Basson to start at fullback for Vodacom Blue Bulls
Try-scoring ace Bjorn Basson will start at fullback for the Vodacom Blue Bulls when they take on DHL Western Province in the opening round of the Currie Cup Premier Division on Friday. Basson, who broke the Currie Cup record for tries in a season while playing on the wing, will form a potent back three with Jade Stighling and Jamba Ulengo, himself the leading try-scorer in the competition in 2015.
Vodacom Blue Bulls coach Nollis Marais named an experienced side, with only Eli Snyman new to the current squad. The Junior Springbok will making his first appearance in the senior competition from the bench.
"We need to start well and I am happy with the way we prepared," Marais said. "WP have a formidable team though and will travel here with lots of confidence. I am expecting a solid start from our guys though. We have worked on some issues that dogged the team earlier in the season and will be looking at eliminating them."
Marais is expecting good attacking play from his new back three. "They all know how to get to the tryline, so the challenge for us will be to make sure they have the space to attack. And of course, enough ball to run with."
Vodacom Blue Bulls captain, Arno Botha, is keen for the tournament to kick off.
"The Currie Cup proper does make the heart pumps just a little faster. We are keen to get the season underway and continue with the good things we have done this year. We are hoping for a good crowd as well, as they do help us play better. The fans have been patient, but it is time for us to seriously challenge for the Currie Cup again. We owe it to them and to ourselves."
Kick-off is at 17h10.
The team is: Bjorn Basson, Jade Stighling, Dries Swanepoel, Burger Odendaal, Jamba Ulengo, Tian Schoeman, Piet van Zyl, Arno Botha (c), Jannes Kirsten, Ruan Steenkamp, Marvin Orie, Jason Jenkins, Entienne Swanepoel, Jaco Visagie, Pierre Schoeman. Replacements: Bandise Maku, Nqoba Mxoli, Eli Snyman, Hanro Liebenberg, Andre Warner, Tony Jantjies, Dan Kriel.
Junior teams to face DHL Western Province named
The Vodacom Blue Bulls Under-21 team to face the DHL Western Province in the opening round of the SA Rugby Under-21 competition has also been named. Abongile Nonkontwana will lead the side from the side of the scrum. Coach Pote Human included two players with Vodacom Super Rugby experience, with Dewald Human (Southern Kings) and Ivan van Zyl (Vodacom Bulls) playing at fullback and scrumhalf respectively.
The midfield combination of JT Jackson and Franco Naude also played together for the Junior Springboks in the recent World Rugby Junior World Cup in Manchester.
Kick-off is at 14h45.
The team is: Dewald Human, Keanan van Wyk, Franco Naude, JT Jackson, Divan Rossouw, Tinus de Beer, Ivan van Zyl (v/c), Jsuanre Swanepoel, Abongile Nonkontwana, Marco van Staden, Aston Fortuin, Ruben van Heerden, Matthys Basson, Alandre van Rooyen, Njabulo Gumede. Replacements: Jan-Henning Campher, Stefaan Grundlingh, Sam Mitchell, Dean van der Westhuizen, Theo Maree, Kurt Webster, Adrian Maebane.
The Under-19 side for the crucial clash against DHL Western Province will see Manie Libbok at fullback and Boeta Hamman at flyhalf, with Heino Bezuidenhout again leading the team from midfield. Coach Jaco Pienaar’s troops started the season very well.
The Blue Bulls and WP are the only undefeated ones in the competition after five rounds, so this is expected to be a massive clash.
Kick-off is at 13h10.
The team is: Manie Libbok, Lourens Steenkamp, Heino Bezuidenhout, Jordan Holgate, Irvin Ali, Boeta Hamman, Josh Allderman, Dylan van der Walt, Rickert Korff, Eduan Lubbe, Hendre Stassen, Marius Verwey, IG Prinsloo, Johan Grobbelaar, Gerhard Steenkamp. Replacements: Nico Peyper, Simphiwe Matanzima, Tiny Mukhari, Erik Groenewald, MJ Hayes, Jason Olivier, Erich Cronje, Ciaran Dayaram.
Die CC het 'n kompetisie vir desperate ondersteuners geword en hier is baie van hulle op die forum.
Praat rugby en hou op om die heeeeeltyd mense te probeer aanvat, rerig onnodig.
Barend en sy raad stel nie meer belang om te presteer nie. Middelmatigheid is goed, solank hulle die politici tevrede stel. Elke tweede kwota-speler wat dit nie op die veld maak nie, word nou opgelei as afrigter, tegniese adviseur, spanbestuurder of sommer skop-afrigter!
