Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke named an experienced outfit to face the Stormers on Friday at Loftus Versfeld in the opening match of the local 2013 Vodacom Super Rugby competition.
Official Bulls Media Release
Ludeke named two debutants in his starting XV, with Lionel Mapoe and Mornè Mellett set to start at wing and prop respectively, but also named two centurions and a host of players with more than 40 caps.
Mapoe has played 23 matches for the MTN Lions and five for the Toyota Cheetahs before, whilst Mellett toured with the Bulls last year, but did not play in any matches.
Pierre Spies, who captains the side, is one of 11 players who have 40 caps or more at this level.
“We do have an experienced core of players this year and it is something that hopefully will benefit us,” Ludeke said in Tuesday.
“Even Mornè Mellett, who will start in his first match, has toured with us and played well in last year’s Currie Cup. In this competition one will always be looking at the experienced guys in your team and we are lucky to have a lot of those in important positions,” Ludeke said in announcing his team.
Three Springboks, Dean Greyling, Akona Ndungane and Jacques Potgieter were not considered due to injury, whilst Emerging Springbok lock Wilhelm Steenkamp is also out of action of another two weeks due to a shoulder injury.
Vodacom Bulls captain Pierre Spies said they are looking forward to the start of the season, despite the fact that they are facing the Stormers, who won both encounters between the two sides in 2012.
“They are a formidable side, but this competition is all about measuring yourself against the best out there, as a team and on a personal level. It will be a massive game, as it is not only the traditional North/South derby, it is also two teams with good records in Super Rugby wanting to stake the first claim,” Spies said.
“We are at home and would like to give our fans something to look forward to this season. The first step is to start well against the Stormers.”
The team (with Super Rugby caps): Zane Kirchner (71), Lionel Mapoe (28), JJ Engelbrecht (17), Wynand Olivier (103), Bjorn Basson (42), Mornè Steyn (106), Francois Hougaard (45), Pierre Spies (89, c), Dewald Potgieter (54), Deon Stegmann (60), Juandrè Kruger (17), Flip van der Merwe (48),Werner Kruger (75), Chiliboy Ralepelle (52), Mornè Mellett (0). Replacements: Willie Wepener (53), Frik Kirsten (15), Grant Hattingh (9), Arno Botha (10), Jano Vermaak (88), Louis Fouchè (10), Francois Venter (8).
Milestones:
- Lionel Mapoe and Grant Hattingh, who played for the MTN Lions in 2012, will make their Bulls Super Rugby debut, while Mornè Mellett will make his debut in the competition.
- Mornè Steyn is the leading points’ scorer in South Africa in Super Rugby. He will be looking to extend his points’ tally of 1201 (11t, 210c, 218p, 24dg).
- Wynand Olivier (29) is the leading Bulls try scorer in the competition and with 103 caps also the most capped Super Rugby centre in South Africa.
I’m not unhappy with the side… but would have liked to see Jan Serfontein on the bench.
Would also have liked to see Handré Pollard on the bench, specially considering Louis Fouché has been sidelined with injury.
The couple of injuries to the Bulls players, Dean Greyling, Wilhelm Steenkamp, Jacques Potgieter and Akona Ndungane… might be a blessing in disguise.
Oh, and I question having JJ Engelbrecht on Outside centre and Lionel Mapoe on the wing… would have swopped those 2 around.
Hoping for a good start to the Super season for us BULLS.
1 @ grootblousmile:
Yeah have heard you question whether JJ should be at centre instead of his spot on the wing before GBS so it is odd that with us going and getting Mapoe in on loan that the team is chosen like that, and even more strange now that there seems to be some really promising up and coming young centres as well. Seems like the general opnion among many others too that Serfontein and Pollard also need to be involved, but I guess coach is just being cautious with it being first game of season and at home which will be good to start with a win, so probably we’ll see more of the youngsters as the tournament progresses.
Never happy to have injuries as depth is important but if not playing now means these players will be fresher if required later on then maybe its not the end of the world, they are all players that will do well if on top of their game.
Like the look of that loose trio, think we saw the value of inform Stegmann for us when we was out injured last year, we all know how much work Dewald Potgieter gets through during match and I also have this feeling (this I know maybe irrational) that this is going to be a big year for Spies!
Happy Birthday to Joost van der Westhuizen! 42
What’s your favourite Joost memory?
When Joost demolished Scotland, can’t recall the year
@ Bullscot:
Howdy Bully, Dewald gets through alot of work, but as a ball carrier he is largely ineffectual. Stegmann faces the same challenges as Ratel Brüssow, in that he has to evolve his style to match new breakdown interpretations. Hopefully Spies can come to the party, but sadly when it is trench warfare, he dissapears.
Against the likes of Elstadt, and Vermeulen, I am of the opinion tha Arno botha would have been a better option.Just my opinion anyway
Eagerly waiting to see if Spies adjusts his gameplay and attitude, he is aware of his flaws and admitted to it.
