The Vodacom Bulls will return former captain Dewald Potgieter to the starting line-up immediately in order to win Saturday’s Vodacom Super Rugby match against the Cell C Sharks.
The crucial fortnight that lies ahead can make or break their campaign, and a win against the Sharks will go a long way to bringing the team back into the race for the South African conference.
SuperSport
After the Sharks, the Bulls face the defending champion Chiefs before continuing their way overseas for their four- match tour. The momentum brought by back to back wins could well be used as a springboard to getting the team into a similar position as they were last year, where they made the semifinals.
The about-turn on Potgieter, who was dumped last year, may be astonishing but there is no doubting his credentials and the leadership skills he brings to the side.
As a result the Bulls are likely to make only one change to the starting line-up, bringing in Potgieter while the rest of the side stays the same.
This will mean that Jono Ross will drop down to the bench and Jacques Engelbrecht will drop out of the match 23 altogether.
And despite the temptation to rest Bok lock Victor Matfield, it seems the Bulls will use him for this game. That’s despite the fact he is a massive commodity with the dearth of five locks in South Africa.
Still, it provides an interesting choice for captain, with Flip van der Merwe likely to continue with the old heads of Matfield and Potgieter around him, and the Bulls looking to rebuild the momentum they have enjoyed in the competition in the last few seasons.
Jurgen Visser’s recovery from injury and Jan Serfontein’s niggles are history, meaning both will take their place with points machine Jacques-Louis Potgieter likely to go head to head with Pat Lambie and his former team this weekend in another massive tactical battle.
Fuelling the Bulls desire this weekend will be their inability to have executed well in Durban – a match where they did most of the playing but received little reward. The rain and their own defensive frailties saw the Sharks canter to an easy win in the opening round, but this is something the Bulls will want to overturn this coming weekend.
Possible Bulls team: 15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Dewald Potgieter, 7 Jacques du Plessis, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 Dean Greyling.
How quickly things change.
Less than a year ago he was almost run out of town for his decisions against the Brumbies, now all is forgiven or forgotten because of a dearth of loose forwards.
The prodigal son returns.
1 @ nortierd:
At the time of those decisions on-field by Dewald Potgieter, it was evident that The Bulls did not handle kick-off’s by the Brumbies from the middle spot well and the result each time was that they were pinned back deep in their own half.
Dewald Potgieter explained to us at the after match press conference, that THAT was the reason why he went to kick into the corners the whole time… basically to keep the Brumbies pinned deep in their own half and 22.
He eventually gave in to pressure from Frans Ludeke to take the points and then return to await the kick-off…. which he also indicated in hind-sight was the wrong decision forced on him at the stage.
The Brumbies pinned the Bulls deep in their half after the resulting kick-off… and then scored that fatefull try to win the game.
Had Dewald persisted in pinning the Brumbies back in their 22, the final result could have been so different.
So, was Dewald Potgieter at fault at the time or was Frans Ludeke?
One certainly can make a very strong case that Dewald was right and Frans was wrong…. but nouja, it’s neither here nor there.
Dewald left under no cloud at the time by the Bulls, bar the judgment from the public… and some very uninformed ones at that.
@ nortierd:
was shameful how he got treated, if he stuck to his guns and kept the Brumbies pinned the Bulls would have made the final.
but that’s my opinion.
3 @ MacroBull:
Snap!
I agree with both of you.
He was the captain and on the field he was more aware of what was best.
I was there that day ( as a neutral ) but was hoping for a Bulls win and wasn’t very impressed with the way he was booed by the crowd.
I like this guy, I especially enjoyed his blogs, he reminds me of a free spirit
@ grootblousmile:
I think what made the whole situation so embarrassing and almost humiliating was the way the fans treated him with the disrespectful booing and the fallout from the public, that is the most humiliating thing out of the whole episode, how he got treated and how he will get treated by our fans.
The native American Indians had a saying, so true and so clearly illustrated in the Louis L’Amour cowboy books….
Don’t judge a man unless you’ve walked a mile in his mocasins!
…and I think thats what Nortie was referring to
@ nortierd:
That was the worst part of that final, how everyone turned against him, even Jurgen Visser was throwing tantrums from all the peer pressure. It was Dewald vs the world and no one in his team stood behind him.
but let bygones be bygones.
