As expected, Vodacom Blue Bulls coach Frans Ludeke wasted no time in including all his returning Springboks for Saturday’s crucial Absa Currie Cup clash with Griquas in Kimberley.
A week after the team’s most telling victory of the season, Ludeke included captain Victor Matfield, his second-row partner Bakkies Botha, flyhalf Morne Steyn and centre Wynand Olivier in the side, which will try to cement a semifinal this weekend.
Utility forward Danie Rossouw will also be back for the defending champions, but will start at eighthman and not at lock, where he has played most of his matches this year.
The return of the Bulls’ big guns means that several in-form players have either been left out of the squad or find themselves on the bench.
The most notable changes in the run-on side which was victorious against Western Province last week, are the team’s leading points scorer Jacques-Louis Potgieter and lock Flip van der Merwe, who are likely to come on as impact players.
Centre Stefan Watermeyer, who delivered a man-of-the-match performance in the North v South derby, has been left out of the squad.
All the Springbok players, who have become used to returning to the domestic competition as the Jacaranda trees start blooming, are eager to make an impact this weekend.
“It is nice being back. We have been training here for the last three weeks and we’ve been in the corridors and it is good to be back 100% and part of the mix for the weekend,” said Matfield.
The fresh players also need no reminder of the importance of the outcome of this match.
Boks won’t perform miracles
“Firstly, we need to go win that game as we are still not in a semifinal. It is a very important game for us and it is never easy in Kimberley, so it is going to be tough and we will have to be at our best,” said Matfield.
He also warned that the rest of the team should not rely on the returning Boks to perform miracles in their first Currie Cup match of the season.
“I told the guys this morning that they must not think that now that the Boks are back things are just going to happen.
“Every player in the 22 will have to play their part and although it may take a some time to get back into the rhythm, coach Frans [Ludeke] pointed out that our systems are more or less the same, so hopefully we will find it fast.”
While Ludeke was pleased to have so many experienced hands at his disposal for what is expected to be a demanding away fixture, he would have liked to have eighthman Pierre Spies (calf injury) and hooker Gary Botha (ankle injury) in his team.
“It is great to have everybody back. Obviously a few guys are not available due to injuries, but it was good to have to whole family back and we are looking forward to this weekend’s clash against Griquas,” he said.
Team: Zane Kirchner, Gerhard van den Heever, Jaco Pretorius, Wynand Olivier, Jaco van der Westhuyzen, Morne Steyn, Francois Hougaard, Danie Rossouw, Dewald Potgieter, Derick Kuun, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Werner Kruger, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Dean Greyling. Replacements: Bandise Maku, Rossouw de Klerk, Flip van der Merwe, CJ Stander, Ruan Snyman, Jacques-Louis Potgieter, Jaco Engels. — Sapa.