The Blue Bulls squad to take on the Cheetahs on Saturday afternoon has been announced, where coach Pine Pienaar has made only two changes to the team that lost to the Sharks at Loftus last weekend.
Francois Venter, after many good impact performances off the bench, has finally gotten the nod. He moves to inside centre, where he will play in combination with Wynand Olivier, while Zane Kirchner shifts back to fullback while Jurgen Visser drops to the bench.
The rest of the squad is unchanged for this match in Bloemfontein, which the Blue Bulls will have to win if they wish to stay in contention for the play offs, which are now five weeks away, leaving them with more than enough time to push for fourth or even third position.
Blue Bulls: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Wynand Olivier, 12 Francois Venter, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Louis Fouch, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 CJ Stander, 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Warwick Tecklenburg, 5 Juandre Kruger, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Gary Botha (captain), 1 Dean Greyling
Substitutes: 16 Willie Wepener, 17 Rossouw de Klerk, 18 Gerrit-Jan van Velze, 19 Arno Botha, 20 Dustin Jinka, 21 Francois Brummer, 22 Jurgen Visser
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Cheetahs to all but end the Blue Bulls’ play-off hopes.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 1) : agreed
Ja, shame, Kirchner has not exactly impressed at centre.
@war1 (Comment 3) : I know its early but what do you think the bulls chances are for super rugby next year? Looking at they pack they are getting dominated week in and out and yes steyn and a few bulls boys are coming back from the world cup but I don’t see it improving and steyn always strugels when his forwards are not delivering the goods
Olivier @ 13 could be success. He never pass the ball anyway so move him away from the action!
He`ll still be known as Ebersohn`s Bunny after saturday night though . . .
@Poisy (Comment 4) : I don’t think we can write the Bulls off. I don’t see them winning it next year but I still think they will be OK.
good centre pairing for the Bulls… provided Venter actually passes.
I’ve always believed Olivier to be a better 13 than a 12 anyway.
@war1 (Comment 6) : let’s hope you wrong and they horrible 😛
@Poisy (Comment 4) :
They desperately need a good tighthead to step up. Wouldn’t mind seeing what Greyling can do there because he isn’t really much of a ball-carrier or versatile enough to be playing looshead side.
Also need to move on from Stegmann and Potgieter. But they won’t. So yes they are screwed for the S15.
It’s nice to see Francois Venter get a shot though. He could be a great option off the bench or as the 3rd centre next year behind Olivier & Sadie.
If I could pick a Bulls side, regardless of who has what experience, or picking Springboks etc. Based purely on how talented I think each player is, I’d go:
1 Morné Mellett
2 Chilliboy Ralepelle
3 Dean Greyling (tough, but they need solution)
4 Flip van der Merwe/Juandré Kruger (locks are all equally good)
5 Wilhelm Steenkamp/Juandré Kruger
6 Arno Botha (No fetcher, but rather have someone who is effective in what he does)
7 CJ Stander
8 Pierre Spies
9 Francois Hougaard
10 Morné Steyn
11 ?? Bjorn Basson (read below)
12 Wynand Olivier
13 Johann Sadie
14 JJ Engelbrecht
15 ?? Zane Kircher (read below)
16 Zane Botha 17 Rossouw de Klerk 18 ANY OF THE 3 19 Dewald Potgieter 20 Jano Vermaak 21 Francois Brummer 22 Francois Venter
*Bjorn Basson really really needs to learn to make some tackles. 50% defense, and you can’t be missing more then half the tackles you attempt. It’s pathetic.
*Zane Kircher is really really one-dimensional. Average under high-ball, poor attacker, can’t kick. Have no idea why they bothered with him. These Griquas boys worked well in Kimberley at a low level, but they struggle with the big boys.
Wouldn’t mind seeing how Ulrich Beyers goes at a higher level, and if Basson doesn’t start contributing on defense, he needs to make way for someone who will.
Arno Botha is a very impressive talent he has the potential to be a bok in a few years but he can not even start in the side. 😕
@hendrikp (Comment 9) : 👿 I am super pissed lol with the way the bulls are handling brummer.
He sat on the bench for two damn years behind JLP and Morne Steyn.
This year he spent the whole super 15 comp holding tackling bags and chilling on the bench.
Pine gives him 4 starts against the big union he plays well against the cheetahs then gets dropped again to the bench.
Fouche is the new darling of loftus 😯 according to bulls supporters simply amazing bro 😕
@Muzi (Comment 10) :
Yup. Arno Botha is a very very good player. Probably a notch up from Marcell Coetzee, which he would prove if he got some decent game-time. But in Pretoria, the youngsters are made to carry the bags, regardless of performance. I sound like a broken record, but hey, it’s true.
@Muzi (Comment 11) :
Yup can’t believe what they are doing with Brummer. They don’t let him play any rugby for a very long period of time, and when he gets back into it they take him out again. I’d have moved on a long time ago if I were him. Maybe he’ll find a home in Port Elizabeth. They could use a good flyhalf when they enter the S15. Way the Bulls are going they might be the ones to drop out! 😆
@hendrikp (Comment 9) : Ulrich Beyers is probably the best full back in Pretoria the way the bulls are handling team selections leaves alot to be desired.
@hendrikp (Comment 13) : Bro thats exactly what i said if i was brummer just like lionel cronje i would tell my agent to give a call to Alan Solomons i mean Louis Strydom is the EP Kings flyhalf.
@Muzi (Comment 14) :
What do you think of the lack of quality black/coloured players at the Bulls? I get the feeling they hold onto guys like Basson & especially Kirchner because they don’t have many of them. Why that is I don’t know. I do think Ralepelle will have an excellent season next year though. Was impressed with him this season but was unfair that he had to rotate every 2 games with Gary Botha. Couldn’t build up any momentum. Wasn’t impressed with that Skosan guy at the Junior World Champs either. Might be a good idea to try get their hands on Mjekevu, or Mbovane.