Kenners van die Bulle se geskiedenis sal vir jou vertel dat 'n man soos Wynie Strydom 'n reuse rol gespeel het in die sukses van die Bulle tussen 2002 (eerste Curriebeker onder Heyneke) en 2010 (laaste SuperRugby trofee). Nou gaan dit vir Barend-hulle nie meer oor die kwaliteite van die man wat in die belangrike pos as spanbestuurder aangestel word nie, maar oor sy velkleur. Kyk maar as jy weer op Loftus kom, AL die Bulle se spanbestuurders is getransformeer!
Die Bulle versink in die dryfsand van middelmatigheid weens politiek. Dis die feite!
Ek klap jou onder jou ponytail uit - jou moroon.
Die blog is om ons span te bespreek en lekker te gesels oor ons tradisie ryke Noord transvaalse rugbyunie.
Kom ons almal keer terug na waarvoor die blog is en gesels lekker.
Ignoreer die ou laat hy gaan aandag soek op 'n ander blog.
Vrydag dop ons die WP om. Bulle wen CC die jaar.
Sit die papsak neer en raak ernstig asb.
En dan wil ek ook net sterkte se vir die leeus in hulle finaal saterdag en baie geluk dat hulle sover gekom het en dankie vir hulle aanskoulike rugby wat hulle speel, maar ek wil ook net se dat hulle dit moet geniet terwyl dit hou, want soos ons as Blou Bul ondersteuners weet gaan jou span nie heeltyd en altyd bo bly nie. Opposisie spanne begin jou ontleed, jy begin kern spelers verloor en sport is 'n baie onvoorspelbare ding. Die een seisoen kan jy onoorwonne wees, maar die seisoen daarna kan jy heelonder eindig. So sterkte vir die leeus en geniet die oomblik en maak geskiedenis.
En dan vir my Blou Bul span: Manne, sterkte met die curriecup hierdie jaar, speel julle harte uit en maak ons trots !!
Go Bulle GO !!!!!!!!!!!
Pitty that Duhan vd Merwe left the union probably due to racial quotas. He will be a rising star soon. Jade Stiglingh is not a bad player. Lots of heart. This is his chance.
Rest if the team looks OK. Just hope our scrums wil stand rock solid. Loose trio will be strong outfit.
And then - Tony Jantjes - the Bulls nr. 2 fly half. Give me strenght Johanna.
Interressant om die naam van Eli Snyman te sien. Lang seun van Zimbabwe. Sal graag wil sien wat hy gaan maak teen meer ervare spelers.
Ek is ok verras om Andre Warner bo Ivan van Zyl te sien in die CC span.
Die Bulle se grootste uitdaging gaan die voorry wees in hierdie CC. Ons hakers het weinig speeltyd gekry agv Adriaan Strauss. Ons moet hierdie voorry regkry vir volgende jaar se Superrugby.
In elk geval, sterkte aan Nollis. Ek is baie bly hy neem afrigting oor by Maritz. Die sien ek gaan dryfentjies afrig vir ons skoppers. Ek wil nou nie sê I told you so nie, maar iets in daai lyn sal in die kol wees.
Substitutes: 16 Chad Solomon, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 JP Smith, 19 Kobus van Dyk, 20 Godlen Masimla, 21 Brandon Thomson, 22 Johnny Kotze
Dis nie n slegte span nie. Paar jonegelinge maar dis gevaarlike jongelinge. Ons kan nie bekostig om stadig te begin of om roekeloos met ons balbesit te wees nie anders gaan dit n lang aand word. Ek hoop net PvZ en Schoeman click lekker en beheer die spel want buiten die voorspelers is ons skakelpaar die ander gedeelte waar die wedstryd gewen/verloor gaan word.
Kom BULLE julle kan !!
Very good WP team who has done very well this season. Our loosies should just have the upper hand but the tight 5 is where it happens. We might lack some speed after half time. Need someone to up the pace of the game.
The mess at EP and the board of directors at SARU casts a shadow over this CC. Luckily for them the outging ANC minucipality came to their rescue.
Ek dink die WP se CC span het gewys hul diepte is beter as die Bulle s'n. Maar Loftus kan gelykmaker wees.
Gaan tawwe game vir ons wees. Ek sien Nollis sê hy wil vanjaar die beker wen.
Hy is soos iemand wat kleintyd in 'n drol getrap het. Daai stank verlaat hulle mos nooit nie....