World Cup winning Springbok prop Gurthrö Steenkamp will make a first start for the Vodacom Blue Bulls in the Absa Currie Cup competition when they take on Western Province at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Official Blue Bulls Media release
Steenkamp is back in action after a reconditioning spell on the sidelines following his Tri-Nations commitments with the Springboks and indicated that he is eager to make a start in this competition.
“It is not a nice feeling to be on the sidelines while your team mates are doing the hard yards on the field. The Blue Bulls are keen to defend the Currie Cup and I want to put my body on the line with them, so am keen to give it a go against WP.”
Vodacom Blue Bulls coach Frans Ludeke will only have the rest of Steenkamp’s Tri-Nations Boks available next week, but has included flanker Dewald Potgieter on the bench for this crucial match.
Potgieter recovered from a knee injury and will replace Okkie Kruger, who moves up to the starting team in place of namesake Juandré Kruger, who broke his hand against the Leopards.
Chiliboy Ralepelle also swop places with Gary Botha, with Derick Kuün again taking the captaincy.
Ludeke said they need to dominate the contact situations.
“Our defences will be tested by this very good WP team, but the trick for us will be to dominate the contact area. This will be a huge game for us, as all these traditional North/South clashes are. A win could move us into second, but a defeat could threaten our play-off chances, so we need a positive result.”
The Vodacom Blue Bulls team to play Western Province on Saturday October 2nd, 2010 at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria at 15h00, is:
Zane Kirchner, Gerhard van den Heever, Jaco Pretorius, Stefan Watermeyer, Jaco van der Westhuyzen, Jacques-Louis Potgieter, Francois Hougaard, Gerrit-Jan van Velze, Okkie Kruger, Derick Kuün (c), Fudge Mabeta, Flip van der Merwe, Werner Kruger, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Gurthrö Steenkamp.
Replacements: Gary Botha, Rossouw de Klerk, Wilhelm Steenkamp, Dewald Potgieter, Ruan Snyman, Francois Brummer, Stephan Dippenaar.
Leading points scorers for the Vodacom Blue Bulls in the 2010 competition are:
Jacques-Louis Potgieter 153
Stefan Watermeyer 25
Loosehead prop has been a problem for the Blue Bulls recently, with Dean Greyling giving many penalties away, so I’m glad old Gurthro is back.
We are decidedly light in the loosie department compared to WP and that worries me. Another worry is Moses van der Westhuyzen on the left wing and the fact that Gerhard van den Heever has been largely off the boil since the start of the Currie Cup on right wing.
Of course Jacques-Louis Potgieter’s wayward boot has also cost us in a number of games, whereas de Waal has been spot on to posts.
come on, gbs! jy laat dit klink of die bulle alreeds verloor het…
ek dink gurthro gaan die bergies stamp! hy behoort al baie lus te wees vir ‘n bietjie kontak.
dis interessant om te sien ons gaan vir ‘n 4/3 reserwebank. ek dink brummer is daar vir cover vir die pale skop. JLP het verlede week alweer net 4 uit 7 oorgesit.
ek hoop dewald kan tweede helfte so 20 minute of wat speel, en lekker impak maak.
verwag dat okkie kruger na die bal gaan speel, saam met kuun. om die bergies se bal stadig te maak.
This is not the strongest Bulls team………………….has Gary B not fully recovered enough to start?
You blerrie Bulls had better win this game.
not too sure, but i think gary isn’t quite fit yet.
2@ bloubulblog.co.za:
Nee hel, ek hoop die Bulle wen…. maar ek is taamlik realisties.
Kom ek stel dit so… vergelyk die Bulle met WP wat nog sal speel sonder die rustende Bokke… Schalk Burger, Jaque Fourie en Bryan Habana…
Pieter Louw speel hierdie seisoen dalk beter as ou Schalla, Juan de Jongh is self ‘n huidige Bok, so Jaque Fourie se afwesigheid tel nie kwaai teen hulle nie en jinne Gio Aplon is huidiglik myle beter as Habana. So basies speel WP met ‘n volsterkte span…. benewens Andries Bekker wat beseer is.
