Experienced loose forward Dewald Potgieter will captain the Vodacom Bulls for the first time this weekend and will shift to No 8 in place of regular skipper Pierre Spies, who has been ruled out for the remainder of 2013 with a bicep injury.
Bulls Media Release
The Vodacom Bulls face the Southern Kings at Loftus Versfeld at 17:05 on Saturday as Vodacom Super Rugby resumes after the break for the June Tests. In total, the starting team shows eight changes from the side which beat the Toyota Cheetahs in Bloemfontein earlier this month.
Potgieter’s namesake, Jacques Potgieter, returns to the loose trio at blindside flank for the injured Arno Botha, where he will partner Deon Stegmann, who starts at openside. Versatile loose forward Jono Ross will make his debut for the Bulls should he get gametime off the bench.
At lock, Grant Hattingh comes in for Juandré Kruger, who will start off the bench.
Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke made a number of changes in the backline. Springbok fullback Zane Kirchner is back in the starting team after a long injury lay-off, while Akona Ndungane, Wynand Olivier and Louis Fouché will start against the Kings.
Ndungane replaces the injured Lionel Mapoe at right wing. Morné Steyn (flyhalf) and JJ Engelbrecht (centre), two of the Springboks’ stars in their recent clean-sweep of the Castle Lager Incoming Series, will both get a break from the bench.
It’s Olivier’s last game for the Vodacom Bulls before he leaves for Montpellier in France and he will partner new Springbok centre Jan Serfontein, who moves from inside to outside centre, for the first time in the midfield. Fouché gets his second start of the year.
“It’s good to have a few of our front-line players back as we head into the business end of the competition, especially since we’ve lost a few players to injury,” said Ludeke.
“This is a massive game for us – each game in Super Rugby is – but we’ve set our goals for the season and now is the time to make sure we achieve them. The Kings will not be an easy opponent, as there is no such thing in this competition.
“We simply need to ensure we stick to what has been working for us thus far this year and the guys who are getting opportunities need to put their hands up on Saturday.”
Vodacom Bulls team:
15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Jan Serfontein, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Louis Fouché, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Dewald Potgieter (Captain), 7 Jacques Potgieter, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Dean Greyling.
Replacements: 16 Willie Wepener, 17 Frik Kirsten, 18 Juandré Kruger, 19 Jono Ross, 20 Rudy Paige, 21 Morné Steyn, 22 JJ Engelbrecht.
Hmmmmm, resting a lot of players AND some injuries to contend with….
Glad Hougie appears to be fit and Rudy Paige on the bench as cover.
Fark, when are the Bulls going to stop playing Dean Greyling…. eish!
I would have switched the 2 centres around, with Jan Serfontein at 12 and Wynand at 13.
Glad Crusty is back at 15, Jurgen Visser was doing some really dumb shit at times.
Gee hulle ‘n groot klap, asseblief, Bulle.
Very good team. Bulls will win this one easy.
Good on Bulls to rest Morne and JJ, well on the bench that is. If they not needed let them rest. As Bulls no doubt will get to the play-offs and need those players fresh. Think they have played almost every game. Think Morne was on the bench against the Reds.
Last weeks game against the Samoans was very tough, the bodies must have taken some big hits. Rest player if they can.
1b> @ grootblousmile:
Would have done the same with the centres. Give Serfontein as much game time at 12 as possible. Well he was playing there before the June break. Just that he has only had a few minutes in each Bok game so might be a little rusty and needs this game to get game fit again.
Only 16 Springboks in the Bulls 22… hehehe
Moer hulle vir n 100 Bulle, en kry klaar!!Net jammer daai klein Watson sieknota is nie in die bondel nie.
@ grootblousmile:
Bietjie min…..
@ Pietman:
Kwaai vanaand?
@ superBul:
Jisjis, hoessit!
Nee man, rustig broer, vanaand klaargemaak by die werk, hierdie naweek is ek binne innie Kaap…dan sit ek vir twee maande voor die kaggel die see en kyk…
@ Pietman:
Dit is hoog tyd jy geniet daai Miljoene van jou.
I think that the Kings are in with a chance.
@ Pietman:
@ Loosehead:
Net soos daar op die Bulls se web blad http://www.thebulls.co.za/article.aspx?artid=1991564 is ons verdeeld oor hierdie game.
Baie dink Frans Ludeke het n vet kans gevat en onderskat die Kings. Ek is ook bietjie skrikerig. Ek dink aan hul(Kings) weke van uitsien vir hierdie groot game, hulle weke van rus en hul deeglike beplanning. Daarteenoor sit ons met belangrike beserings op kritieke plekke en wedstryd roes. Ek het vertroue in die span dit is amper die selfde span van laasjaar wat glad nie sleg was nie. So miskien is die Bulle net so lus om n punt te bewys.
Nee wat, julle manne bekommer oor niks
Bulle weet die Cheetahs is relatief naby aan hulle en hierdie is hulle laaste kans om n bonus punt wen te kry.
Voorsien dat hulle die 5 punte sal neem.
Dis nie te se dat hulle nie die Sharks en Stormers ook kan klop nie, maar ek twyfel of hulle 4 driee teen daai spanne sal aanteken, veral op Nuweland teen die Stormers se verdediging.
11 @ nortierd:
Howzit Nortie,
I answered your post on the Sharks thread.
Kings have shot their bolt, only worried about relegation matches now and contracts for players if they lose it. Bulls will take by 20 points at least.
13 @ Best:
Hello, been a while since your registration here, and I see you needed to renew your Password to get back in (because you have not been here a while and could not remember it).
Hope we see you here often!
@ grootblousmile:
Heelwat nuwe gesigte hier, sien ek.
Dis goed, kan ons ‘ou manne’ bietjie terugsit en lees en net so nou en dan n paar vloekwoorde los
15 @ Pietman:
Nee, nee, nee… nou gaan ons kook!
Daar was heelwat registrasies onlangs… al wat nou moet gebeur is almal moet praat, want dit raak aansteeklik… en dan gaan AL ons threads buzz….
Onse site ruk nou matte oral onder die ander se voete los… nou moet ons dit net nog behoorlik uitruk ook.
Dinge loop mooi hier!
@ grootblousmile:
Sukkel bietjie in SA met die sein in Goosebay, maar ek sal probeer bybly tydens die wedstryde.
17 @ Pietman:
Wanneer vlieg julle?
@ grootblousmile:
Kan nie daai twee bymekaar alleen los nie, hulle skel die dorp aan die brand sommer met die intrap.
Saterdagaand, sal jou so Maandag bel….net gou gaan hout laai by JagesJurie solank die vrou in die winkels is!
19 @ Pietman:
Reg so!
I’ve got to move…. lots to do…
@ Pietman:
Hi Pietman. Hoe lyk dinge?
My vrou nou n duurder manier gekry om my geld te gebruik. Jag.
Eergisteraand Koedoe gaan soek naby Middelburg. Dankie tog niks gekry nie.
Baie duuredr as die winkels!
Bulle behoort dit maklik te vat met ‘n bonuspunt en hul beter as hul top wil eindig want volgende naweek gaan WiePie hul fun dalk net spoil
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