspan se pak voorspelers gemaak vir Saterdag se Vodacom Super Rugbywedstryd teen die Lions op Ellispark.
Jacques Engelbrecht begin op agsteman in die plek van Grant Hattingh, wat slot sal speel. Hattingh vervang Victor Matfield, wat ruskans kry. Marcel van der Merwe begin ook op vaskop in die plek van Werner Kruger wat bank toe skuif. Wimpie van der Walt neem Engelbrecht se plek op die plaasvervangerbank in.
Agterlangs keer Louis Fouché terug as tweede losskakel, met Handré Pollard wat die Junior Springbokke in Nieu-Seeland aanvoer. William Small-Smith is ook weer fiks en vervang Ulrich Beyers as die veelsydige agterspeler op die bank.
Volgens Ludeke is sy span steeds gefokus op ‘n plek in die uitspeelstryd.
“Om dit reg te kry moet ons elke oorblywende wedstryd wen. Dit is ook belangrik om die rustydperk met goeie momentum binne te gaan. Ons het enkele skuiwe gemaak, maar ek is vol vertroue dat ons mededingend sal wees. Die Lions is ‘n baie gevaarlike teenstander, veral op sy tuisveld. Ons sal nie kan toelaat dat hulle die pas en speelstyl in die wedstryd bepaal nie,” meen hy.
Vodacom Bulls (met Super Rugby wedstryde): 15 Jurgen Visser (23), 14 Akona Ndungane (106), 13 JJ Engelbrecht (46), 12 Jan Serfontein (25), 11 Bjorn Basson (68), 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter (53), 9 Francois Hougaard (69), 8 Jacques “Vleis” Engelbrecht (24), 7 Jacques du Plessis (14), 6 Jono Ross (16), 5 Grant Hattingh (32), 4 Flip van der Merwe (71, Kaptein), 3 Marcel van der Merwe (16), 2 Callie Visagie (35), 1 Dean Greyling (51)
Plaasvervangers: 16 Bongi Mbonambi (13), 17 Werner Kruger (105), 18 Morné Mellett (21), 19 Paul Willemse (17), 20 Wimpie van der Walt (20), 21 Piet van Zyl (41), 22 Louis Fouché (23), 23 William-Small Smith (4).