PHYSICAL BUENOS AIRES BATTLE AWAITS VODACOM BULLS

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The last match of the weekend will be played in Buenos Aires, between the Jaguares and the Vodacom Bulls where a very physical battle is expected and Cornal Hendricks will be making an emotional return to Vodacom Super Rugby action as replacement for Johnny Kotze (meningitis).

 

Hendriks, the former Springbok wing, will play his first Vodacom Super Rugby match since 2015, when he was forced out of action due to illness. Saturday’s battle in Buenos Aires will see him complete his comeback to top-flight action.

 

The Pretoria side got their swagger back following their sublime win over the DHL Stormers at Loftus and the late-evening tie in South America has all the makings of a fascinating clash.

 

Each of the previous four meetings in this fixture has been won by the home team on the day, with each side having won twice. The Argentine franchise want to avoid back-to-back losses on home soil for the first time since March 2018 after their defeat to the Emirates Lions last week.

 

What they said:

Vodacom Bulls coach Pote Human is expecting a fiery backlash from the Jaguares, especially after they lost to the Emirates Lions in their opening game: “It’s going to be tough especially if the crowd gets behind them and they come with their passion. I think we played the right game plan against the Stormers and if we can continue on that, we can do well.”

 

Jaguares: TBA

 

Vodacom Bulls: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Jessie Kriel, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Rosko Specman, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Hanro Liebenberg, 6 Ruan Steenkamp, 5 Lood de Jager (captain), 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Lizo Gqoboka. Replacements: 16 Corniel Els, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 19 Eli Snyman, 20 Thembelani Bholi, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Dylan Sage.

 

Head to head:

Played: 4

Jaguares won: 2

Vodacom Bulls won: 2

Jaguares points: 130

Vodacom Bulls points: 104

Average score: 33-26

 

Match information:

Date: Saturday 23 February

SA time: 23h40

Venue: Jose Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires

Referee: Brendon Pickerill

Assistant referees: Rasta Rasivhenge, Mike Fraser

Television Match Official: Santiago Borsani

TV: SuperSport1

HUMAN MIX EXPERIENCE WITH DEBUTANTS FOR VODACOM SUPER RUGBY OPENER

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The Vodacom Bulls will start their 2019 Vodacom Super Rugby campaign with five tournament rookies when they face the DHL Stormers at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday in a highly anticipated clash that will also see the return to South African rugby for Duane Vermeulen and Schalk Brits.

Vermeulen returns to the competition for the first time since 2015 having represented the Toyota Cheetahs and DHL Stormers in 109 matches, while Brits, who played for the Cats and DHL Stormers in his career, last saw action in the Southern Hemisphere showpiece in 2011.

Rosko Specman will be the only tournament debutant in the run-on team though as Vodacom Bulls Head Coach, Pote Human, named the former Springbok Sevens player on the wing. Specman has played in the GUINNESS PRO 14 competition for the Toyota Cheetahs in 2017, but this will be a first taste of the Vodacom Super Rugby tournament for the two time World Sevens Series winner.

Human also named Corniel Els, Simphiwe Matanzima, Eli Snyman and Dylan Sage on the bench, with all due for a first appearance for the home side in the competition. Matanzima sat on the bench in last season’s match against the Sunwolves in Singapore, but did not take to the field.

Apart from Vermeulen and Brits, there will also be a Vodacom Bulls debut for replacement prop Dayan van der Westhuizen. The Vodacom Bulls player represented the Southern Kings in the tournament before as a loan player to the Eastern Cape franchise, playing for them 11 times.

Ruan Steenkamp, who missed the entire 2018 Vodacom Super Rugby tournament due to injury, was named on the flank.

Human could call on a very experienced core of players, with Burger Odendaal and Handré Pollard in line for their 50th caps later this season, while up front, Trevor Nyakane could play in his 100th Super match during the tournament (running out for his 50th Vodacom Bulls cap on Saturday).

Lood de Jager will lead the team for the first time in the tournament and the lock will combine with Jason Jenkins. The duo last started a match together as the lock combination in March 2018 against the Crusaders in Christchurch.

The locks are amongst the 10 Springboks named by Human for the season’s opener.

Human said they are not the favourites despite playing at home.

“Recent history shows how formidable the Stormers have been. They have won seven of their last nine games against us, so will have more than enough confidence coming here. That said, we did beat them here last year, so if we apply what we trained, I firmly believe we can do that again.”

An 80-minute effort will be needed though, De Jager insisted.

“We held the lead in three of our last matches at halftime and only won once, so it is imperative that we not only start well, but sustain our efforts for the full 80 minutes. There is massive excitement and expectation amongst the squad this year and we are keen to go out and play the best rugby we can,” the captain said.

