Handré Pollard
Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke reshuffled his pack of forwards and recalled Handré Pollard at flyhalf for his team to face the Cell C Sharks in Durban on Saturday.
Pollard, who replaces Jacques-LouisPotgieter in the only change to the backline that won against the Reds in their Vodacom Super Rugby clash last weekend, was rested last week as per SARU arrangement.
In the pack, Ludeke has Adriaan Strauss back after the hooker was also rested against the Reds, while he also picked a new loose trio, lock combination and front row to face the coastal side in the visitor’s 1st return match in the South African conference.
In the front row, Strauss and Marcel van der Merwe will start with Dean Greyling, with Callie Visagie and Trevor Nyakane moving to the bench. The lock combination of Flip van der Merwe and Grant Hattingh will pack down together for the 1st time this year, with Jacques du Plessis moving to the side of the scrum, where he will partner Deon Stegmann and Pierre Spies.
A fit-again Lappies Labuschagne will start from the bench, alongside Arno Botha, who started at No 7 against the Reds.
Hanro Liebenberg, Jaco Visagie and Potgieter are not involved this week.
“It will be a massive challenge for us, so to have the likes of Handré, Adriaan and Lappies back is great. We will be facing a Sharks team what will be hurting and desperate to redeem themselves at home and I think it is fair to say that this will be our toughest assignment this year,” said Ludeke.
Vodacom Bulls captain Pierre Spies is keen for his side to do well away from home.
“We will have to show the ability to win away from home consistently if we want to remain in the competition. Durban is a tough place to play at and with so much at stake in the SA conference, wereally cannot afford to play average rugby. This is going to be an epic local derby and we need to front up to it,” Spies said.
Vodacom Bulls (with Super Rugby caps): 15 Jesse Kriel (9), 14 Francois Hougaard (80), 13 JJ Engelbrecht (57), 12 Burger Odendaal (3), 11 Bjorn Basson (79), 10 Handré Pollard (19), 9 Rudy Paige (15), 8 Pierre Spies (Captain, 111), 7 Jacques du Plessis (23), 6 Deon Stegmann (87), 5 Grant Hattingh (42), 5 Flip van der Merwe (73), 3 Marcel van der Merwe (25), 2 Adriaan Strauss (112), 1 Dean Greyling (61)
Replacements: 16 Callie Visagie (43), 17 Morné Mellett (32), 18 Trevor Nyakane (50), 19 Arno Botha (25), 20 Lappies Labuschagne (32), 21 Piet van Zyl (51), 22 Tian Schoeman (2), 23 Jurgen Visser (28).
Date: Saturday 18 April
Venue: Growthpoint Kings Park, Durban
Kick-Off: 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT)
Referee: Jaco Peyper
Assistant Referees: Marius van der Westhuizen, Archie Sehlako
TMO: Marius Jonker
Die Vodacom Bulls-breier Frans Ludeke het sy pak voorspelers geskommel en losskakel Handré Pollard ingespan om Saterdag teen die Cell C Sharks in Durban uit te draf.
Pollard het verlede week se wedstryd teen die Reds misgeloop kragtens die rus-ooreenkoms met SARU, maar keer terug in Jacques-Louis Potgieter se plek.
Voorlangs is Adriaan Strauss (SARU ooreenkoms) weer die haker, met Marcel van der Merwe wat op vaskop uitdraf en Trevor Nyakane asook Callie Visagie wat van die bank sal speel.
Flip van der Merwe en Grant Hattingh is die nuwe slotpaar, wat Jacques du Plessis die kans gee om vir die 1ste keer vanjaar op flank uit te draf.
Hy vervang Arno Botha, wat bank toe skuif in Hanro Liebenberg se plek.
Lappies Labuschagne is weer fiks en sal van die plaasvervangersbank sy staal wys.
“Hierdie gaan ‘n reuse uitdaging vir ons wees en daarom is dit lekker om van ons Springbokke terug te kry,” het Ludeke erken.
“Die Sharks gaan beslis dinge wil regstel, veral voor hulle tuisskare en ek kan met redelike sekerheid voorspel dat hierdie ons taaiste wedstryd tot dusver vanjaar sal wees.”
Die Bulls-kaptein, Pierre Spies, het die span se vermoë om weg van die huis te presteer, onderstreep.
“Ons moet aan onsself kan bewys datons weg van die huis kan wen. Trouens, ons sal dit moet kan doen as ons verder wil saamgesels in die kompetisie. Hierdie gaan weer ‘n klassieke SA derby wees en ons sal moet seker maak ons is reg daarvoor,” het Spies gesê.
