The Vodacom Bulls could unleash a new dream midfield pairing ahead of their Gauteng Challenge game against the MTN Lions in Soweto on Saturday as they begin their preparations for a tough Vodacom Super Rugby season ahead.
While the Bulls were buoyed by the return of veteran Wynand Olivier from Japan on Monday, the blond midfielder will rejoin his teammates from Tuesday but will not be considered for this weekend’s match, even though it is reported he is injury free and raring to play.
It was initially feared that Olivier may miss the start of the season with his Japanese team’s progress in their domestic competition, but this hasn’t been the case and Olivier returned home to South Africa on the weekend.
With Francois Venter also been ruled out of action with a groin injury and not considered this week for selection, the Bulls are likely to play their import Lionel Mapoe at outside centre, while the inside centre position is likely to fall to IRB Junior Player of the year for 2012, Jan Serfontein.
The duo are expected to be a major part of the Bulls’ plans for the season and it will be interesting to see how they gel, as both are known as influential attackers in the backline with Bok futures ahead of them.
While the coaching staff are likely to mix and match their selection for this game, giving opportunities to young players in a mix of youth and experience, there have been some players ruled out through injury.
With lock Wilhelm Steenkamp (shoulder), prop Marcel van der Merwe (knee) and prop Dean Greyling (stress fracture, foot) already ruled out through pre-season injuries, the list got a bit longer as team doctor Org Strauss confirmed that Boks Zane Kirchner and Werner Kruger are also not being considered for this weekend’s game.
Kirchner and Kruger both have back strains, while import hooker Callie Visagie is also out with a hamstring. All three should be ready for next weekend’s match against the Cheetahs in Polokwane.
Currie Cup captain Dewald Potgieter will rejoin training on Tuesday while fellow loose forward Jean Cooke will undergo a fitness test on Wednesday. But on the positive side, flyhalf Louis Fouche, utility back Ulrich Beyers, winger Akona Ndungane and flank/lock Grant Hattingh are all over their niggles and can be considered for selection.
The SA under-20s have also rejoined the team and will be considered for action, with IRB Junior Rugby World Championship winning captain Wian Liebenberg resuming training on Tuesday after a hamstring strain.
January 28th, 2013 at 14:38 SAST
What is the point of having this “dream” midfield when the flyhalf is going to kick every fukken ball away aimlessly?
January 28th, 2013 at 14:56 SAST
1 @ Loosehead:
Have to agree.
January 28th, 2013 at 15:03 SAST
When you say ‘dream’, do you mean ‘dream’ as in brilliant, or ‘dream’ as in we’ll all fall asleep – again?
January 28th, 2013 at 15:08 SAST
3 @ Just For Kicks:
January 28th, 2013 at 15:45 SAST
My fellow bloggers ar in fine nick again today. Layon thick boys
January 28th, 2013 at 16:09 SAST
JFK! That is so funny and so true.
January 28th, 2013 at 16:39 SAST
rudi gaat vir julle moer
January 28th, 2013 at 16:45 SAST
that “dream” was the result of copy and paste – modern day invention
January 28th, 2013 at 19:32 SAST
Jeeeeeeezzz, julle issie vars nie!
Het julle almal Vim gesnuiwe?
Flok, ek het snaakse pelle….. klomp moepels
Hahaha
January 28th, 2013 at 19:39 SAST
@ grootblousmile:
9 ek is ook stom geslaan, die manne wat hier oorgevat het is tog so erg krities. Ek hoop maar op n stille herbou van my ou span. Intussen sal die res maar probeer tot hul bars maar hulle sal maar net weer C….
January 28th, 2013 at 22:30 SAST
@ grootblousmile:
@ superBul:
To be honest, if the Sharks manne would be more……..in the game, we would rather troll those fukken poachers. They aren’t, so the boring bools get trolled instead.
January 29th, 2013 at 08:19 SAST
The opinions of bloggers never ceases to amaze me.
When Mapoe was at the Lions he was castigated by all and sundry.
It was mentioned that he was a “sicknote”, a kak player, not up to SR quality etc etc etc.
Now suddenly he’s part of the “dream” centre pairing and has an international career ahead of him.
Talk about blue tinted glasses.
January 29th, 2013 at 08:55 SAST
Question – If one relays information obtained from another Internet rugby site should the source be disclosed at the bottom of the posted article to differentiate articles based on “own” opinion with one that is meant for “sharing”.
I get the feeling a few people thought the “dream” midfiled is MY opinion but it was merely a take from SArugby.com posted here to discuss
tx
January 29th, 2013 at 09:25 SAST
13 @ Gena_ZA:
Not at the bottom of the Article, but just under the Insert More Tag, in Italics (very short, for instance just Sport24 or rugby365 ). We have to give credit to the source, but the goal for 2013 is not to Copy and Paste, but to do the story in our own words.
