05/05/2008 22:04

Morris Gilbert

Pretoria - This week's Super 14 rugby match between the Bulls and the Brumbies has lost much of its attraction since the Stormers beat the Australians last weekend.

By losing at Newlands, the Brumbies dropped out of the race for a semi-final berth.

Their coach, Laurie Fisher, has conceded in an interview with an Australian website that it would be hard to motivate the team for the match at Loftus Versfeld on Friday night.

The visitors have little more than their dented reputation to play for.

However, by beating the 2007 champions on their own ground the Brumbies can add a little gloss to their season, even though the Bulls are below them on the points table.

Fisher did not mention it but Stirling Mortlock's team have another reason to do their best on Friday. It will be the last time that Fisher will be in charge of the Brumbies in a match in South Africa.

He retires at the end of the season and victory at Loftus will be a nice farewell gift.

The Bulls also have much to make up for when they try to register a third consecutive victory towards the end of a thoroughly disappointing season.

Trial run for the Currie Cup season

They proved against the Highlanders and the Waratahs that they had not completely lost the art of winning.

The Bulls also see their last matches in this year's competition as a trial run for the Currie Cup season. They will aim to retain the momentum and confidence that their recent victories have brought.

Some members of the team are aware that they do not have many opportunities left to impress new Springbok coach Peter de Villiers before the selection of the national teams to play Wales and Italy.

The Bulls' performances this season did not enhance the chances of some of their stars to play in the first three Tests of the year.

Players who were first-choice selections for the SA World Cup team last year are now in danger of being dropped.

Meanwhile, Bulls Springboks Bakkies Botha, Bryan Habana and Wynand Olivier are finding it impossible to stay out of the news.

Bernie Habana, who represents the trio, has told a newspaper that they are going to resign as members of the SA Rugby Players' Association.

Habana snr claimed that the association had not assisted Botha sufficiently in his legal action against the Blue Bulls Company.