The Vodacom Blue Bulls face a bruising encounter against the @lantic Pumas in this weekend’s Vodacom Cup.
The Bulls travel to Witbank hoping to find their feet again after the shock loss against the Border Bulldogs last week, when the competition’s pace-setters were beaten 33-26 at Loftus.
Bulls coach Ashley Evert had made several significant changes to the team beaten by the Bulldogs, placing an emphasis on beefing up his side for what is expected to be a very physical challenge.
For this task, Evert has drawn on the likes of Springbok prop Gurthro Steenkamp, tighthead Andries Human, lock Francois van Schouwenburg and Bulls squad members Heinie Adams, Ricardo Loubscher and Hennie Daniller.
The Pumas are, however, on a high after three solid performances so far this season.
The Bulldogs, buoyed by their outstanding performance against the Vodacom Blue Bulls last week, will look to build on their success when they take on the Mighty Elephants in an Eastern Cape derby match.
”We had a good game last week but I told the guys to stay focused on each game and not let that big win go to their heads,” said Bulldogs assistant coach Delarey du Preez.
Another big Friday-night clash is between the Wildeklawer Griquas and the Golden Lions. The Lions have been singularly unimpressive this season and have lost crucial home games when it counted.
They will now make the trek to Kimberley to face the Griquas, who have only lost once this season and boast an impressive front row.
Lions coach Timmy Goodwin knows this is not going to be an easy game.
”We are in a difficult position having lost our home games, so we really need to win on Friday to get ourselves back on track,” he said.
Goodwin has made several changes to the team that lost against the Pumas last week. Strong eighthman and captain Pietie Ferreira is on loan to the Stormers’ Super 12 side, and Gerhard Vosloo may fill his place in the team should Ferreira play for the Stormers.
Goodwin has also called up other impressive replacements. Powerful scrumhalf Enrico Januarie returns after a long layoff due to injury and will start the match from the bench. Wolscooter Deysel — an under-20 prodigy — will make his debut for the Lions playing at lock.
”The last couple of weeks we’ve put ourselves under pressure from the kick-offs and not really dominated the way we would have liked to. Another major problem for us is the fact that we’ve conceded too many penalties in our own half, which has really sunk us at crucial times,” Goodwin said.
Other news is that Vodacom Cheetahs coach Helgaard Muller has made numerous changes for the match against the Natal Wildebeest on Saturday.
Muller has made five changes to the team that went down 38-28 to the unfancied Eagles last week. Among his changes is bringing powerful eighthman Kanbamba Floors into the fray.
The struggling Griffons — who have yet to win a game this season — have made no less than eight changes to their line-up for the game against the impressive and improving Boland Cavaliers.
The changes appear haphazard, though, as several players merely move position and others come into the game after first playing, then being dropped for one game, and now making a return.
The Cavaliers, on the other hand, will retain most of their players that beat Investec Western Province last week and it’s unlikely they will slip up against the Griffons.
In the other matches of the weekend, Investec Western Province take on the SWD Eagles at Newlands, a game Province should win, and the Leopards host the AMD Flacons in a game that could provide fireworks either way. — Sapa