Defending champions Auckland will face a Bulls tight five of Test strength as they try to rebuild their Super 12 rugby season on Friday in the opening match of round eight.
The league-leading ACT Brumbies host Otago at Canberra on Friday, two days after franchise officials decided to dump coach David Nucifora at the end of the season.
In Saturday’s matches, struggling Queensland are at home to the third-place Stormers, while South African clubs the Sharks host second-place Canterbury at Durban and the winless Cats take on Waikato.
Bulls coach Rudy Joubert has named Richard Bands, Danie Coetzee and Christo Bezuidenhout in his front row against the Auckland Blues, reuniting the Springbok tight five that played against England in the pool rounds of last year’s World Cup.
That obvious forward strength will stretch the Blues who have to win at Albany Stadium, and probably take a bonus point, to keep alive their hopes of defending the Super 12 crown they won from Canterbury last year.
The Blues have only two wins and 12 points from six matches this season and, with their bye behind them and two matches to play in South Africa, have placed emphasis on home wins as they try to stimulate a weakening campaign.
They salvaged an important win from an unimpressive performance against the New South Wales Waratahs last week but that match only pointed out forward weaknesses the giant Bulls will eagerly exploit.
The Blues line-out was ragged against the Waratahs and their scrum was unsettled. Their reluctance to commit forwards to breakdowns also deprived their backline, six of whom are All Blacks, of the quick, go-forward ball.
The loss of All Blacks lock Brad Mika with a shoulder injury will hurt the Blues, though his place will be taken by another All Black, Ali Williams.
With All Blacks props Kees Meeuws and Tony Woodcock on either side of the workhorse hooker Derren Witcombe, the Blues have a useful tight five but they have acknowledged set pieces must improve.
”We are desperate to get two more wins before we head for South Africa, otherwise it will be a long, hard trip,” Witcombe said. ”It has been a difficult season so far but it will show our character if we can pull through.”
The Blues have made one form-related change to the line-up that beat New South Wales, naming David Gibson at scrumhalf in place of All Black Steve Devine.
The Bulls have Jacques Cronje in place of Anton Leonard at number eight and included Norman Jordaan in place of Fourie du Preez at scrumhalf.
The Otago Highlanders have made two changes to take on the Brumbies. Jimmy Cowan returns from injury to replace Ben Hurst at scrumhalf and Aisea Tuilevu replaces the injured Iliesa Tanivula on the wing.
Otago has won four of eight matches against the Brumbies but placed favouritism with the home team — the Highlanders have won only once in Canberra.
”They’re the favourites,” said coach Greg Cooper. ”We’ve gone out in every game and shown we can be competitive so we have to go to Canberra with a belief.
”It’s just a matter of being accurate for longer periods, hopefully for 80 minutes. If we can do that and eliminate mistakes, we’ll give ourselves a chance.”
Despite being six points clear of the competition with five wins from seven matches, the Brumbies are vulnerable following a 47-28 loss to the Crusaders in Christchurch last week and the imminent departure of Nucifora.
The former Wallabies hooker said the decision by the ACT Rugby board not to extend his contract next season came as a complete shock and the process of informing him had been appalling.
Casting aside his differences with administrators, he vowed to lead the Brumbies to a title this season. Since Nucifora became coach in 2002, the Brumbies have reached the Super 12 final and were semifinalists last season.
The Waratahs and Wellington have byes this weekend. — Sapa-AP