Brumbies' balm for Bulls?
2008-05-08 22:05
Morris Gilbert
Pretoria - The Bulls don't have many pleasant memories of the 2008 Super 14 rugby season. But victory over the Brumbies on Friday night will at least ensure them of a positive balance sheet in matches at Loftus Versfeld.
The 2007 champions have beaten the Lions, the Highlanders and the Waratahs in home matches this year. But they also lost at home to the Crusaders, the Sharks and the Hurricanes.
Now they take on the Brumbies in their seventh and last home match, with a ninth place on the log the best they can hope for.
The Brumbies have a slim, theoretical chance of finishing fourth and qualifying for the playoffs.
By beating the Australians, the Bulls can register their only hat-trick of consecutive wins this year and rub some balm in the wounds they suffered during their tour Down Under.
This may help them recover completely before they embark on their next campaign; playing as the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup competition.
The uncertainty about the future of Bakkies Botha, Wikus van Heerden and Fourie du Preez, among others, could lend an air of nostalgia to Friday night's match. It may be the last time some of these stars wear Bulls jerseys at Loftus.
The Bulls are unlikely to benefit from rainy conditions as they did last week. The forecasters expect dry conditions in which the home side won't be able to fall back on clinical ten-man rugby as they did against the Waratahs.
They will have to revert to the game plan that brought them victory over the Highlanders.
The teams:
Bulls: Zane Kirchner, Akona Ndungane, JP Nel, Wynand Olivier, Bryan Habana, Morné Steyn, Fourie du Preez (capt), Pierre Spies, Wikus van Heerden, Deon Stegmann, Wilhelm Steenkamp, Bakkies Botha, Werner Kruger, Derick Kuün, Gurthrö Steenkamp.
Substitutes: Bandise Maku, Rayno Gerber, Jaco Engels, Danie Rossouw, Francois Hougaard, Burton Francis, Pedrie Wannenburg.
Brumbies: Mark Gerrard, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Stirling Mortlock (capt), Tyrone Smith, Afusipa Taumoepeau, Christian Lealiifano, Josh Holmes, Stephen Hoiles, George Smith, Mitchell Chapman, Mark Chisholm, Alister Campbell, Guy Shepherdson, John Ulugia, Nic Henderson.
Substitutes: Saia Faingaa, Ben Alexander, Peter Kimlin, Adam Wallace-Harrison, Julian Salvi, Patrick Phibbs and Matt Toomua.
Referee: Steve Walsh (NZ).
Television: Live coverage on M-Net and SuperSport 1 on DStv from 18:45.
Kickoff 19:10
- Beeld