Vergelyk nou die Bulle situasie… Victor, Bakkies, Danie Pakslae Rossouw, Pierre Spies, Morné Steyn, Wynand Meisiekind Olivier uit by die rustende Bokke, Deon Stegmann beseer, Dewald Potgieter en Gary Botha nog net van die bench af na hulle beserings, Fourie du Preez nog aan die herstel na sy operasie PLUS 2 beserings op linkervleuel wat maak dat Moses daar inskuiwe. Dit maak dit basies 11 of 12 spelers of meer weg van ons sterkste span…..
…. en dis ‘n moerse gap!
Maar ons staan ‘n goeie kans… en ek sal daar wees Saterdag….
@gbs
ek stem, ons staan verseker ‘n kans. ‘n goeie kans as jy my vra. ek hoop wp kom loftus toe en dink dit gaan ‘n walk in the park wees, want dan wag daar ‘n groot verrassing op hulle.
voor enige bergies moan, kan ons net noem dat tiaan liebenberg en wicus blaauw beseer is. want dit maak o so groot verskil…
kyk, as ons net al vir bakkies en wynand gehad het, sou ons die bergies verseker gekap het. wynand sou dwarsdeur JDJ en JDV gehardloop het. en bakkies sou hulle gewys het wie is baas.
ek kan ongelukkig nie op loftus wees nie, gaan aardklop toe. maar dit gaan huge wees! ek kry sommer net hoendervleis as ek dink aan die blou bul lied wat begin bler oor die speakers…
Mens moet waak daarteen om een-ogig en subjektief te dink en te redeneer, mens moet objektief na dinge kyk, realiteite in die gesig staar en krediet gee waar dit toekom….. sonder om pessimisties te wees of oor-optimisties te wees.
Sonder dit byt dinge mens soms in die hol….
maar dis dan so lekker om die lewe deur brille met lekker dik blou glase te sien…
😉
8@ bloubulblog.co.za:
Hehehe…. ek hoor jou en stap self Saterdag met my Blou Bulle truitjie rond daar in die perslosie op Loftus, terwyl die ander arme joernaliste fokkers moet sorg dat hulle geklee is in neutrale drag…. omdat hulle joernaliste is.
Ek hoef vir niemand niks voor te gee of weg te steek nie…. maar ek kan foute en tekortkominge sien in die Bulle mondering ook en my daaroor objektief uitspreek….
O wee, n’ Bul supporter is mos nou nie juis die mees objektiefste mens wat jy kry nie, daai kombinasie van blou bul, blou bril, blou bloed is maar n’ taai kombinasie.
10@ biltongbek:
Kan dieselfde sê van mense wat NIE die Bulle ondersteun nie… bitter moeilik vir hulle om nie bevooroordeeld teen die Bulle te wees nie… ons sien dit elke dag hier biltonge, nie waar nie!
Net spietkops dra blou
Hallo GBS, dis mos hoe dit werk, mens is of vir hulle, of teen hulle:……………
Nou waar het ek al daai famous woorde gehoor, O Ja, by ou Pieter.
I see the Cape is full of talk again. This match being the Season defining, Anton playing for Bok place, Fondse testing himself against a Springbok, even JJ says a balance of power in SA will be determined. Anton calling this year strength against strength, WP expect intense battle haha, stupid statement, did you expect anything else?. Roll on the talk is big.
If Loftus is full on Saturday i will be surprised. The fact is we are not playing a great season, and to discard 4 years of success just because we lose on Saturday is a bit far fetched.
The Loftus crowd wont be there in full force because we realize it is not strength vs strength , we know the real strength team the Bulls CAN field. We dont shy away from this contest but for me and other fellow Bulls supporters to slit wrists if we lose this match…. you must be mad.
If someone else does not win this years Currie Cup that would leave a serious question mark on where the Balance of Power in SA lies.
superBul wrote:
Oh boy, Super, are Bulls supporters fair weather supporters?
But I do agree the balance of power is still with the Bulls, the fact is any team goes through a period where there are injuries and unavailable players.Be happy it is happening now and not during the Super 15 next year.
Besides it is boring when one team wins all the time, the Bulls now face different challenges, and it can only build character.
Chin up, Bulls supporters, remember the Western province still has that mental block hanging over them at Loftus.
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