Can Joburg’s pride match the experienced Bulls?
The Lions will be aiming to tame a Vodacom Bulls team that boast double the amount of Vodacom Super Rugby caps when these sides collide at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday at 17h05.
Flyhalf Elton Jantjies, No.8 Warren Whiteley and fl anker Joshua Strauss all made their Vodacom Super Rugby debut this season, while the likes of fullback Jaco Taute, prop Pat Cilliers, winger Lionel Mapoe and hooker Martin Bezuidenhout each have less than ten Vodacom Super Rugby caps to their names.
In contrast, the Vodacom Bulls boast three players – captain Victor Matfi eld (113), Danie Rossouw (105) and Fourie du Preez (103) – who have each surpassed a century of games at this level.
In Bakkies Botha (89), Morné Steyn (77), Gary Botha (75), Wynand Olivier (75), Gurthrö Steenkamp (70) and Derick Kuün (60) the Vodacom Bulls have a further six players with more than 50 appearances. These nine players have amongst them an amazing combined total of 767 Vodacom Super Rugby caps.
The total number of combined caps in the Vodacom Bulls’ 22 from their game against the DHL Stormers was 1114. In contrast, the Lions’ only have three players who have more than 50 games at Vodacom Super Rugby level. They are Wikus van Heerden (83), Rory Kockott (55) and Jano Vermaak (50). If they play this weekend, Franco van der Merwe and Cobus Grobbelaar will be making their 50th appearance at this level.
The Lions’ combined total of caps in their match last weekend against the Force was 528.
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