MacroBull wrote:
Yep, I really like this guy, good honest hard working player without any fanfare, but he not just run of the mill, he thinks outside the box
@ nortierd:
I actually like him even more that he is willing to come back, as if he feels he still needs to prove himself to Loftus, fark me I find that inspiring!
10 @ nortierd:
Dewald Potgieter’s dad is a registered subscriber here on R-T.
Dewald’s folks are good honest people, who have raised their son well.
The dad does not blog anymore after being asked not to by Dewald, out of concern that it might conflict with Dewald’s interests as a player (definately not because of who or what Rugby-Talk is)… and Dewald knows Rugby-Talk well enough… and I asked him whether he would write for us from time to time and before we could finalise anything he left for Japan.
Dewald is clever and writes well….
I really like the chap, a solid young man.
MacroBull wrote:
I obviously don’t know him and am making assumptions, but I really think he just lives in the moment and enjoys the game too much to not play, to him it will be cutting his own nose to spite his face.
Will be good to see him in action again
grootblousmile wrote:
If you can get him to write here it will be great, I miss his blogs on SuperSport
The last one was just after he got to Japan if I remember correctly.
What is the name of his dog again? Zaza or Zazu or something
cant this game start already?
14 @ nortierd:
Can’t remember…. hehehe
At least Ill be able to watch a live game on friday morning for a change.
Ek sien Francois Venter is beseer.
14 @ nortierd:
The 2 Bulldogs are Zsa Zsa (female) & Beau (male).
grootblousmile wrote:
That’s it.
And he has one cool car
@ Macrobull
I’ve taken the last two Fridays off, only to wish I was rather at work
18 @ MacroBull:
Ja, ons het gister ‘n artikel daaroor al gehad
@ grootblousmile:
Ja maar ek sien hulle het Francois Brummer opgeroep, so dalk is Goosen ook nie 100% nie
Cheers fellas, I’m out…
22 @ MacroBull:
O gaats… Brommer…
Cheers
One more day closer to the weekend
Nag julle
How quick we forgive some, and on the other hand never some others.
Dont get me wrong i will forgive him, but he owes us BIG time.
Dewald followed his own instincts and whether he was right or wrong one will never know. What must be remembered in that game is how the Bulls fought back every time. Read the match reports and you will see how the Bulls was always fighting back. We struggled to get ahead by more than a few points. The Brumbies had the better of the opening half and led 16-11 at half-time, but the sluggish Bulls roused themselves to give a much better performance after the break and a string of penalties from Morne Steyn earned them a 23-19 lead 14 minutes from time. The margin could have been even wider margin as three times Potgieter opted to kick for touch in the hope of scoring tries instead of going for the posts; just when it seemed the decisions would not matter, up popped Kuridrani and the massive vocal support for the home side turned into an eerie silence.
By taking the 3 points we could have forced them to at least score a converted try to tie and play extra time. The fact is he did not trust his own team. He left us to score in the last seconds to survive.
Brumbies beat Bulls for spot in SuperRugby finals
The battle on Saturday among the forwards was always going to be the deciding factor in the match, with the tourists enjoying the upper-hand in this department for most of the match.
The first 10 minutes at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria belonged to the Brumbies as they put 10 points on the board in this period to leave the Bulls reeling.
The Australians fired the opening salvo as inside centre Christian Leali’ifano succeeding with a penalty three minutes into the match. The visitors further showed their intent to dominate the set phases as they out-muscled the Bulls in the first scrum of the match in the fifth minute, enforcing a penalty from a kickable position.
Leali’ifano pulled his penalty attempt to the right that would have given his team a psychological six-point lead early in the match.
The missed opportunity, however, came at a small price as they found their way over the whitewash three minutes later to score the first try of the evening.
Danger man Henry Speight lived up to his reputation as playmaker and showed up the Bulls’ defence. When he was finally chased down, he managed to offload to fullback Jesse Mogg to score the try, with Leali’ifano converting, to extend their lead to 10 points.
The Bulls’ plight was further complicated with Morne Steyn missing his first attempt at goal in the 14th minute. Two minutes later the Bulls reduced the deficit when outside centre JJ Engelbrecht powered his way over the tryline, with Steyn’s attempt going wide of the posts.
The Bulls flyhalf finally found the target in the 22nd minute to bring his side within two points of the Brumbies.