Same goes for Hougie, let’s judge him after an extended period at 9
Just afraid Steggie wil get injured again, seems he has bad luck
7 @ Cheetah4eva:
Hello Cheetah4eva, hopefully those things don’t happen, but yes I guess you’re right Elstadt and Vermeulen are probably two guys who are quite physical and should carry well, but still wouldn’t rule out the role of a good fetcher like Stegmann especially now that play may speed up with the 5 second law, and also maybe the perceived weakness of Potgieter and Spies as strong ball carriers will be more than made up for by their ability to get round the park and in Spies’ case especially his pace, this could give us the edge over Stormers, although they also have another good loosie in Kolisi, my opinion is that our loose trio should help us in a fast paced game, and if it gets tighter than thats where vd Merwe will have to step up as enforcing ball carrier, also Botha could do a lot of damage coming off fresh from the bench. We could also use tactic of getting the ball back quickly from loose play, lineouts and scrums to Morne Steyn who can put Stormers on the back foot when kicking from deep in our territory, or also punch holes through our strong running backs.
Not been following this aspect closely so am surprised to see only 22 players in the team, just took it for granted that seeing as we have been playing 23 with full bench cover up here locally as well the Boks doing this in last years end of year tours that the same would apply now for the Super 15.
noem my nou dom maar as jy met die beste jong senter in sa sit vir watter rede kies jy vir kannie pass nie olivier.serfontein en mapoe kan in n brutale kombienasie ontwikkel speel hulle saam bulls hulle gaan houd werd wees vir julle laat olivier maar sushi gaan eet
1 @ grootblousmile:
Agree I would have had Mapoe starting at outside centre with Serfontein and JJE on the wing. Look I and just about everyone rates Serfontein and he is right now good enough to start SR. I feel he is better that WO by a long way.
5 @ superBul:
Happy birthday to Joost. I wish him all the very best.
My favorite moment from Joost was when he scored that try against the ABs when we were 23/6 down to them at Kings Park, in the 1988 Tri-Nations. That started the turn around and we came back from that to beat them. My feeling had Joost not got that splendid try we might not have made the came back we done.
That try must be on youtube somewhere.
Super Rugby Preview – Bulls vs Stormers
Match Date: Friday 22nd February
The South African Conference is not wasting time and kicking straight off with the Big One folks! South vs North; Slops vs Suits; Mountain vs Money; Sand and Sea vs Some more Money. The Bulls host the Stormers at Fort Loftus wanting to erase the memory of their last encounter where the Stormers swept in and went home with the glory.
Bulls vs Stormers Preview
Some breakups take time to get over and the Bulls are still learning to adjust to life without Victor and Bakkies at lock. Juandre Kruger and Flip van der Merwe are good… but it’s just not the same. They’ve also got a world of hurt in the front-row stakes with both Marcel van der Merwe and Deon Greyling out injured. The Loose forwards were also dealt a blow with Jacques Potgieter getting injured over the weekend. That leave Pierre Spies and Dewald Potgieter to lead the charge with Deon Stegmann to either get sent off or break his arm again.
In the backline Bjorn Basson has a bag of tricks and chip kicks that led him to once again top the try-scoring table last season. Zane Kirchner and his Sideshow-Bob haircut were also no stranger to the tryline last season. Akona Ndungane got injured over the weekend although with former Lion Lionel Mapoe at 14 it’s unlikely Ndungane would’ve started anyway. At flyhalf there is a terrific contest between Morne Steyn who lost his Springbok place last season against one of the men who took it, Elton Jantjies. Francois Hougaard has a lot more experience than Nic Groom and if the Bulls are to win it’ll be in no small part due to the Springbok wing-who-should-be-at-scrumhalf.
Stormers
The Stormers have the X-factor in the back line of Gio Aplon, Brian Habana and now Jaco Taute who will be at fullback allowing him freedom to do some Houdini magic. Mind you, they had a vaunted backline last season that were about as penetrating as a rubber knife. Their defense is spectacular, even Aplon who can fit in Andries Bekker’s pocket brought down all the big guns last season (93% tackle success).
With 7’2″ Pakistani giant Mohammad Irfan in Pretoria to play the Proteas, Andries Bekker will once again, be only the second tallest sportsman in the city. Both front rows feature new combinations with Pat Cilliers joining the Stormers and Morne Mellet making his Super Rugby debut. The back row of Duane Vermeulen, Siya Kolisi and Rynardt Elstadt are yet another terrific South African loose forward combo that should be better than the Bull’s Streetwise 2 with an extra piece (Stegmann is obviously the extra piece).
The History
The teams have met 18 times in Super Rugby; the Stormers have won 10 of those, the Bulls 7 and 1 draw. Unlike a lot of teams, the Stormers don’t mind Loftus and have a 62.5% win record in Pretoria. Perhaps the Bulls should move to Soweto where they have a perfect 100% record. The average score is 24-22 to the Bulls, swayed in large part by the 75-14 flogging the Stormers were given in 2005.
Prediction
Really tough one to call because, despite the glitz and glamour on show in the back divisions this game is going to be won in the tight five which really could go either way. The Stormers are used to life without Burger but will battle without Etzebeth to disturb the peace up front. The Bulls, without Greyling and van der Merwe look vulnerable scrum time and that will be their undoing. Stormers to retain their supremacy in the backyard of the Bulls.
Margin
As tight as Donald Trump’s prenup agreement – 2 points.
Betting
Handicap
The Bulls have been given a 1-point headstart which shows how tight this one is being called.
Result
The Stormers are favourites by the slightest of margins (4:5) with a Bulls victory doubling your money.
This is Fantasy Rugbies Preview, something a bit different.
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