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The Vodacom Bulls play their 1st home match of the season when they host the Lions at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
We are only into the 3rd week of the Vodacom Super Rugby season but it is fair to say that this is a must win game for the Vodacom Bulls. A pair of local derby defeats on the road mean they are still searching for their 1st win and the home comforts of Loftus will be most welcome this weekend. They won 100% of regular season home matches in 2013 eventually losing that record to the Brumbies in the semifinal and any playoff chances this season will mean creating a similar fortress mentality in Pretoria.
The loss to the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein was that bit harder to stomach than the week 1 defeat to the Sharks where the Vodacom Bulls had started as underdogs according to the rugby betting . The Cheetahs had never beaten them in Vodacom Super Rugby but the home side was never headed winning a low scoring game in poor conditions.
The Lions have been the surprise packet of the season winning both of their opening matches against the Cheetahs and Stormers. In both games the online betting had them close to a double digit handicap but they played with heart and conviction to show that in this game reputations mean very little. Positive on attack they are now more resolute on defense than previous Lions teams and they come into this clash bubbling over with confidence, something very rare for a Lions team. Flyhalf Marnitz Boshoff has been superb both kicking for posts and out of hand and his partnership with scrumhalf Faf de Klerk (like Boshoff only playing due to injuries) has been a revelation.
Head to Head
2012: Bulls 37 Lions 20
2012: Lions 18 Bulls 32
2011: Bulls 30 Cheetahs 23
2011: Lions 20 Bulls 24
2010: Bulls 51 Lions 11
The Bulls have won 9 consecutive Vodacom Super Rugby matches against the Lions with the Lions last victory in Johannesburg in 2005.
The Match
History may point very firmly to a Vodacom Bulls win but we have seen in 2014 that the record books can be easily rewritten. The Cheetahs had never lost to the Vodacom Bulls and the Stormers had won their previous 13 matches against the Lions.
The Vodacom Bulls would normally start this fixture as big favourites in the rugby betting but that will certainly not be the case given the differing starts to the season the sides have had.
They will be hoping for better conditions having endured heavy humidity in Durban and rain in Bloemfontein but ultimately the key to a Vodacom Bulls victory will be finding ways to turn possession into points.
Their opponents are brilliant counter attackers not afraid to have a go and as mentioned above they have a place kicker able to punish penalties from a long way out and from any angle.
This will be a thrilling encounter and I don’t see a big margin between the sides come the final whistle. The Vodacom Bulls desperation to win coupled with home ground advantage should see them home by a narrow margin.
Sports Betting Prediction on: www.sunbet.co.za The Bulls by 1-10 points.
Sunbet is Sun International’s Sportsbetting company. Earn MVG points when you bet.
Ludeke inherited a top class Springbok team from Heyneke. We went on to win two Super Rugby cups. Slowly these guys started leaving the union for greener pastures until we were left with what we have now. Ludeke is not a world class coach and hasn't a clue what to do now as we can see from his weekly selections and the continual predictable kick kick kick and chase and kicking away possession. We are not going anywhere until this all changes and we get in a proper coach like Mallet and change our kicker i.e. JLP and change model Hougaard for player Van Zyl. Now on Sport 24 Ludeke is saying we must have faith and stick with the Bulls because as supporters we are all disillusioned and down and know that we are not going to win any games this season except by luck. Sorry FL it is not going to happen. I feel so sorry for the players who have the ability and the youth and who want to play ruby yet are stuck in this horrible old game plan and cannot let go and play like they want to and show off their talents ??
Die Sharks het die voordeel van 'n baie twyfelagtige drie gekry wat 'n groot invloed op die spel daarna gehad het en die Cheetahs het met beter skopwerk pale toe gewen. Die Bulle het wragties nie so sleg gespeel in die twee wedstryde soos wat die klomp rusbank kenners hier te kenne wil gee nie. Ek self kritiseer baie die spel van indiwidue of sekere aspekte van die spel maar wat op die oomblik hier aangaan laat my die kop skud en wonder hoeveel werklike ondersteuners hier is. Die ondersteuners van ander spanne wat hierdie blog lees lag hulle agterente af vir julle "goeie weer" ondersteuners.
"Goeie genugtig, met 'n klomp ondersteuners soos op hierdie blog het die Bulle geen vyande nodig nie."
Barend is dit jy?
Ek sê weer vir ouens soos Ruggafan: as ons die beste spelers kies en ons speel met 'n beter wedstrydplan en verloor dan nog, dan is alles fine, niemand is dan te blameer nie.
Probleem ou tjom is egter, dit is nie wat tans gebeur nie. Kom ons hoop almal daar is ten minste net twee veranderinge as die span more aangekondig word. 'n Nuwe losskakel in Fouche se plek en 'n nuwe flank in Ross se plek. Net daardie 2 veranderinge sal klaar 'n groot verbetering wees.
In Fouche se plek: JLP of Pollard
In Ross se plek: Steggies of Wiaan
Soos ek by die vorige draad ook geskrywe het, kyk gerus ook na Roelof Smit wat tans in die Tukkie span speel, laat my aan 'n jong Francois Louw dink.
Cape Town - Bulls coach Frans Ludeke has identified three areas of concern as they prepare for their Super Rugby opener against the Sharks in Durban on February 15.
The Bulls lost a pre-season match in Polokwane 26-19 to the Stormers last weekend and according to Ludeke they must improve their scrums, tactical kicking and work rate before the season-proper starts.
Daar was sover verbetering in die skrums gewees. Maar die taktiese en pale toe skop het nog jie opgetel nie en die work rate by die rucks is nie waar dit miet wees nie. Hopelik kan beter spankeuses alreeds die skopwerk hierdie week verbeter. En dalk, net dalk, is die afwesigheid van Derick Minie op die regte tyd vir ons Bulle.
Indien jy en andere gelukkig is oor wat die afgelope 3 jaar aangaan by die Bulle - dis julle reg om happy te wees. Ek stel egter die hoogste standaarde vir die Bulle en dis ook my reg om baie ongelukkig te wees oor wat aangaan by my geliefde span. Kyk hoe goed doen spelers ,wie ons uitgeskop het ,nou by ander spanne... ek wonder hoekom?
Arme Vleis lyk my hy gaan weer bench sit.
Kriel en Teckles gaan ons doodmaak met spoed na die afbreekpunte.
Kies dan eerder Ross en Wiaan met JDP of Hattingh op 8ste man, of Ross op agsteman met JDP en Wiaan as die kantmanne?
Wiaan
JDP
Vleis
Ek wonder of VM nie al spyt is dat hy weer begin speel het nie.
Engelbrecht het nog nie oortuig op 8 nie, maar ek dink wel hy kan faktor wees op 6 naas Steggies. Ons speel teen outjie soos jaco Kriel en jy gaan jou hande vol he met hom.
Ek hoop ook vir verandering op 10.