However, the visitors pulled back another three points with Leali’ifano succeeding with his attempt, while the Bulls responded with three points of their own 10 minutes from the half-time break.
Leali’ifano had the final say in the first half with Leali’ifano bringing an end to the tit-for-tat kicking to hand his side a five-point lead going into the break.
The Bulls started the second period with great intent and came painstakingly close to scoring shortly after the kickoff with Grant Hattingh being held up over the line. Steyn, however, gathered the three points through a penalty conversion to again get his side within two points of the Brumbies.
The Bulls flyhalf and Leali’ifano continued to exchange kicking duties two more times until the hosts took the lead for the first time in the match in the 51st minute when Steyn landed his sixth penalty of the game.
The plot, however, reached farcical levels as Bulls captain Dewald Potgieter opted to go for the sideline rather than going for the points on three occasions. All three times the Bulls failed in their attempt to score from the lineout and it ultimately backfired for the Pretoria side.
Potgieter’s earlier doubtful decisions, however, came back to haunt him as Brumbies outside centre Tevita Kuridrani crossed the whitewash to silence the Loftus faithful, with Leali’ifano ending the match as he started it, with a conversion.
Read this from the bottom up.
Like i said i will forgive him but will never forget. He made us the laughing stock.
It could have been so different.
Jake must be the happiest coach if he sees him in Saturdays team. Round 2.
18:49 – The Brumbies control the kick-off and kick it out. It’s GAME OVER. Jake White’s Brumbies win 26-23. Heartbreak for the men from Pretoria. The Brumbies will now face the Chiefs in the final in Hamilton next Saturday.
18:48 – Lealiifano kicks the CONVERSION. Bulls 23-26 Brumbies with a few seconds left.
18:46 – TRY to the Brumbies from centre Tevita Kuridrani. But the TMO must check a forward pass. But the try stands and the Brumbies lead with a minute left…
18:44 – Brumbies attacking inside the Bulls half with four minutes left…
18:42 – PENALTY converted by Steyn. Bulls 23-19 Brumbies after 75 minutes.
18:42 – Fourth penalty! Finally they go for goal!
18:40 – TWEET
Take the points please Bulls!!!! – John Smit
18:39 – Now this is bizarre. Another kickable penalty, another decision to go for touch… and another lineout lost! Nine points given away now. If the Bulls lose this game, their skipper will be crucified.
18:37 – The Bulls lose the lineout, then regain possession again, before Steyn lines up a drop goal which he misses! This doesn’t make any sense. Why drop after you’ve just given up the chance at three points on two occasions? Still only a one-point lead with nine minutes left.
18:36 – Another kickable penalty, and the Bulls go for touch again! Another attacking lineout five metres out.
18:34 – Amidst roars from the crowd the Bulls knock it on. They should have taken the three points there! A one-point lead with 12 minutes left is not enough.
18:33 – But the Bulls regain possession and launch a counter attack, force a kickable penalty but opt to go for touch…
18:32 – Bulls replacement Jurgen Visser is penalised after he jumps from the bench and touches a kick before a Brumbies player can grab it! Insane stuff!
18:27 – TWEET
Everyone saying Bulls clueless, demotivated etc… They’ve got far more chance beating Chiefs in final than Brumbies. Fatigue will kick in – Gary Lemke
18:26 – SECOND-HALF POSSESSION after 61 minutes
Bulls 74%
Brumbies 26%
18:25 – The Bulls get another penalty straight from the kick-off. Momentum now firmly with the home side as Steyn boots a penalty 50m downfield.
18:24 – Steyn kicks the PENALTY as the home side go into the lead for the first time in the match. Bulls 20-19 Brumbies after 60 minutes.
nortierd wrote:
Sometime you are so involved in the game you need outside perspective.
We had 74% ball in 2nd half. Why would it stop after taking a penalty shot? Good belief in your team to regain possession or trusting only your own decisions. Certainly the coach must have a say, after all the game plan was drilled in?
nortierd wrote:
nortierd wrote:
Free spirit does not sit well in a team game like rugby (my opinion)
His blogging articles. I thought and expressed myself right here against it. He talked out of the changeroom when he started. I always felt he is giving the inner circles secrets out. Anyway i think it is clear how i feel about him. And 49 000 supporters at Loftus felt the same that day.
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