January 29th, 2013 at 10:13 SAST
Thanks, time is a bitch though to rewrite stuff, but I get your drift
January 29th, 2013 at 10:57 SAST
12 @ Scrumdown:
Well just look at the Bok team of last year, play for the Bulls [ before anyone jumps dowN my throat I give you Chabal Lite, JJ Engelbrecht and ex Lions scrummie], and you play for the Boks.
January 29th, 2013 at 11:04 SAST
16 @ Loosehead:
You do Chabal an injustice
January 29th, 2013 at 11:16 SAST
loosehead @ 16
good one!!
“Chabal Lite”
January 29th, 2013 at 11:19 SAST
16 @ Cheetah4eva:
I can’t remember all the names of the Bools players who undeservedly received their Bok caps………the list is too long
January 29th, 2013 at 12:18 SAST
19 @ Loosehead:
Hee hee indeed, Greyling, Kruger, both Potgieters, Stegmann, Vermaak, Olivier, Hougaard, and JJ Engelbrecht.
January 29th, 2013 at 12:39 SAST
Man I love this time of year…. The banter is slowly starting to catch some speed, and that can only mean one thing: Super Rugby is around the corner!!!
What I don’t like though is that the men from Pretoria is extremely quiet? Only Stormpies, Sharks and Kings in the news lately…. Stilte voor die storm miskien?
January 29th, 2013 at 12:48 SAST
Lots of injury niggles all round still.
We really won’t see how the teams look until the start of the season.
The Bulls “1st team” lineup is quite formidable. Not sure about their scrum, but good everywhere else.
Both the Sharks and the Stormers are nursing injuries to front line players, with the Sharks faring the best of all in SA terms.
I’ll be going the the Stormers practice tomorrow, it will be interesting to get a closer perspective on the situation at this time.
January 29th, 2013 at 12:55 SAST
22 @ Stormersboy:
Bulls have a few headaches to sort out, mostly in the front row. Marcel vd Merwe out 4 months, Greyling at least 4 weeks, Kruger hasn’t taken any contact as yet, Basi Short, AC Joint apparently a few weeks, so they Have Kirsten and Mellet as the only fit props in their group.
January 29th, 2013 at 13:04 SAST
According to the Cheetahs media reports, Juan, Brüssow, Goosen, vd Walt, Sadie , le Roux and Lappies are all ready for a bit of game time. Goosen will be back vs. the Bulls, so at the moment, it’s just Coenie that must make a return. So we are ok, with match fitness, and sharpness the only worry. Fortunately class is permanent, so if fit, the likes of Brüssow, Smith, Goosen, le Roux won’t take to long to hit their straps
January 29th, 2013 at 13:07 SAST
Except for GBS and superBull, are there any Bools supporters left on this site?
January 29th, 2013 at 13:11 SAST
25 @ Loosehead:
Yes hello Loosehead don’t forget about me
January 29th, 2013 at 13:25 SAST
26 @ Bullscot: sorry about that.
January 29th, 2013 at 13:32 SAST
27 @ Loosehead:
sorry you forgot about me or sorry I support the Bulls as well? 
Ek skree nie Vrystaat nie ek bly n BUL
January 29th, 2013 at 13:53 SAST
28 @ Bullscot:Both.
January 29th, 2013 at 13:57 SAST
Right, a Murphy’s view of the comming season:
Stormers to have a massive crisis at lock, Marcell Brachie and that De Allende laatjie to settle as the new lock pair – Bracjhie to bulk up heavy and be banned for Lance like suplements.
Bulls to have a mass exodus of players after HM got fired from the Boks and taking up a post with SWD
Cheetahs to break records by fielding 5 fetchers and 3 fullbacks in most games, and never to concede a try
Sharks season plummeted (pun intended) when Fransie and Bissie admitted to a relationship of the field, Dr. Jannie had knowledge of this
Kings banned when it was discovered 5 of their players were undercover Force players, Cheeky had no knowledge of this
January 29th, 2013 at 13:58 SAST
28 @ Bullscot:
Us Cheetah supporters make allowances for people’s poor choices in life
We will still pick on you, but all in good fun.
January 29th, 2013 at 14:02 SAST
Reading on Rugby365 and see Matfield is the Bulls Forwards and Attack coach. Now wonder why Matfield is their attack coach? I can understand Matfield being their forwards coach he will be brilliant for Bulls there, just him being the attack coach is a bit strange. What happened to P. Rossouw? Was he not their backline coach?
January 29th, 2013 at 16:28 SAST
@ Loosehead:
January 30th, 2013 at 17:27 SAST
@ Puma:
Think they thought they do not need Slap Tjips since they got Le Boot Steyn who is standing so deep behind the pack even the flankers need bicycles to get even close to him.
But I can imagine Matfield running his drills of them running intp a brick wall the whole day