The team to face the DHL Stormers (with caps and points) is: Warrick Gelant (34, 60), Johnny Kotze (34, 40), Jesse Kriel (61, 75), Burger Odendaal (43, 15), Rosko Specman (on debut), Handré Pollard (46, 437), Embrose Papier (10, 5), Duane Vermeulen (109, 40), Hanro Liebenberg (28, 15), Ruan Steenkamp (11, 0), Lood de Jager (c; 60, 25), Jason Jenkins (40, 35), Trevor Nyakane (91, 15), Schalk Brits (63, 20), Lizo Gqoboka (37, 10).

 

Replacements: Corniel Els (on debut), Simphiwe Matanzima (0, 0), Dayan van der Westhuizen (10, 0), Eli Snyman (on debut), Thembelani Bholi (30, 5), Ivan van Zyl (17, 0), Manie Libbok (8, 13), Dylan Sage (on debut).

 

Notes: Selected Vodacom Bulls stats
Head to Head (Opta)
Played 31, won 12 with one draw. Average score: 22-22.
Matches at home: Played 15, won 8, lost 7. Average score: 27-22.
Most appearances: Victor Matfield 140
Most points: Morné Steyn 1449
Most tries: Bryan Habana 37
Most points in season: Morné Steyn 263
Most tries in season: Bjorn Basson 10

SUPERSPORT CHALLENGE WARMUP MATCH

The Vodacom Blue Bulls also named their squad to play in a warm-up friendly against Naka Bulle in the curtain-raiser to the game. The Vodacom Blue Bulls are preparing for the SuperSport Rugby Challenge and the Naka Bulle will play in the Gold Cup, so this match will be perfect as part of their preparations.

A number of players with Vodacom Super Rugby experience have been named in the Vodacom Blue Bulls team, including Conraad van Vuuren, Jannes Kirsten, Andre Warner and Divan Rossouw. Flyhalf Chris Smith, on loan from the Pumas, will also make a first appearance for the team.

Team to play Naka Bulle on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld is: Divan Rossouw, Cornal Hendricks, Franco Naude, JT Jackson, Jade Stighling, Chris Smith, Andre Warner, Muller Uys, Tim Agaba, Paul Schoeman, Aston Fortuin, Jannes Kirsten, Conraad van Vuuren, Dewald Maritz, Matthys Basson.

 

Replacements: Stephan Leonard, Nqoba Mxoli, Madot Mabokela, Aaron Brodi, Fred Eksteen, Marco Jansen van Vuuren, Theo Boshoff, Cameron Hufke, Earll Douwrie.

FUN FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY

JENKINS, LIEBENBERG AND WARNER BACK WITH BULLSFAMILY

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Jason Jenkins will start at lock with Lood de Jager on Saturday when the Vodacom Bulls take on the Cell C Sharks in Ballito.

Jenkins recently returned from his club duties in Japan and will start alongside fellow Springbok and team captain, De Jager, in the engine room.

The match will also see the first sight in the new season of Hanro Liebenberg and Andre Warner, with both returning from their loan spell in France.

Liebenberg and Warner will play off the bench in a team that showed numerous changes from the one that played in Cape Town last weekend.

Only Warrick Gelant, Jesse Kriel, Handre Pollard, Duane Vermeulen, De Jager and the front row of Trevor Nyakane, Schalk Britz and Lizo Gqoboka will be in the starting team again.

 

Dylan Sage, Embrose Papier, Thembelani Bholi, and Ruan Steenkamp played off the bench last weekend, but earn starts this time around against the home side.

Wingers Cornal Hendricks and Rosko Specman played in the warm-up match against the Emirates Lions two weeks, but was not involved in Cape Town.

The match takes place at Ashton College in Ballito on Saturday, 9th February. Kickoff is at 14h00.

Vodacom Bulls coach, Pote Human, said the match, which is expected to see the home side laden with all their international players, is another important step towards their final preparations for the Vodacom Super Rugby competition.

“We did some good things last weekend and this is another step towards fine-tuning the squad. Obviously, we will be trying to have a better start this week. The bad start last weekend, where we conceded some soft tries early, forced us to play catch-up rugby. We responded well, but I would not like to see a repeat of that,” Human said.

Starting team: Warrick Gelant, Cornal Hendricks, Jesse Kriel, Dylan Sage, Rosko Specman, Handre Pollard, Embrose Papier, Duane Vermeulen, Thembelani Bholi, Ruan Steenkamp, Lood de Jager (c), Jason Jenkins, Trevor Nyakane, Schalk Britz, Lizo Gqoboka.

 

Finishers: Johan Grobbelaar, Matthys Basson, Conraad van Vuuren, Hanro Liebenberg, Paul Schoeman, Jannes Kirsten, Tim Agaba, Andre Warner, JT Jackson, Jade Stighling, Divan Rossouw.