Bulls must get back on track
2008-09-11 22:26
Sports desk
Pretoria - The Blue Bulls rugby team will have an opportunity to get back on track when they tackle the Boland Cavaliers here at Loftus Versfeld on Friday night.
Following their defeat against the Sharks last week, the Bulls have a chance to regain their top position on the Currie Cup log, even if perhaps just temporarily.
The Sharks play the Cheetahs in Durban on Saturday and a win will put them at the top again.
For the Bulls the Loftus game will be less about proving themselves against one of the struggling teams in the series, and more about an opportunity to prepare themselves for the play-offs.
The Bulls have deliberately selected their team with one eye on the play-offs by picking Victor Matfield and Pierre Spies as replacements. Danie Rossouw, Bryan Habana and Wynand Olivier are injured.
Even though, in general, the Bulls played excellent rugby last weekend, there are a few worrying aspects they would do well to attend to.
More opportunities
The Bulls lost their way with their attack-oriented approach against the Sharks.
Morné Steyn in particular will be expected to give the team some direction in this regard.
There will obviously be more opportunities to throw the ball around against the Cavaliers, but Bulls supporters will want to see their team doing it in a more constructive way.
There are not too many niggles in the pack, but the Bulls can improve on last week's performance in the line-out.
In terms of how the Bulls will gauge their performance, on Friday night probably has more to do with the Cavaliers than with the home team.
The Cavaliers are in joint last position on the log, and would have to undergo a total transformation if they hope to make life difficult for the Bulls.
The teams are:
Blue Bulls: Tiger Mangweni, Akona Ndungane, Marius Delport, Wayne Julies, John Mametsa, Morné Steyn, Fourie du Preez, Dewald Potgieter, Wikus van Heerden (c), Pedrie Wannenburg, Wilhelm Steenkamp, Juandré Kruger, Rayno Gerber, Derick Kuün, Gurthrö Steenkamp.
REPLACEMENTS: Bandise Maku, Werner Kruger, Victor Matfield, Pierre Spies, Heini Adams, Burton Francis, Zane Kirchner.
Boland Cavaliers: Justin Peach, Alshaun Bock, Piet van Zyl (c), Dewey Swartbooi, Renfred Dazel, Elgar Watts, Danie van der Merwe, Whalied Heyns, Zolani Mofu, Angelo Brinkhuis, Bradley Mockford, Nico Esterhuyse, Jacobie Adriaanse, Harry Vermaas, Janro van Niekerk.
REPLACEMENTS: Pieter Wium, Andries Human, Cecil Kemp, Wendell Wehr; Marnus Hugo, Lionel Cornelius, Deon Scholtz.
Referee: Marius Jonker.
Kickoff: 19:10.