Bulls coach Frans Ludeke rung the changes for Friday night’s Absa Currie Cup match against the Griquas at Loftus Versfeld.
News 24 reports that Springbok World Cup centre Wayne Julies as well as Heinie Adams return from injury and have been included in the Bulls’ squad.
At lock, former Matie Juandre Kruger starts in place of Danie Rossouw who has been called up to the Springbok squad and Chilliboy Ralepelle takes over from Bandise Maku at hooker.
Scrumhalf JP Joubert has been dropped from the squad and is replaced by Francois Hougaard and Rocco Jansen gets his second Currie Cup start on the left wing with John Mametsa moving to the right. Akona Ndungane, who has an injured hip, was not considered.
Julies, who made his Bok debut in 1999 and has 11 Tests to his credit, has recovered from a knee injury and will partner fellow-Bok Wynand Olivier in the midfield while Adams will be on the bench. Olivier will move to outside centre.
Coach Frans Ludeke said on Tuesday he is especially pleased with the availability of Julies and Adams. “They had been two of the Bulls’ stalwarts before their injuries. It is up to them to seize this opportunity and make the most of it.”
Lineout specialist
With Olivier at outside centre Marius Delport will be one of three backs on the bench alongside Adams and Burton Francis. Kruger gets the nod because of the injuries to Francois van Schouwenburg (broken thumb) and the Danie Rossouw’s Bok call-up. He will partner Wilhelm Steenkamp in the second row.
Kruger is a lineout specialist who was involved in every single match the Bulls’ Vodacom Cup team played in 2008. He is a former Maties player and played in six games for the WP in 2007.
Team doctor Org Strauss confirmed on Monday that Derick Kuun’s hamstring is still not 100% and he wasn’t considered for the Griquas clash.
Bulls:
Tiger Mangweni; John Mametsa, Wynand Olivier, Wayne Julies, Rocco Jansen; Morne Steyn, Francois Hougaard; Pedrie Wannenburg, Wikus van Heerden (capt.), Deon Stegmann, Wilhelm Steenkamp, Juandre Kruger, Rayno Gerber, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Gurthro Steenkamp.
Replacements: Bandise Maku, Werner Kruger, Dewald Potgieter, Jacques Burger, Heinie Adams, Burton Francis, Marius Delport.
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that is a much better balanced backline. They may just inadvertently have stumbled onto something.
GO GRIQUAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They struggled in the Line-outs against us…
Julies sometimes also blows hot and cold..hopefully for them he does well against Griquas
@KSA Shark © (Comment 2) : yeah baby, but I don’t see it happening. I’ll be happy if they limit the morons to 4 points
Is this the only Currie Cup match this weekend?
@McLovin (Comment 5) : it is
@robdylan (Comment 6) : Strange.
@McLovin (Comment 7) : it’s a hangover round from round 7, where the Bulls and Griqaus did not play (for whatever reason)
Ands I take it Kritzinger is dropped as well?
@Hmmm (Comment 9) :
I think Kirchner was injured?
Is this not the only CC match for 3 weeks?
@walter van transvaal.co.za (Comment 10) : correct. Out for at least a month with popped ribs.
@Hmmm (Comment 11) : it’s only two weeks. The next round kicks off on 29 Aug
@robdylan (Comment 12) :
I saw…just heard the Sharks coach saying last week they are off for 3…but saw that the Sharks have a double bye…
But that still only means they are off for 2 🙄
So I hope the Sharks realize they have to play the 3rd week…imagine if they just don’t pitch against the kavaliers 😉
@Hmmm (Comment 13) : I think they’ll write it down on the big calendar in the change room
@robdylan (Comment 14) :
Well if they forfeit the log points when not pitching….I’ll prefer they don’t… 😉
@robdylan (Comment 12) : Not Correct
@Hmmm (Comment 11) : Nope
Week 10 – BYE for Blue Bulls, Boland Cavaliers, The Sharks, & Western Province
22 Lions vs FS Cheetahs Johannesburg 19:10
23 Griquas vs Valke Kimberley ??
Week 11 – BYE for FS Cheetahs, Griquas, Lions & Valke
29 Boland Kavaliers vs The Sharks Wellington 16:00
29 Blue Bulls vs Western Province Pretoria 19:10
http://www.sharksworld.co.za/currie-cup-fixtures-results/ (It’s on the site use it) 😉
@Hmmm (Comment 13) :
Well that is three weeks but only two weekends.
And if they don’t pitch against Boland we can just ask some of the supporters who are good swimmers to play for the Sharks. 😉
@KSA Shark © (Comment 16) : oops. I don’t care about the other teams 😉
@robdylan (Comment 18) :