Callie Visagie in for Vodacom Blue Bulls to Play GWK Griquas

Aug 13 • General News • 4920 Views • Comments Off on Callie Visagie in for Vodacom Blue Bulls to Play GWK Griquas

Vodacom Blue Bulls coach Pine Pienaar made one change to his team to play GWK Griquas in an Absa Currie Cup match at Loftus Versfeld on Friday.

Callie Visagie will start at hooker in place of Willie Wepener, with Visagie’s spot on the bench from the Western Province clash taken by Bongi Mbonambi, who will make a first appearance in the competition.

Wepener has been asked to be released from his contract to take up an immediate offer with the MTN Golden Lions and it has been granted.

“We are very sad about losing Willie, but has decided not to stand in his way. There is a longer term option for him available at the Golden Lions and it will be wrong of us to deny him that,” Pienaar said.

“He has been a real warrior for us, so we want to wish him well in this move and thank him for his services to us.”

Commenting on the Griquas clash, Pienaar said the momentum from the Cape Town draw against Western Province will help his team in their first home match of the season.

“We did well there and you could see it in the way the guys trained this week. We are confident of playing to our potential again this weekend. No doubt Griquas will be a tough opponent. We have seen that there will be no easy matches in the Currie Cup already, so the guys know that they will have to be up for it.”

Vodacom Blue Bulls captain, Jono Ross, urged for another spirited performance from his young charges.

“The trick will be to consistently deliver your best performance every weekend. We cannot expect a result if we are not on top of our game against Griquas. They will punish us if we are not switched on and at our best,” Ross said.

The team to play Griquas is: Jürgen Visser, Sampie Mastriet, Ulrich Beyers, Francois Venter, Travis Ismaiel, Tony Jantjies, Rudy Paige, Jono Ross (c), Jacques du Plessis, Wiaan Liebenberg, Grant Hattingh, Paul Willemse, Frik Kirsten, Callie Visagie, Morné Mellett. Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Marcell van der Merwe, Wilhelm Steenkamp, Jean Cook, Ruan Snyman, Waylon Murray, Clayton Blommetjies.

Vodacom Blou Bulle span Visagie in

Die Vodacom Blou Bulle-afrigter, Pine Pienaar, het slegs een verandering aan sy span gemaak wat Vrydag op Loftus Versfeld in ‘n Absa Curriebekerwedstryd teen Griekwas speel.

Callie Visagie begin as haker in die plek van Willie Wepener, met Bongi Mbonambi wat Van Wyk se plek op die plaasvervangerbank inneem in die Blou Bulle se eerste tuiswedstryd van die kompetisie. Dit sal ook Mbonambi se eerste verskyning in vanjaar se kompetisie wees.

Wepener is met onmiddelike effek vrygestel om ‘n kontrak met die MTN Goue Leeus op te neem, het Pienaar bevestig.

“Ons is bitter spyt om Willie te verloor, maar hy het gevra vir ‘n vrystelling omdat hy ‘n langer termyn-kontrak met die Leeus beding het. Hy was ‘n ware staatmaker vir ons en daarom wil ons nie in sy pad staan of hom benadeel nie. Die Blou Bulle wil hom bedank vir sy bydraes die afgelope paar seisoene en wens hom alle sterkte toe met die volgende deel van sy loopbaan,” het Pienaar gesê.

Met verwysing na Vrydag se wedstryd, het Pienaar gesê die gelykopuitslag verlede week teen die Westelike Provinsie het die span goeie momentum vir die res van die reeks gegee.

“Jy kon hierdie week in die oefensessies sien die spelers is lus vir die ding. Die span besef as hule volgens hul potensiaal speel, kan dinge gebeur hierdie seisoen,” het Pienaar aangedui.

“Ons is baie bewus van Griekwas se vermoë en het reeds gesien daar gaan nie enige maklike wedstryde wees nie, so die ouens besef watter gesindheid Vrydag nodig gaan wees,” het Pienaar gesê.

Die Vodacom Blou Bulle se kaptein, Jono Ross, het sy spanmaats tot nog ‘n vurige vertoning aangemoedig.

“Die geheim lê daarin om weekliks op jou snykant te wees. Ons kan nie ‘n goeie uitslag teen Griekwas verwag as ons nie werk daarvoor nie. Hulle is die tipe span wat swakplekke in jou spel uitbuit, so ons sal in elke fase op ons beste as ‘n span moet wees.”

Die span wat teen Griekwas speel is: Jürgen Visser, Sampie Mastriet, Ulrich Beyers, Francois Venter, Travis Ismaiel, Tony Jantjies, Rudy Paige, Jono Ross (k), Jacques du Plessis, Wiaan Liebenberg, Grant Hattingh, Paul Willemse, Frik Kirsten, Callie Visagie, Morné Mellett. Plaasvervangers: Bongi Mbonambi, Marcell van der Merwe, Wilhelm Steenkamp, Jean Cook, Ruan Snyman, Waylon Murray, Clayton Blommetjies.