@hendrikp (Comment 13) : The bulls are contracting the bassons…van den heevers sure they are fast but they can not tackle to save their lives.
@Muzi (Comment 15) :
Great minds think alike.
I had high hopes for Brummer. Even the Sharks could use him, but unfortunately he’d have to sign for pretty cheap you’d think. He’s definitely got the potential to be a starter, and would benefit from increased game time the Sharks could give him once Michalak leaves.
@Muzi (Comment 17) :
If it was like the NFL, and you could send on a defensive unit and an offensive unit, then Basson would probably be an MVP candidate. But in rugby, you need to do both, and he’s more likely to be the reason the Bulls concede a try then actually score one. 😥
@hendrikp (Comment 18) : I believe brummer nearly left the bulls last year to go to france BUT he decided to stay.Bulls supporters hate the poor kid feel sorry for him he has potential but the bulls do not have faith and trust in him.
@hendrikp (Comment 9) : very inciteful comment
@hendrikp (Comment 19) : Boet Skosan is averrage..mastriet is quick but he is also
suspect on defence.There is a player from Tygerberg High School Travis Ismael he plays for our under 19s i believe he is another lionel mapoe but injury prone.
@Muzi (Comment 17) :
You make a lot of sense man. Most people I find generally just go along with what they read on blogs like Keo, rather then actually assessing what they see with their own eyes! You must be good at reasoning/debating.
@hendrikp (Comment 23) : I do not even want to go sign up in Keo i heard that website is Anti Pierre Spies lol
i mean grant 10 is from another planet 😀
@Muzi (Comment 22) :
Yeah I’ve heard some good things about that Ismaiel guy. Hopefully he makes the SA U20 squad. Or if I’m lucky I’ll find a stream to a Bulls U19 game (easier to find U21 games). Wouldn’t actually mind if the Bulls gave Akona Ndungane more game-time. Not flashy, but like Odwa, he gets things done.
@hendrikp (Comment 16) : someone is gonna shit on you if you talk about race,its not allowed here
@Muzi (Comment 24) :
Had a run-in with him the other day. He told me he’s been watching rugby since 78 or something. I wasn’t born until 87, so he pulled the ‘listen to your elders’ thing on me. 😆 Calls himself a supporter but he’s quick to rubbish players who have given it their best in a Bok jersey.
I think he’s had enough though. Haven’t seen him post there for at least a week now! 😀
@hendrikp (Comment 16) :
Ease up boet.. you should know our rules by now..
@hendrikp (Comment 23) : The so called new generation of bulls players are talented.
But they have no heart or real guts to tackle a 123kg prop out of the field.
The men are scared.
I can tell you one thing for sure i was never a huge wacko jaco..jp nel..marius delport…heini adams..wannenburg BUT these players were not chicken scard to get dirty like van den heever.
Up hear in Pretoria now if you are a junior player its all about making sa schools..getting a bulls contract…having a bloody massive mullet or even add cornflakes with skosans hair then you are well set you do not have to tackle because you are a new generation 😕 .
@Poisy (Comment 26) :
Why? We’re all mature adults (I hope) and I’m asking a good question. Compared to other unions I don’t see many quality black players at the Bulls. They should be doing more like the Sharks, Lions & WP. Hoskins should be sending his letters straight to Blue Bulls Head Office 😐 But I’ll leave it at that.
@hendrikp (Comment 30) :
Its a fair question.. but it opens the door to all sorts of allegations and Keo-like behaviour..
Thanx for understanding..
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 28) :
Didn’t know, but okay
@hendrikp (Comment 27) : What comes out in the cape stays in the cape
Keo and his angels ryan vrede….simon…the other two dudes have lost credibility.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 31) :
I see. Good point. My apologies!
@hendrikp (Comment 30) : Poisy is right… as per the site rules, we don’t discuss race here.
I’m going to leave the above comments, but please don’t post anything further on this point, or I will have to remove them.
@hendrikp (Comment 34) :
No worries, and thanx..
@hendrikp (Comment 30) : I assume its coz we just wanna avoid the uneccesary drama bro,there’s always an idiot who will say the wrong thing and offend someone else,just go read the rules and you will be fine
@Muzi (Comment 33) :
I don’t mind Jon Cardinelli too much. He pretty much sticks to the topic. The other lot are just unbearable! Keohane actually makes some good points, but I genuinely think he writes half his articles to get his followers to react. Things like saying Dan Carter is the best flyhalf to ever play the game. Couldn’t help myself because I don’t want people actually believing that 😆
What you reckon about the younger Jantjies brother? Haven’t seen or heard anything but saw his name on the team sheets?
@hendrikp (Comment 38) : Tony Jantjies is very talented he needs to improve his kicking like his brother.
I believer he is the highest points scorer in the under 19 comp.
@Muzi (Comment 40) :
Nice! Enjoy keeping up with these youngsters coming through.
Little off topic but what do you think about Lohan Jacobs? Talked to someone about it on here the other day. While I think he’s a good player at that level, IMO he’s not snappy enough to be a scrumhalf at CC level for the top-5. No significant strengths to his game besides his size. What you reckon?
@hendrikp (Comment 41) : Lohan Jacobs has regressed he was superb last year he never passes another frans steyn.You are 100% right he has slow service.He has speed and alles though.There is a player by the name of Rudi van Rooyen he played sa schools last year he is with our under 19s he has quick service he reminds me of joost with his dummy and snipping breaks.