Vodacom Bulls (met Super Rugby wedstryde): 15 Jesse Kriel (9), 14 Francois Hougaard (80), 13 JJ Engelbrecht (57), 12 Burger Odendaal (3), 11 Bjorn Basson (79), 10 Handré Pollard (19), 9 Rudy Paige (15), 8 Pierre Spies (Kaptein, 111), 7 Jacques du Plessis (23), 6 Deon Stegmann (87), 5 Grant Hattingh (42), 5 Flip van der Merwe (73), 3 Marcel van der Merwe (25), 2 Adriaan Strauss (112), 1 Dean Greyling (61)
Plaasvervangers: 16 Callie Visagie (43), 17 Morné Mellett (32), 18 Trevor Nyakane (50), 19 Arno Botha (25), 20 Lappies Labuschagne (32), 21 Piet van Zyl (51), 22 Tian Schoeman (2), 23 Jurgen Visser (28).
Datum: Saturday 18 April
Plek: Growthpoint Kings Park, Durban
Afskop: 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT)
Skeidsregter: Jaco Peyper
Assistent Skeidsregters: Marius van der Westhuizen, Archie Sehlako
TWB: Marius Jonker
Jacque Dup could be a bit of a gamble, but Lappies and Botha coming off the bench would be quite imposing and an otherwise fairly fuzzy and cuddly bench.
oh and the Trev!
The Sharks can surely not lose 3 in a row.
@ robzim:
I also can’t write the sharks Off. I think they will have to show shear determination in defense in the Likes of the stormers and lions and Hope to neutralise the bulls attack… You Dont need But names for teamwork.
The sharks could well win a low scoring game, so the bulls need to get on the board asap, i don’t think the sharks will be able to “chase the game”.
Big names. Not but names 😆
robzim wrote:
Definitely not.
@ BrumbiesBoy:
Go Sharks.Not whistling in the wind here.Truly believe
that they have turned the corner and that the prima
donnas have been suitably chastened.
Regards.(No nom de guerre at this stage)
@ ryecatcher:
That’s the spirit, Rye.
And good luck for your team too, GBS is just plain lucky they’re not playing @ Moftus because we all know what happens when I go there wearing my (soon to be replaced) Horsey jumper…
Big Names, Names, No Names?
Quality requires no adjective nor epithet:
Like with Lloyds the use of the understated term, ‘Names’, will suit & serve The Sharks perfectly 🙂
GO SHARKS!
@ BrumbiesBoy:
Thanks pal.
From a Stormer perspective it would be nice if the Bulls put the Sharks out of their misery(and the competition) tomorrow and then arrive all cocky and overconfident at Newlands next week.
Pollard is key to this match. If he is on song its going to be a long day for the Sharks who might be rudderless without their best player although Fred is not a bad replacement.
The driver of a Minibus taxi who struck and killed cyclist Burry Stander more than 2 years ago has today been found guilty of culpable homicide and failing to obey a traffic sign.
Stander was the best mountain-biker ever produced by South Africa and came 5th in the MTB Cross country event during London 2012 Olympics and is also the first South African to win the Cape Epic MTB stage race. He was only 25 when he died and had nearly his whole career ahead of him.
It is not certain when the driver will be sentenced.
Anyone interested in guaranteeing a ticket for the All Blacks test at Emirates Park later this year can do so by buying a Season ticket:
Details from then GLRU are:
LIONS SEASON TICKETS!
Tickets start at just R800 and include the following:
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– Test Ticket to the Springboks vs All Blacks clash on 25 July
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– FREE accommodation at Sibaya Casino/Carnival City courtesy of Sun International (R5800 value)
– Go into a draw to win a new VW Polo!
– You can choose your seat for the remainder of the season
Season tickets are the best value for money as the average Test tickets alone are around R750!
Please get in touch with me to book – tarryn@glru.co.za or 011 402 2960 x158.
@ Scrumdown:
Cheers SD, I’m sitting at work and have just mailed Tarryn.
Bugger it, the last time I watched the ABs live was on 24 June 1995 and it’s high time I experienced that thrill again.
That Test is also five days before my birthday so I intend to make a meal of that day!
And Cane, eat your heart out, mate!!!
@ BrumbiesBoy:
But not to worry, mate, I’ll have a beer or six for you
Eish!
This does not augur well:
SWD Eagles 36 – 13 Sharks XV
5 – 1 in tries {shakes head}
16 @ Angostura:
Good very early morning Angostura, gosh that is not a good result for you, what is going on there?
@ Bullscot:
I read that the Sharks even had to play in the SWD away strip, apparently their jerseys didn’t make it to the stadium 😯
19 @ nortie:
Hi nortie, oh dear that is not good, possibly the airline/airports fault?
@ Bullscot:
If true, then I’m sure they will find someone to blame, but that is a basic for any team, from primary school upwards.
One would expect a huge franchise to get that right.
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